NAME: Lorien Acquintas

AGE: 43

RESIDENCE: Lahaina

OCCUPATION: Maui Surf Culture  

1. What were the biggest vulnerabilities that the Kula and Lahaina fires exposed, and how would you as a council member work to address those issues?  

The biggest vulnerability the recent fires exposed was the county’s lack of preparedness. What happened last year should never have happened. It highlighted how leadership did not implement any improvements from the after-action report that was created after the 2018 fire. This is not ok.

As a councilman I will work diligently to implement and update emergency preparedness plans, invest in infrastructure improvements, conduct regular drills, and educate the community about disaster response and recovery. The need for a west side hospital and Olowalu fire station is clearer than ever.  

2. With so many people in temporary housing situations after the fires, how should we as a county pivot to address the need for affordable housing going forward? 

As a council member I would bear significant responsibility for addressing the housing market imbalance. The reality is we were over 5,000 homes short on August 7th, 2023.  

We need to build homes, bottom line. Maui is the most regulated county in the most regulated state. The Maui zoning code pre-dates statehood. We need to remove regulatory obstacles so that we can responsibly build the homes we need. 

The county needs to invest in infrastructure upgrades and development. We have 235,280 acres of agricultural land that we could look at for possible re-zoning for housing. I would like to see the county create a rent to own program. This would give more of our people an opportunity to stay on the island and raise their families. 

It is extremely important that we utilize our local unions and companies first before allowing any outside companies to bid on county contracts. These trades are the backbone of our community and are going to be even more important as we look towards the re-build of Lahaina.  Every month I watch another family member, friend, or classmate move to the mainland because of this housing crisis. Since I was a kid, I have been hearing we need affordable housing. It’s time for bold and radical changes to get our people housed.

3. What is your stance on Mayor Richard Bissen’s proposal to phase out short-term rentals in Maui County? If it passes, where could we find the funds to replace vacation rental tax revenues?  

I do not agree with Mayor Bissen’s proposal to phase out the Minatoya List by 2026.

A healthy phase-out would have to happen over many years to ensure we don’t create a domino effect of economic downfall and instability within our community. The only thing this bill does is state whether or not you can rent for 180 days or less. It creates the hope for housing but not actual housing.  As a council member I cannot base my policy making on hope. We need truly attainable housing.  

Our county relies heavily on the tax dollars collected from short-term rentals. Real property tax revenue generates close to half of the county budget. Of that budget, 42% of revenue comes from short-term rentals. One of my major concerns is the fact that we don’t have a solution in place to make up for the lost revenue. Projected revenue losses for one year could total $91.8 million if this bill were to go through.  

I don’t want to see taxes raised on our community so we would have to look towards increasing taxes for the hotel industry and the billionaire tax brackets.  

4. Many local businesses couldn’t survive the decline in tourism during the pandemic and after the fires. What can the county do to make our economy more resilient and foster the growth of other industries in addition to tourism?   

There has been a misrepresentation of “Maui is closed”. The county could do more to counter these claims because it’s contributing to the drop in tourist numbers and the subsequent closure of small businesses.   

I would like to see the county look into the investment of industrial hemp. There is a magnitude of practical uses.  We would not only grow but process and manufacture the hemp. A manufacturing facility could create real job opportunities. As a council member I can create incentives and appropriate money for the hemp industry.  Hemp could create a boom for our local people and if we are going to diversify our economy away from tourism it needs to be helpful for the community as a whole.  

5. Drought, fires, housing projects and large-scale agriculture remind us that water is in short supply and high demand. How can we make sure the county has enough water resources to go around? 

Water is our number one issue, and it is a very complex one. Water is a state protected resource that we must preserve. Although water comes from different regions of our island, ultimately it is all of our water. We are all part of a bigger collective, we are all Maui nui and we must keep that in mind.  

We must prioritize sourcing water. I believe the council should support the Department of Water Supply’s search for source and the digging of new wells. This will help ensure enough water is available for all of Maui County’s needs. Without water we are unable to build homes. Improving the current water infrastructure is equally important to accommodate the actual population and ensure efficient distribution and access. The county can pass legislation to transmit water to affordable housing projects. Precedence should be given to community housing developments.  

Water-saving technologies, such as rainwater harvesting systems, can facilitate more efficient irrigation for agricultural projects. Incorporating these technologies into housing developments can help mitigate the impact of water scarcity. 

6. The council recently passed a bill that paused the Managed Retreat Fund. However, sea level rise and erosion are still a problem, including at Baldwin Beach Park where the pavilion was removed last month. How can we address eroding shorelines while still making sure housing and other fire-related issues are funded?  

Addressing the dual challenges of eroding shorelines and ensuring adequate funding for fire-related issues is a critical priority. While the recent pause on the managed retreat fund is necessary, we must still prioritize our coastal resilience. 

Developing a comprehensive coastal management plan is crucial for long-term resilience. This plan should integrate strategies for erosion control, and native habitat restoration. It should also prioritize public input to ensure community needs are met. Engaging with local stakeholders, including residents, business owners, and environmental groups, can lead to more informed and effective solutions.

The federal government often provides funding for communities affected by climate change, so it is essential to engage with state and federal partners to tap into those resources. We need to be proactive instead of reactive by continuing to work with the private landowners on the shoreline to find reasonable solutions. We must understand the risks and not burden our natural resources. We don’t want buildings to disappear into the ocean if we can prevent it. I am open to exploring all options. 

7. What is your stance on the Maui County charter amendments that will appear on the ballot? 

Not enough information for me to make a stance.