Read the Responses for candidates from MAUI COUNCILMEMBER (KAHULUI)

Kauanoe Batangan

Key quotes from Kauanoe Batangan’s questionnaire:

Livability and affordability

“To me, a livable and affordable Maui County means a community where kamaʻāina are not priced out of their own home.”

“It means our teachers, first responders, and working families can establish deep roots, raise their children, and retire safely here.”

“We must treat housing as a stability mechanism for local families.”

Housing supply and zoning

“A common misconception is that our housing crisis is an unavoidable tragedy.”

“In reality, local housing scarcity is a man-made problem driven by outdated policies.”

“Over time, strict zoning, complex rules, and slow permitting have essentially made affordable housing impossible to build.”

“We need to allow housing construction at every income tier.”

“By modernizing our zoning laws and fixing a broken system, we can put local families first.”

Streamlining government

“I prioritize streamlining processes because government efficiency is the foundation for solving our county's most urgent crises.”

“When it takes months or years just to clear bureaucratic red tape, it directly drives up homebuilding costs for local families and stalls essential public projects.”

“True progress requires a government that moves at the speed our community needs.”

Infrastructure

“We cannot expect county taxpayers to foot the entire bill.”

“By working hand-in-hand with state, federal, and community partners, we can build a resilient Maui County where roads and water lines support housing instead of raising the cost of living.”

201H and 2.97 housing process

“One of the most impactful changes to the 201H and 2.97 housing process is Act 31, which created Hawaiʻi's Affordable Housing Credit Program.”

“For Maui, combining the financing support provided by Act 31 with the streamlined approvals available under Chapters 201H and 2.97 can speed up the delivery of affordable housing.”

Owner occupancy and wealth building

“Our current 201H and 2.97 ownership programs do a good job helping local families buy their first home, but they don't do enough to support long-term homeownership and wealth-building.”

“A family should be able to use the value they've built in their home to make repairs, save for retirement, or move into a larger home as their needs change.”

“Maui should keep the affordability tools that work while testing new approaches that help local families both buy a home and build a future through homeownership.”

Land use reform

“Our current system encourages fragmented decision-making, where too many housing permits are debated on a case-by-case basis instead of being guided by a clear, shared vision.”

“A modern, coordinated planning framework will produce better outcomes than relying on piecemeal zoning changes and discretionary approvals.”