KAHULUI, Hawaii — Mayor Richard Bissen’s proposal to provide temporary property tax exemptions for long-term housing units leased to those displaced by the August wildfires made it through its initial consideration by the Maui County Council on Wednesday.
What You Need To Know
During a special meeting convened specifically to take up the proposal, the council passed Bill 131 on first reading
About 65 people testified in person and nearly 700 written testimonies were also submitted
Under the bill, housing units occupied as a long-term rental under lease for at least one year to one or more people directly displaced by the fires would be eligible for a fully real property tax exemption
A few testifiers, both in support and in opposition to the bill, warned of the unintended consequences of incentivizing landlords to offer long-term leases to those displaced by the fires
During a special meeting convened specifically to take up the proposal, the council passed Bill 131 on the first reading. The measure received broad public support, with many testifiers calling for further measures to assure housing security for those affected by the fires.
