Rally calls for extension of eviction moratorium on Maui

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – “Some people lost everything, and everyone lost something!” UNITE HERE LOCAL 5′s Eric Gill said.

Maui residents gathered Monday to rally for tenant’s rights.

“It’s too soon. Our people have not gotten their feet under them. They have not gotten a chance to process the trauma,” Maui Tenants Association spokesperson Nara Boone said.

Those rallying are asking that Governor Green extend the Maui eviction moratorium and rent freeze until everyone displaced by the August wildfires secures permanent housing.

“You promised us that you would help, and we need more help. My grandchildren, my children, we lost all of our homes. We don’t know where we’re going to have Christmas,” said Stephanie Smyte who lost her Lahaina home in the fires.

On Monday, Hawaii’s Attorney General sent a news release requesting information regarding illegal residential rent increases and evictions on Maui.

They said they want tenants to inform the Department of the Attorney General if their landlords illegally raise their rents or threaten them with eviction for failure to pay rent, taxes, or fees.

“I demand you to stop with the profit over people and put us first. To listen to the people. I think you need to take action and not just speak and say I’m going to help the people of Lahaina, I’m going to help the people of Kula, I’m going to help the people of Maui. There is no action,” Shannon I’i, who lost her home in the Lahaina fires, said.

After the fires, Governor Josh Green signed an emergency proclamation saying landlords are prohibited from raising rent after Aug 9.

The AG said It does not matter if the landlord re-rents the property to a new tenant or enters into a new agreement with the same tenant—the rent cannot exceed what it was on Aug 9, 2023.

“We have over 12,000 short-term vacation rentals in Maui County. 12,000! We have over 6,000 people looking for housing. We can house them twice. Our housing inventory isn’t too little. It’s tied up serving people who don’t live here. Serving people who come here to take pictures of our disaster. Serving people who come here and ask people personal information about the trauma they just went through.” Maui Tenants Association cofounder.

The proclamation is set to end on November 6th.

They said any landlord who violates this will be punished.

If you want to report a landlord — email hawaiiag@hawaii.gov.

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