Published October, 2026

Understanding the 2026 Charter & Constitutional Amendments: A Voter Guide

Maui County voters will decide ten ballot questions on November 3, 2026. Two would amend the State Constitution. One gives the Senate more time to review judicial appointments, and the other allows RISE bonds, which fund infrastructure in growth areas and are repaid with future property tax growth, not higher tax rates. The other eight would amend the Maui County Charter, covering land use deadlines, petitions, emergency spending, appointments, and ethics. This guide explains each question in plain language and what a YES or NO vote means.

Published October, 2026

South Maui Community Plan Update: Summary and Explainer of RISE Bonds.

South Maui’s updated Community Plan outlines where new homes and businesses could be built and what roads, water and drainage improvements are needed to support growth. The draft plan, known as Bill 108, aims to address the housing shortage while helping ensure development serves local residents. Although thousands of homes are approved or planned, many have yet to be built, and needed road, path and transit improvements are estimated to cost about $373 million. The guide also explains RISE bonds, a proposed constitutional amendment on the November 2026 ballot that would allow counties to borrow money for eligible infrastructure projects and repay it using future growth in property tax revenue within designated areas, without raising tax rates for that repayment. These decisions will help shape how South Maui grows and how the community pays for the infrastructure needed to support it.

Published October, 2026

Maui Nui Empowered Housing Explainer: Housing at All Price Points, for All Families

Maui County needs more homes for local families at every income level, from affordable rentals and homes for working families to starter homes and housing options for kūpuna. The County can help by improving infrastructure like water, roads and wastewater systems, speeding up permits, making better use of county-owned land and working with private partners. It also needs policies that help keep homes available for local residents. While affordable housing requirements and protections for public investments are important, those rules must be practical enough that housing projects can still get built.

Published May, 2026

Maui Nui Empowered Polling Memo: Voter Priorities, County Leadership Traits and Housing Policy Reform

A countywide Ward Research poll of Maui County commissioned by Maui Nui Empowered found that housing remains the defining local issue, with voters naming the need for housing and affordable housing as the top concerns facing the county. The memo also shows voters are nearly split on the county’s overall direction, while placing strong value on leaders who are honest, community focused and capable of making good decisions. On policy, voters were closely divided on whether Maui County should require seven of nine Councilmembers to block affordable housing permitting, with many saying they need more information. However, voters showed strong support for automatically updating zoning maps when community plans are adopted, a reform aimed at reducing duplicative permitting delays and helping move housing projects forward faster.

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Published February, 2026

Breaking Barriers: A Legislative Framework to Confront Maui Nui's Housing Crisis

Breaking Barriers: A Legislative Framework to Confront Maui Nui's Housing Crisis examines how bureaucratic bottlenecks and regulatory hurdles stifle the creation of much-needed housing on Maui. It finds that a severe supply shortage has driven prices up, leaving fewer than 20% of households able to afford the median-priced home and resulting in the highest rents in the state. The report recommends three targeted legislative tools to streamline the approval process: establishing an Archaeological Certification for low-risk sites to bypass full surveys unless flagged , amending the County Charter to require a 7 out of 9 Council supermajority to block fast-track affordable housing projects , and implementing Concurrent Zoning Conformance to automatically align zoning with updated community plans. The report concludes that adopting these complementary measures will cut through red tape, eliminate multi-year delays, and allow Maui to deliver more affordable homes faster, all while maintaining crucial cultural and environmental safeguards.

Published September, 2025

Lessons Learned: Case Studies of Housing Policies That Worked and Those That Didn’t

Lessons Learned: Case Studies of Housing Policies That Worked and Those That Didn’t analyzes six U.S. cities to understand how different zoning and housing strategies affect affordability. It finds that restrictive policies such as San Francisco’s drawn-out permitting, Santa Monica’s 30% affordability mandates, and Lakewood’s 1% growth cap stifled construction and drove up costs, while pro-housing reforms in Minneapolis, Houston, and Los Angeles expanded supply and stabilized rents. Minneapolis’ elimination of single-family zoning, Houston’s flexible land-use system, and Los Angeles’ streamlined ADU and transit-oriented development rules collectively demonstrate that easing barriers, right-sizing mandates, and allowing density can restore affordability. The report concludes that Maui can adapt these lessons by removing regulatory obstacles, planning for growth, and balancing cultural and environmental priorities with pragmatic housing expansion.

Published May, 2025

Addressing Maui’s Housing Shortage: Zoning, Supply Restrictions, and the Case for Deregulation

Addressing Maui’s Housing Shortage: Zoning, Supply Restrictions, and the Case for Deregulation, examines how restrictive zoning, slow permitting, and excessive affordability mandates have deepened Maui’s housing crisis. It finds that only 20% of households can now afford a median-priced home, with Maui’s rents the highest in the state. The report argues that policies such as long deed restrictions and high affordable-unit requirements, like the former 50% mandate that nearly halted construction, have deterred development. It recommends reforming Title 19 to allow mixed-use housing, streamlining permits through a one-stop fast-track system, and recalibrating affordability requirements to balance incentives and viability. The report concludes that restoring affordability requires dismantling regulatory barriers, expanding diverse housing supply, and creating a predictable system that enables local families to live and thrive on Maui.

Published April, 2025

Momentum for Maui Nui Maui County Council: Taking Action, Delivering Results (2023–2025)

Between 2023 and 2025, the Maui County Council’s five-member majority led by Chair Alice Lee advanced affordable housing, rebuilt infrastructure, and strengthened disaster recovery after the Lahaina wildfires. Key initiatives included the Waikapū workforce housing project, senior housing through Nā Hale Kūpuna, and streamlined post-fire building permits under Bill 21. The Council passed a $1.07 billion fiscally responsible budget, supported sustainable tourism and water-use reforms, conserved parklands, and created a dedicated Office of Recovery funded with over $20 million. Through pragmatic 5–4 decisions balancing growth and community values, the majority earned broad public approval and reelection, leaving a legacy of compassionate, results-driven governance focused on housing, resilience, and environmental stewardship.