Governor's Push to Regulate Vacation Rentals Amid Housing Shortage

Hawaii Governor Josh Green proposes aggressive steps to shift vacation rentals into residential use to address the acute housing needs in Maui, particularly for 5,000 residents displaced by the Lahaina wildfire. He plans to encourage owners of vacation rentals to make their units available to wildfire evacuees and proposes a two-year "tax amnesty" to incentivize owners to sell to owner-occupants or long-term rental landlords. Green also seeks $373 million in the budget for infrastructure and housing, and suggests imposing a $25 "climate impact fee" on each family visiting Hawaii to raise funds for environmental upkeep. Democratic House leaders express cooperation and openness to the governor's proposals.