New planning director Jeffrey Hunt responds to illegal transient vacation rentals in Maui County. He feels his job is to enforce the law and that the previous administration has "muddied an already complex situation" by allowing these vacation rentals to remain open.  Advocates of Hunts new policy also hope that more affordable housing will be available for Maui residents with the shut down of these vacation rentals. Many Maui property owners that run vacation rentals are concerned that they will not be able to pay their mortgage without the income from their vacation rentals.

A county sponsored study taken in 2005 estimates there is as many as 800 illegal transient vacation rentals in Maui County.  They provide housing for visitors who prefer to stay in the community, sometimes in a more rural setting that Maui hotels cannot offer.  Travelers have the option of staying in vacation rentals most everywhere in the world.  

The previous administration turned a blind eye and only pursued the vacation rentals that were getting complaints from neighbors.  In the past, if the property owner applied for proper permits, they were allowed to stay in business until the permitting process was complete. County land use statutes currently allow only bed and breakfast operations with the owner living in the same home as vacation rentals within a residential district.

With Planning Director Hunts program, starting on February 13, 2007,  there is no amnesty given to Maui real estate owners that are using there property as vacation rentals.  That means anyone who submits an application for a transient vacation rental will have to shut down operations until the permit is approved.  This process takes up to a year to complete.

With funding From the Maui County budget, there will be as many as 6 inspectors to carry out the new policy.  "First", says Hunt, "we will go after the real estate owners who have scoffed at the law". Second priority will be operators who never received amnesty and third, will be those who did receive amnesty, they will have until January 01, 2008 to cease their operations. 

Head of  the Maui Vacation Rental Association, David Dantes says that most of 400 member group lives on the property with their vacation rentals and are full time Maui residents,  They are the property owners that are taking care to be good neighbors.   They don't know how they will make ends meet if they are deprived of their livelihood.    

For more information on Maui real estate that is approved for vacation rentals contact http://www.mauipropertysearch.com/.