Honuaula Project Returns to Maui Council Agenda Amid Affordable Housing Tensions

First Reading Set for Friday – June 28, 2025

A long-disputed South Maui housing development is back before the Maui County Council this Friday, marking a critical moment in the ongoing debate over land use, affordable housing, and local priorities. The proposed Honuaʻula master-planned community, mauka of Wailea and adjacent to Maui Meadows, will be up for its first reading—and public attention is expected to be intense.

At the heart of the controversy is the developer’s request to remove a long-standing requirement to build 450 affordable housing units within the project district. The proposal has ignited community backlash, with hundreds of residents demanding that the County hold the developer to its initial promises in exchange for land entitlements.

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What’s on the Table?

Council Member Keani Rawlins-Fernandez has introduced a draft amendment that would retain the 450 affordable units as a binding requirement. She says the amendment reflects the testimony of “hundreds of community members” who have asked the Council to stand firm on housing commitments.

Council Members Tamara Paltin and Rawlins-Fernandez are also pushing for longer deed restrictions on workforce housing units—an effort to ensure homes remain affordable for future generations. Meanwhile, Council Member Gabe Johnson has proposed prioritizing lottery access for Maui residents, ranked by residency length and income level.

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Committee Recommendations and Changes

The Council’s Housing and Land Use Committee, chaired by Tasha Kama, previously recommended approval of several amendments to the Honuaʻula development’s zoning and project district rules, including:

• Capping total housing units at 1,150, down from 1,400
• Removing specific references to 450 affordable units
• Eliminating plans for a golf course and related facilities
• Mandating that all residential workforce housing be built on-site
• Allowing cultural and educational centers as permitted uses

The committee’s majority—Kama, Council Chair Alice Lee, and Council Members Yuki Lei Sugimura, Tom Cook, and Nohelani Uʻu-Hodgins—voted in favor. Minority members Paltin, Rawlins-Fernandez, Johnson, and Shane Sinenci opposed the move, citing concerns over reduced affordability commitments.

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Public Opposition: 87% Against

The issue reached a boiling point at a public hearing hosted by the Maui Planning Commission on March 11, 2025 at the Malcolm Center in Kīhei. The hearing drew a standing-room-only crowd and nearly six hours of testimony.

Of the 66 people who testified, 58 (approximately 88%) opposed the project or its proposed amendments—mainly objecting to:

• The reduction or removal of affordable housing commitments
• A perceived preference for luxury housing over workforce needs
• Environmental and infrastructure impacts

Only six testifiers (9%) supported the changes, many of them citing the need for any new housing inventory to help alleviate Maui’s housing shortage. Some also pointed to job creation and local economic benefits, with construction unions voicing support on behalf of their members.

On March 25, the Planning Commission voted 5-2 to recommend approval of the development amendments, including a suggestion to integrate around 50 affordable units tied to the Piʻilani Highway widening project, led by the state DOT.

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History and Context

This is not the first time the Honuaʻula measures have landed on the Council’s agenda. They were originally set for first reading on December 13, 2024, but pulled due to a procedural error: no public hearing had yet been held in South Maui.

That hearing was held in March, fulfilling the requirement, and the Council has since received hours of testimony on Honuaʻula and broader housing concerns, including Bill 9, which aims to convert vacation rentals to long-term homes.

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Maui’s Housing Crisis Looms Large

The debate over Honuaʻula comes as Maui faces a worsening housing crisis, intensified by the August 2023 wildfires that destroyed thousands of homes across the island. With limited inventory, skyrocketing prices, and growing pressure on infrastructure, the stakes for Maui residents are high.

The Council is expected to vote on Bill 9 next week, further shaping the housing landscape. But Friday’s Honuaʻula reading may prove pivotal in defining the County’s stance on developer accountability, affordable housing, and resident-first planning.

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What’s Next?

• Council Meeting Date: Friday, June 28, 2025
• Agenda Item: Honuaʻula Project – First Reading
• Location: Maui County Council Chambers
• Public Testimony: Strongly encouraged

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Stay tuned for updates on the Council’s decision and its potential impact on South Maui’s future.

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