Maui Council Committee Moves to Rezone Dozens of STR Properties as Hotels
A Maui County Council committee voted 6-2 to advance two resolutions that would rezone select apartment-zoned vacation rental properties in Kīhei and West Maui into newly created hotel districts. The move is part of the county’s phased effort to resolve the legal status of roughly 4,500 grandfathered vacation rentals on the Minatoya List. The Housing […]
Kīhei Beach Parking Goes Paid for Visitors Starting July 15
Maui County launches its Park Maui paid parking program at Kamaʻole Beach Parks I and III on July 15, 2026. Non-resident visitors will pay $10/day while Hawaii residents park free using a valid Hawaii driver’s license. Non-resident parking fees are $10/day, $50/week, or $150/month, payable via the Park Maui app or on-site pay stations. Hawaii […]
Maui and Lānaʻi Push State for Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Protections
Maui County Council and the Lahaina Community Land Trust are urging the state Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity to adopt interim rules restricting the transport of plant materials that could spread coconut rhinoceros beetles to Maui and Lānaʻi. The state has not declared an emergency despite detecting a half-dozen beetles on the islands since April, […]
Lahaina Homecoming Career Fair Set for July 17 at Cannery Mall
Maui County’s Office of Economic Development is hosting a free career fair on July 17 as part of the three-day Lahaina Homecoming celebration, connecting residents and returning kamaʻāina with employers across multiple industries. The event runs 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Lahaina Cannery Mall. The free career fair takes place July 17 from 10:30 […]
Maui County Buys West Maui Condo to House Fire-Displaced Seniors
The Maui County Council unanimously approved spending up to $278,000 in federal CDBG funds to purchase a Honokōwai condo unit for its Nā Hale Kūpuna program, which provides permanent housing for seniors displaced by the 2023 Lahaina wildfires. The program currently houses 10 people across eight units and has roughly 60 households on its waiting […]
Maui County Signs Friendship City Pact with Japanese City Linked by Disaster Recovery
Multiple Maui County sources report that Mayor Richard Bissen formalized a Friendship City agreement with Higashimatsushima City, Japan, during a signing ceremony at the Kalana O Maui County building on July 8. The partnership, rooted in shared disaster recovery experiences, grew from the Kibou for Maui program connecting Lahainaluna High School students with the Japanese […]
Free Lahaina Homecoming Event July 17–19 to Reunite 103 Displaced Residents
A three-day community event called Lahaina Homecoming will take place July 17–19, 2026, bringing 103 former Lahaina residents back to Maui with sponsored airfare while opening cultural programming and resources to the general public. The free event runs July 17–19 at Lahaina Cannery Mall, Lahaina United Methodist Church, and Campbell Park. 103 former residents from […]
County Hosts Lahaina Rebuild Open House July 15 with General Contractor
Multiple sources report that Maui County’s Office of Recovery is holding a public open house on July 15, 2026, for wildfire-impacted homeowners to meet the contractor selected for the Hoʻokumu Hou reconstruction program. The event is aimed at helping eligible homeowners understand their rebuilding options and next steps. Applications for up to $1.2 million in […]
Maui County to Review Coastal Development Boundary Unchanged Since 1979
Multiple sources report that the Maui County Department of Planning will present a Special Management Area (SMA) boundary assessment project at the July 14 Maui Planning Commission meeting. The SMA governs development controls along the shoreline, and Maui’s current boundary has not been updated since 1979. The meeting is an early-stage public introduction with no […]
First Front Street Commercial Space Since Fire to Open This Fall in Lahaina
A new interim marketplace called ʻUlu o Lele is set to open on Lahaina’s Front Street in September 2026, becoming the first commercial project to return to the area since the 2023 wildfire. The $8 million, two-year project will host 25–50 local vendors at the former Outlets of Maui site. ʻUlu o Lele (‘Growth of […]