Fostering community relations in Upcountry Maui By Yuki Lei K. Sugimura Creating spaces to gather with our neighbors and community members is essential to forming fundamental bonds that ensure Maui County thrives socially and economically. In Upcountry Maui, residents are continuing to engage with each other and build a sense of unity. Von Tempsky Community […]
Phase out transient vacation rentals to phase in new opportunities By Gabe Johnson On Tuesday, the Maui Planning Commission discussed a bill to phase out transient-vacation rental use in apartment zoning districts. So, it might seem like I’m copying and pasting from their agenda if I said, “the purpose of the bill was to clarify […]
Exploring disaster resilience: reflections on my journey to Japan By Tamara Paltin As the chair of Maui County Council’s Disaster, Resilience, International Affairs and Planning Committee and the councilmember from West Maui, I was invited by the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs and the U.S.-Japan Council to participate in the Kibou (“Hope”) for Maui Leadership […]
Springing into summer By Tasha Kama Summer is fast upon us, and the month of May was filled with tears of joy and moments to last a lifetime. Our graduates are off to new adventures, our little ones have wrapped up their last days for the school year, and the Maui County Council completed its […]
Opening more discussion on the proposed water source agreement in Kula By Yuki Lei K. Sugimura An abundant source of clean water is needed in Upcountry Maui to support on-island agriculture, reliable residential use and fire prevention and suppression. As the county continues its post-disaster mitigation efforts, the ability to provide and access water will […]
Sustainable water stewardship through the East Maui Water Authority By Shane M. Sinenci When I took office five years ago, one of my first goals was to address our uncertain water future. Our communities have been left out of watershed planning and forced to navigate the privatization of our local water and the effects of […]
This county budget session is a time for bold leadership By Gabe Johnson The hallmark of our time is crisis. Before the fires was the pandemic and ongoing challenges including climate change, overtourism, an undiversified economy, the high cost of living and a lack of affordable housing. Addressing these issues will require investment. The problems […]
Expediting new housing opportunities through the ʻOhana Assistance Program By Alice L. Lee Under the ʻOhana Assistance Program, the County of Maui will provide grants of up to $100,000 to help build accessory-dwelling units. I introduced the legislation to create the ʻOhana Assistance Program to facilitate more housing for our residents. Building more accessory-dwelling units, […]
Collaboration and civic engagement – Ringing in the New Year By Nohelani Uʻu-Hodgins On behalf of the Maui County Council, I’d like to wish everyone a Happy New Year filled with hope, prosperity, and resiliency. Maui County faced many challenges in 2023, but we persevered together. In 2024, my goal is to address various community […]
Reflecting with gratitude, enduring with fortitude By Yuki Lei K. Sugimura 2023 has been a year like never before. Of course, the Aug. 8 wildfires have had a profound impact on all of us, and our focus shifted to prioritize those directly and indirectly affected by this life-changing disaster. The unprecedented event brought people from […]
