99th Maui County Fair Draws Community and Visitor Spending to Wailuku
The 99th Annual Maui County Fair ran October 1–4, 2026 at the War Memorial Complex in Wailuku, featuring agricultural exhibits, carnival rides, Hawaiian cultural performances, and local food vendors. The four-day event drew broad community participation and contributed to Maui’s autumn tourism economy. The fair took place October 1–4, 2026 at the War Memorial Special […]
FEMA Raises Rent for Maui Wildfire Survivors, Sets February 2027 End Date
FEMA is issuing 60-day notices of a third rent increase for Maui wildfire survivors in temporary housing, with 75% of HUD Fair Market Rent due starting December 1, 2026, as the program moves toward closure by February 28, 2027. Case management has also shifted from a state program to the County of Maui’s new Housing […]
Bill 9 Aftermath: West Maui Condo Prices Dropping as STR Future Uncertain
Following the passage of Bill 9, which ended a zoning exemption allowing apartment-zoned units to operate as short-term rentals, West Maui condo prices are seeing repeated reductions. A housing advocate argues that affordability concerns about converting STRs to housing may shift as prices fall and fire settlement funds reach Lahaina families. Bill 9 closed a […]
Maui Planning Commission Backs Denying Nearly All STR Hotel-Zone Exemptions
The Maui Planning Commission voted 6-2 to recommend denying hotel-zoning exemptions for 43 of 48 vacation rental properties seeking to escape Bill 9’s phase-out, endorsing exemptions for only about 397 units out of roughly 3,400 that had been considered. The full Maui County Council must still make a final decision. Bill 9, passed in December […]
Mokulele Airlines Secures $19.4M Federal Contract to Keep Lanaʻi Air Service Running
The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded Mokulele Airlines a four-year, $19.4 million Essential Air Service contract to maintain scheduled flights to Lanaʻi through August 2030. Mokulele holds interline agreements with major carriers at Kahului Airport (OGG), supporting connectivity for travelers moving between Maui and Lanaʻi. Mokulele Airlines will continue federally subsidized scheduled service to […]
Maui Council Ties Apartment-to-Hotel Rezoning Eligibility to Sea-Level-Rise Zones
The Maui County Council’s Housing and Land Use Committee voted 5-4 to use sea-level-rise exposure data as a key factor in deciding which apartment-zoned vacation rental properties qualify for hotel-district rezoning. The committee will reconvene September 9 to continue deliberations. A 5-4 committee vote adopted criteria linking hotel-district rezoning eligibility to how far a property […]
Council Amendments Could Shrink Bill 9 Housing Pool by Adding More STR Properties to Hotel Zone
Three Maui County Council amendments would add up to 16 apartment-zoned vacation rental properties to hotel rezoning resolutions, reducing the units Bill 9 would convert to long-term housing. The Housing and Land Use Committee heard public testimony again on Aug. 20 but adjourned without a vote. Three proposed amendments from Council Members Lee, Cook, and […]
OGG Ground Transport Guide: Taxis, Shuttles, Rideshares & Rental Cars
A travel guide outlines the main transportation options from Kahului Airport to Maui’s resort areas, including taxis, shared shuttles, rideshares, and rental cars. Pricing benchmarks and logistics are provided for each option. Taxis from OGG run approximately $33–$55 to Kihei, $57 to Wailea, and $87 to Kaanapali for up to four passengers. Shared shuttle services […]
UHERO: Lahaina Housing Stabilizes at 3-Year Mark, But Jobs and Aid Fall Short
Multiple outlets including Maui Now, Maui News, Hawaii Public Radio, and Hawaii Free Press reported on a new University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization (UHERO) study released August 12, 2026, marking three years since the Lahaina wildfires. The report finds meaningful progress in housing stability for fire-affected families, but employment, incomes, and available assistance have […]
Maui County Takes Over Wildfire Survivor Case Management from State
The Hawaii Department of Human Services has handed control of the Wildfires Disaster Case Management Program to Maui County, effective August 7, 2026. The transition is designed to strengthen local coordination as survivors prepare for the end of FEMA temporary housing assistance in February 2027. Maui County now leads the Disaster Case Management Program previously […]