Kaanapali Beach Sand Restoration Plan Draws Community Pushback
A privately funded project to pump 75,000 cubic yards of offshore sand onto Kaanapali Beach is moving forward but facing significant community opposition. Critics question whether the 20-year fix addresses root causes or delays more permanent solutions. The Kaanapali Beach Restoration Project would dredge offshore sand near Black Rock and deposit it at Canoe Beach […]
Timeshare Owners at 7 Maui Resorts Seek Exits After T+L Acquisition
Travel + Leisure Co. acquired Yes& Vacations and its management arm, affecting seven Maui timeshare resorts. Many interval owners are confused about what changed and some are desperate to exit their ownership, with no easy path to do so. Seven Maui timeshare resorts are now under the Travel + Leisure Co. umbrella after its acquisition […]
Lahaina Community Land Trust Secures $15M County Investment to Shield Homes from Speculation
The Lahaina Community Land Trust, formed after the 2023 wildfire, has secured $15 million from Maui County in its first fiscal year to permanently protect properties for fire survivors and long-term residents. The model aims to prevent outside investors from buying up Lahaina land by holding it in trust for the community indefinitely. The Lahaina […]
Audubon Society Urges Pueo Protections in Lahaina Bypass Road Study
The National Audubon Society has asked state transportation officials to include a biological review of the Hawaiian short-eared owl (pueo) as part of planning for a Lahaina Bypass connector road near Wahikuli Gulch. The group supports the bypass project but wants wildlife considerations built into the design and construction schedule. A proposed connector road between […]
Maui Council Advances Plan to Rezone ~2,056 Vacation Rental Units as Hotels
The Maui County Council voted to advance two resolutions that would move roughly 2,056 vacation rental units into new hotel zoning districts, allowing them to keep operating under Bill 9. The proposals must still pass through the Maui Planning Commission and receive additional approvals before taking effect. Two resolutions (26-110 and 26-111) passed the Council […]
Arrest Made After Group Assault of California Visitors at Kaanapali Resort
A 20-year-old Makawao man was arrested on suspicion of felony assault following a July 17 incident in which a large group attacked seven California visitors at the Kaanapali Alii pool area. About 30 people were involved in the altercation, which left multiple victims with visible injuries. A suspect was arrested on felony assault charges in […]
Maui Council Moves 2,000+ Apartment-Zone Vacation Rentals Toward Hotel Rezoning
The Maui County Council voted 7-1 to refer roughly 2,056 apartment-district vacation rental units to the Planning Commission for potential rezoning into new hotel districts, where short-term rental use would be explicitly permitted. The move could exempt these properties from Bill 9’s phase-out of STRs in apartment zones. The Council passed two resolutions referring ~2,056 […]
Three Years Out: Maui Fire Survivors Gaining Jobs and Housing, But Struggles Persist
Multiple outlets reported on the latest findings from the Maui Wildfire Exposure Study (MauiWES), a University of Hawaiʻi-led research partnership tracking the health and living conditions of more than 2,500 fire survivors. The study finds recovery is progressing in some areas but remains uneven three years after the August 2023 disaster. Researchers warn that declining […]
Kaanapali Beach Sand Restoration Project Advances Through State Permitting
A proposal to restore eroding Kaanapali Beach by redistributing 75,000 cubic yards of offshore sand has entered the state permitting process. If approved, construction could begin fall 2027. The Pilikahakai Foundation and Ka’anapali Operations Association filed an application with the state Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands to restore the beach to its approximate 1988 […]
Maui County Opens Two Wildfire Recovery Grants for Nonprofits and Agencies
Maui County’s Office of Recovery is launching two competitive grant programs under its Hoʻokumu Hou initiative to fund workforce development and public services for wildfire-impacted residents. Applications open August 10, 2026, with a deadline of September 24, 2026. Two new grant programs — one for workforce development and one for public services — will be […]