Read the Responses for candidates for Maui Mayor
Richard Bissen
Key quotes Richard T. Bissen, Jr.’s questionnaire:
Livability and affordability
“A livable and affordable Maui County is one where local families can build a future without having to leave the place they love.”
“It's a community where our young people can choose to stay, where working families can afford a home, where our kūpuna can retire with dignity, and where local businesses can succeed because local people have the opportunity to thrive.”
“Keeping our people home has been my administration's top priority from day one, and that requires more than simply building more housing.”
“There is no single policy that will solve Maui County's affordability challenges.”
Housing supply
“One of the biggest misconceptions is that there is a single solution to Maui County's housing challenges.”
“The reality is our housing shortage developed over decades, and rebuilding our housing supply requires a comprehensive, long-term strategy.”
“Since taking office, we've increased affordable housing production by 190 percent because we've focused on every part of the housing system rather than relying on one solution.”
“There are no quick fixes, but by staying committed to a comprehensive strategy, investing in infrastructure, improving transparency, and putting local families first, we're making meaningful progress toward keeping our people home.”
Building homes for local families
“Building affordable housing to keep local families home is my highest priority because housing is at the heart of Maui County's affordability challenges.”
“When our residents can afford to live where they work, raise their families, and retire in the communities they love, we strengthen every part of our county.”
Public safety and infrastructure
“Public safety is my second priority because families need to feel safe in their homes and communities.”
“Housing and infrastructure must go hand in hand.”
“We cannot expect local families to shoulder the cost of decades of underinvestment, and we cannot build housing without the water, wastewater, roads, drainage, and parks that support healthy communities.”
“Over the next four years, we've committed more than $1.29 billion in infrastructure investments and more than $250 million toward affordable housing construction and preservation.”
“Building housing isn't enough. We also have to build the infrastructure that allows our communities to thrive.”
Permitting and 201H and 2.97 process
“The most impactful improvement is creating a faster, more predictable review process that gets affordable housing from application to construction sooner while maintaining transparency and community trust.”
“Every unnecessary delay increases costs and postpones housing for local families.”
“Success isn't measured by how quickly permits are issued. It's measured by how many local families receive the keys to a home.”
Owner occupancy and wealth building
“These programs have been valuable tools for increasing affordable housing, but I believe there is room to strengthen them so they better balance long-term affordability with opportunities for local families to build equity.”
“We should continue prioritizing owner occupancy by local residents, discouraging speculation, and preserving affordable housing for future generations.”
“Ultimately, the goal isn't simply to build more homes.”
“It's to create pathways for local families to become homeowners, build generational wealth, and remain part of our community for decades to come.”
Zoning and land use reform
“I support comprehensive reform.”
“When communities have already invested significant time developing and adopting community plans, our zoning should better reflect those community decisions without requiring unnecessary, duplicative processes.”
“By aligning zoning with adopted community plans, we can reduce unnecessary delays, improve predictability, and accelerate housing production while continuing to respect community input and responsible growth.”
Fast track affordable housing
“Affordable housing projects that meet established requirements should have a clear, predictable path forward.”
“I would support changes to the voting threshold only if they improve certainty for qualified affordable housing projects while preserving transparency, accountability, and meaningful public input.”
“Every policy should be evaluated based on one question: Will it help more local families find and keep a home in Maui County?”
Read Full Questionnaire here:
P. Denise La Costa
Key quotes from P. Denise La Costa’s questionnaire:
Livability and affordability
“A livable and affordable Maui County means that the people who work here can also afford to live here, raise their families here, and retire here with dignity.”
“My first priority is housing.”
“Increasing the supply of truly affordable homes under $500,000 is the key.”
“Affordability also requires controlling the cost of government.”
“A truly empowered Maui Nui is one where local residents are not merely surviving from paycheck to paycheck.”
Housing supply
“A common misconception is that Maui County’s housing crisis is simply caused by a lack of housing units.”
“The deeper problem is that we do not have enough homes that local working families can actually afford.”
“Building more housing does not automatically create affordability.”
“We must be transparent about how many homes are being built, what they will cost, who will qualify, and how long they will remain affordable.”
Government delays and costs
“Years of permitting delays, infrastructure limitations, water-access problems, and complicated approval processes increase construction costs.”
“Those additional costs are ultimately passed on to the buyer or renter.”
“The delays, as stated above, just drive up prices and make homes less affordable.”
Lahaina rebuilding
“The rebuilding of Lahaina is paramouont!”
“The permitting process is more than ardous!”
“The heart of Maui is begging to come back and I will champion that every day, starting on day one.”
Infrastructure
“Housing cannot be built infrastructurebeforehousing.responsibly without adequate water, wastewater systems, roads, drainage, parks, and public-safety infrastructure.”
“Developers must contribute their fair share toward the infrastructure their projects require.”
“Growth must help pay for growth, and public dollars must be prioritized for infrastructure that supports truly affordable housing and improves the quality of life for the communities already here.”
201H and 2.97 housing process
“The most impactful change would be to create one coordinated, time-limited process that moves qualified housing projects from application through construction without sacrificing health, safety, infrastructure, or genuine affordability.”
“However, approval alone does not put families into homes.”
“The goal must be more than approving projects sooner; it must be delivering completed homes that local residents can obtain and afford.”
Owner occupancy and wealth building
“Not adequately.”
“The current process must do more than produce units on paper.”
“It should ensure that local residents can actually qualify, purchase, remain in the home, and build equity over time.”
“Affordable housing should provide stability and a path to wealth-building, not just temporary shelter.”
“The goal should be simple: homes built faster, sold to local residents, occupied by local owners, and structured so those families can stay on Maui and build a future here.”
Zoning and fast track housing
“With Comprehensive Refore, permitting will be more expeditious.”
“It will cut months, if not years off the process.”
“The only reasons that an affordable housing project should NOT be approved for fast tracking is if there are questions about the land or title issues OR if the project is unsuitable for the area”
Read Full Questionnaire here:
Travis A. Liggett, MS
Livability and affordability
“To me a livable and affordable Maui County means a place where residents can actually let their guard down and think about what makes them tick”
“For me, true affordability is a state of regulated nervous system that has attention focused on enjoying life here in this place, and not being at the mercy of bosses, schedules and lack of sleep.”
“Legislation concepts on LivingMaui.org include the Hanai Kakou Act, creating an emergency shelter provision (or a stipend) for any permanent resident without shelter for 24 hours.”
Housing supply
“The misconception is that housing is a commodity that it is appropriate to speculate on”
“Grounding out this chaos starts by realizing the inherent, and potentially infinite value inherent in every human being”
“Universal municipal wastewater disinfection, starting with full funding for North and South shore UV project CBS-1169 & CBS-5031.”
Priorities
“The risk of non-disinfected municipal effluent entering the ocean via injection wells and groundwater systems on Maui’s North and South Shores is priority #1 for my campaign”
“Next would be housing of all forms and kinds, as quickly as possible, and immediate passage of the Hanai Kakou Act Zero Unsheltered Resident guarantee.”
“The County structure needs a reset”
Infrastructure funding
“MLAST is a framework linked on LivingMaui.org that can open the floodgates to major philanthropic funding to create lasting stability for the living life support systems of the islands of Maui Nui.”
“This place is literally the best place out of places, with the best people out of people”
“The WAIWAI Act shifts tax burdens away from properly-managed kuleana watershed lands by reducing familial land real property rates to as low as zero”
201H and 2.97
“An impactful change would be to create one clear, guaranteed pathway from application to occupancy by better aligning Chapter 201H and Maui County Chapter 2.97.”
“That means concurrent or parallel (not sequential or in series) agency reviews, standardized application materials, firm deadlines at every stage, and real-time application tracking”
“Income-qualified residents should be able to complete eligibility once, and use that certification across participating projects, instead of repeating an application for each opportunity.”
Owner occupancy and wealth building
“The programs provide a meaningful pathway to homeownership, but we can do more to promote long-term owner occupancy and wealth-building for Maui residents.”
“Home ownership is a primary wealth-building mechanism, and its gatekeeping has kept targeted and other disadvantaged populations "down" financially for 100's of years.”
“We should use eminent domain to redistribute 10's of thousands of ag/residential lots to locals”
Zoning and permitting
“The County can establish clear, streamlined zoning rules, create a true one-stop permitting process with a single project manager for each application, and conduct agency reviews concurrently rather than sequentially.”
“Standardized checklists, published review timelines, and real-time online permit tracking would improve transparency and accountability for both applicants and the public.”
Council voting threshold
“Dissenting opinions already lock down the legislative progress in many areas.”
“Legislative efficiency and nimbleness can reduce polarization in the community.”
“In my ideal world, leaders collaborate on policy until it gets past all candidates willing to participate, so the legislative process is a breeze.”Travis A. Liggett, MS
Livability and affordability
“To me a livable and affordable Maui County means a place where residents can actually let their guard down and think about what makes them tick”
“For me, true affordability is a state of regulated nervous system that has attention focused on enjoying life here in this place, and not being at the mercy of bosses, schedules and lack of sleep.”
“Legislation concepts on LivingMaui.org include the Hanai Kakou Act, creating an emergency shelter provision (or a stipend) for any permanent resident without shelter for 24 hours.”
Housing supply
“The misconception is that housing is a commodity that it is appropriate to speculate on”
“Grounding out this chaos starts by realizing the inherent, and potentially infinite value inherent in every human being”
“Universal municipal wastewater disinfection, starting with full funding for North and South shore UV project CBS-1169 & CBS-5031.”
Priorities
“The risk of non-disinfected municipal effluent entering the ocean via injection wells and groundwater systems on Maui’s North and South Shores is priority #1 for my campaign”
“Next would be housing of all forms and kinds, as quickly as possible, and immediate passage of the Hanai Kakou Act Zero Unsheltered Resident guarantee.”
“The County structure needs a reset”
Infrastructure funding
“MLAST is a framework linked on LivingMaui.org that can open the floodgates to major philanthropic funding to create lasting stability for the living life support systems of the islands of Maui Nui.”
“This place is literally the best place out of places, with the best people out of people”
“The WAIWAI Act shifts tax burdens away from properly-managed kuleana watershed lands by reducing familial land real property rates to as low as zero”
201H and 2.97
“An impactful change would be to create one clear, guaranteed pathway from application to occupancy by better aligning Chapter 201H and Maui County Chapter 2.97.”
“That means concurrent or parallel (not sequential or in series) agency reviews, standardized application materials, firm deadlines at every stage, and real-time application tracking”
“Income-qualified residents should be able to complete eligibility once, and use that certification across participating projects, instead of repeating an application for each opportunity.”
Owner occupancy and wealth building
“The programs provide a meaningful pathway to homeownership, but we can do more to promote long-term owner occupancy and wealth-building for Maui residents.”
“Home ownership is a primary wealth-building mechanism, and its gatekeeping has kept targeted and other disadvantaged populations "down" financially for 100's of years.”
“We should use eminent domain to redistribute 10's of thousands of ag/residential lots to locals”
Zoning and permitting
“The County can establish clear, streamlined zoning rules, create a true one-stop permitting process with a single project manager for each application, and conduct agency reviews concurrently rather than sequentially.”
“Standardized checklists, published review timelines, and real-time online permit tracking would improve transparency and accountability for both applicants and the public.”
Council voting threshold
“Dissenting opinions already lock down the legislative progress in many areas.”
“Legislative efficiency and nimbleness can reduce polarization in the community.”
“In my ideal world, leaders collaborate on policy until it gets past all candidates willing to participate, so the legislative process is a breeze.”
Read Full Questionnaire here:
Yuki Lei Sugimura
Key quotes from Yuki Lei Sugimura’s questionnaire:
Livability and affordability
“A livable and affordable Maui County means that the people who call this place home can afford to build their future here.”
“It means working families can pay their bills without choosing between rent and groceries.”
“It means our young people can build careers here instead of feeling like they have to leave to succeed.”
“Every family forced to leave is a loss to our community, our workforce, and our future.”
“The median single-family home price in Maui County is $1.17 million, which places homeownership beyond the reach of too many local residents.”
“A livable and affordable Maui County is not a dream.”
Housing supply
“One of the most common misconceptions I encounter is that Maui County does not have enough housing projects in the pipeline.”
“During my tenure on the County Council, I voted in support of more than 6,500 housing units across 37 different projects.”
“The pipeline exists.”
“The problem is that too many of those projects are stuck – delayed by a permitting process that averages 380 days, constrained by insufficient water and wastewater infrastructure, and slowed by a government that has not treated housing production with the urgency it deserves.”
“In reality, our housing crisis is less about a lack of approved projects, and more about the County’s ability to serve as a partner in moving these projects from approval to construction.”
Short-term rentals and Bill 9
“A second misconception worth addressing is the belief that Bill 9 — which phases out short-term rentals in apartment-zoned districts — will meaningfully solve our housing shortage.”
“A Temporary Investigative Group found that nearly 75% of the units covered by Bill 9 are not suitable for long-term residential housing.”
“The public deserves an honest conversation about what will – and what will not – solve our housing shortage.”
Building homes for local residents
“My highest priority is building homes for local residents because it is at the center of nearly every challenge facing Maui County.”
“Expanding our housing supply must be the County's top priority.”
“Creating housing, however, requires more than approving projects.”
“Without adequate water infrastructure, we cannot responsibly expand housing or strengthen our local economy.”
Infrastructure
“County investments in water, wastewater, roads, drainage, and parks should be aligned with housing production so that public dollars are directed toward projects that help local families.”
“We cannot expect taxpayers to shoulder this responsibility alone.”
“By coordinating public investment with responsible private investment, we can maximize every dollar without placing unnecessary costs on local residents.”
“If the answer is yes, then it should receive priority consideration.”
201H and 2.97 housing process
“The most impactful change within the 201H and MCC 2.97 processes would be to make the application and approval process faster, more predictable, and based on clear, objective standards.”
“The preparation of a 201H and 2.97 application can take months or years, cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, and at the end of the process, there is still no guarantee for approval.”
“The application process should be simplified to limit unnecessary uncertainty for qualified residential projects, while maintaining the standards that protect public resources.”
Owner occupancy and wealth building
“Building equity in a home is one of the most powerful tools that a working family has to build long-term financial security.”
“The right approach is one that keeps homes affordable and owner-occupied for a reasonable period, while also ensuring that local families can improve their financial situation through home ownership.”
“The 10-year requirement under HRS 201H achieves that balance, but extending restrictions beyond that term - like the extended terms under MCC 2.97 - risks doing more harm than good.”
Zoning and land use reform
“I support comprehensive zoning and land use reform because the duplicative work necessitated by a community plan that exists separately from our zoning maps is an unnecessary source of delay in our efforts to build homes for local families.”
“Automatically updating zoning maps to conform with adopted community plans would eliminate this redundancy and corresponding delay.”
“As Mayor, I will pursue this kind of comprehensive zoning reform because we cannot continue to maintain processes that make it unnecessarily difficult to build.”
Fast track affordable housing
“I support requiring a broader Council consensus to disapprove qualified fast-track affordable housing projects.”
“When an affordable housing project has met the objective standards established by law and successfully completed the required review process, it should not be derailed by shifting political considerations or the vote of a narrow majority.”
“A broader Council consensus strikes that balance by preserving accountability while providing greater confidence that qualified affordable housing projects can move forward.”
Read Full Questionnaire here:
Callahan Welsh
Livability and affordability
“As a Maui boy, a livable and affordable Maui County means to me not having to listen to my local friends talk about how they have to jump from two jobs to two jobs just to keep feeding their families”
“I am sick and tired of seeing my sistas and bradas telling me how they cannot pay for this and for that.”
“I feel the market needs to go down so that local families can afford to save their hard-earned money through one job.”
Housing supply
“I feel one big misconception is the idea that simply building more housing will automatically fix the crisis for local families.”
“Building more doesn't solve anything if our local people are still priced out of every single square foot of it.”
“we have a severe shortage of truly affordable housing that stays locked in for local residents and working families who keep this island running.”
Public safety and infrastructure
“public safety is the absolute number one priority, period.”
“Our roadways are already maxed out, creating dangerous bottlenecks during emergencies.”
“We must prioritize public safety first to ensure our first responders have the resources they need and our emergency evacuation routes can actually protect Maui families when mother nature throws a crisis at us.”
Infrastructure funding
“I am not an expert on this particular concern yet, but if given the honor of being the Mayor of Maui, my plan is to bring in a team of professionals to properly manage and execute the $2.1 billion in federal disaster recovery funding our island was allocated.”
“Every local resident on Maui, Molokai, and Lanai has a RIGHT-TO-KNOW exactly where every single dollar of that $2.1 billion is being spent”
201H and 2.97
“I am not going to talk like a backroom bureaucrat or pretend to have every line of the housing code memorized, but I am learning”
“we must eliminate the front-end department delays before a project ever reaches the Council.”
“If honored as Mayor, I will organize a dedicated, "fast-track review team" within the administration specifically to clear the path for Chapter 2.97 workforce projects.”
Owner occupancy and wealth building
“the current 201H and Chapter 2.97 ownership programs do not adequately promote long-term wealth building for our local families.”
“While I agree we must stop out-of-state speculators from flipping houses, I don't think Maui County should punish local families who want to build real equity and generational wealth on Maui.”
Land use and fast track housing
“I am choosing 'Other Position' because I am not going to pretend to be a zoning map expert today.”
“What I do know is that our current system takes way too long, and our local families are paying the price.”
“Any reform we make must respect the voice of our local communities while cutting out useless, repetitive paperwork that delays affordable housing.”
“But if a project is strictly 100% for our local workers and families, and it's built in a safe place that doesn't hurt the land, we shouldn't let politicians play games and vote 'no' just because of politics.”
Read Full Questionnaire here:
