HONOLULU — A single mother of two, Amy Chadwick spent years scrimping and saving to buy a house in the town of Lahaina on the Hawaiian island of Maui. But after a devastating fireand reduced Chadwick's home to white dust, the cheapest rental she could find for her family and dogs cost $10,000 a month.
Vacation rentals are a popular alternative to hotels for those seeking kitchens, lower costs and opportunities to sample everyday island life. Supporters say they boost tourism, the state's biggest employer. Critics revile them for inflating housing costs, upending neighborhoods and contributing to the forces pushing locals and Native HawaiiansThis migration has become a major concern in Lahaina.
In 1992, Maui County explicitly allowed owners in these buildings to rent units for less than 180 days at a time even without short-term rental permits. Since November, activists havein front of Lahaina's biggest hotels to push the mayor or governor to use their emergency powers to revoke this exemption.State Rep.
Alicia Humiston, president of the Rentals by Owner Awareness Association, said some areas in West Maui were designed for travelers and therefore lack schools and other infrastructure families need. Courtney Lazo, a real estate agent who is part of Lahaina Strong, the group occupying Kaanapali Beach, said tourists can stay in her hometown now but many locals can't.
Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger demolished a 1950s LA architectural gem they bought for $12.5 million, reports sayKate Boardman has traveled the world. She said that some of her favorite trips have been to less touristy spots that are adventurous and affordable.