Volunteer Opportunities on Maui for the Holidays and Beyond

Many have asked how they can give back since the terrible fires swept Maui County on August 8, 2023.  Lives in Upcountry Maui and Lahaina were changed forever, and the community has rallied to provide support.  Volunteer opportunities are extensive and the most comprehensive resource I've found is at Maui Nui Strong, which highlights a variety of ways you can give back as the holidays approach. 

Maui Nui Strong

"Maui Nui Strong is provided by the County of Maui to help connect our residents, businesses, and visitors to useful information about Maui County, our diverse islands, and a variety of resources that help to promote thriving and vibrant communities. From here, you can launch

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Giving Opportunities: Ways to help survivors of the Maui fires to celebrate the Holidays

In the wake of the devastating wildfires that swept Maui County on August 8, 2023 and destroyed the historic town of Lahaina as well as parts of Upcountry Maui, many of you have asked how you can help survivors.

Aid has poured in from around the world to many charitable organizations that have focused on housing and getting survivors necessities for daily living.  These organizations will need your support for years to come.  Read Ways to Give

As the holidays approach, several Maui organizations are stepping up to help bring holiday cheer to our Maui residents who have lost everything.  Here are a few ways to give:

Makana no nā Keiki: Be an Elf, Give with

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Discover Launiupoko

Nestled on the picturesque slopes of West Maui, Launiupoko is a hidden gem that offers a serene escape. This idyllic community is known for its sprawling acreage, stunning ocean views, and a tranquil lifestyle that blends open space with the charm of island living. The area is zoned agricultural, providing a perfect blend of natural beauty and rural living, making it one of Maui's most sought-after locations. 

In Launiupoko, you will note the presense of many CPR "Condominium Property Regime" Properties.  The CPR process allows a property owner to create a minimum of two separate condominiums (most typically a main home lot and an ohana lot).  There can be additional "condominiums" which are for ag use only.  Read More about CPRs

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FAQs: What is a CPR?

Most people are familiar with a condominium, yet many may not be aware that a Residential Condominium can be created on a lot whereby there are two or more residences that are part of a condominium.  You may see this in areas are where there is larger acreage and the HOA allows CPRS, such as Launiupoko in West Maui. 

In the MLS you will see a Main Home (call it Condo A), an Ohana (call it Condo B), and sometimes a designated area for Ag use only (call it Condo C).

The DCCA Hawaii notes in "So You want to go Condo" that a CPR or Condominium Property Regime is a "specific form of ownership and governing process created when real property is submitted to the condominium property regime, a process often referred to as CPRing a

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MAUI UTILITIES
The following are links to various utility and service providers on the island of Maui.  For many condominium owners, some or all of the utilities may be included in the AOAO dues.  

ELECTRICITY
Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO)
(808) 871-9777
210 W Kamehameha Avenue, Kahului, HI 96732 
Start/Stop/Move Service

CABLE/PHONE/INTERNET/DISH*
Spectrum 
(888) 406-7063
58 Ho'okele St reet # 530, Kahului, HI 96732
Start Service

Hawaiian Telcom - Maui
(877) 482-2211
2110 Wells Street, Wailuku, HI 96793
Local Fax (808) 242-0760
Residential Service: Customer Service (808) 643-3456
Technical Support: Available 24 hours (808) 643-6111 
Start Service

Direct TV
(888) 499-0374

AT&T (Phone, Internet, TV)
(808) 877-1881
275 WKaahumanu Ave, Kahului, HI

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In the Wake of the Maui Fires Here are Ways to Give

Support for our Ohana and the Maui Community

Updated 9/6/23

Maui has been a place where many of you have celebrated love. You have made the memories of a lifetime on this beautiful island. Many of you have celebrated some of the most important moments of your lives here engagements, marriages, anniversaries, birthdays, and family vacations. For residents, it is our home and we cherish the land and the people of Hawaii. It is where we live. Children are born here, families grow, and our ancestors rest here.

The people of Maui need your support. The fires have affected West Maui, Upcountry, and South Maui. People have lost their homes and their loved ones.

Please give however you can. Any

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Maui Fire Housing Resources

The Hawaii Housing Department is now taking applications for housing.  The link takes you to a page for those who HAVE or NEED a home.  See below.  

Hawaii Housing Department Program Link:

https://dbedt.hawaii.gov/hhfdc/hawai%CA%BBi-fire-relief-housing-program/ 

For Property Owners and Landlords:

Offer your home or available housing unit using this form. An HHFDC representative will then contact you to confirm and verify your information.

For Displaced Residents in Need of Housing:

If you have been displaced or have been left houseless as a result of the wildfires, please fill out this form. An HHFDC representative will then contact you to confirm and verify your information and try to connect you

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Maui Property Taxes Fiscal Year July 1, 2023-June 30, 2024
Changes: Classifications & Rates

Each year, Maui County does two things: assesses the value of the property AND sets new rates for the upcoming fiscal year, which runs from July 1st-June 30th.  Below is a snapshot of the new Maui County Property Tax Rates for 2023-2024 as well as a summary of how they've changed over the years.

How do you calculate your property taxes given the new tiered system?

Fidelity National Title put together this helpful video when the new tiered system was introduced in 2020.  Note the tier amounts have changed in 2022 from prior years.

Maui County Property Tax Rates 2023 vs Prior Years

Rates are per $1000 of assessed value.  In 2020, the County introduced a

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FAQ: Vacation Homes & 1031 Exchanges

1031 exchanges are common here on Maui, where many properties are second homes.  The following is a summary of the guidelines for Exchanging a Vacation Home as part of a 1031 tax deferred exchange.  The information outlined below is courtesy of Julie Bratton, of Old Republic Exchange Company.

IRS Guidance on Exchanging Vacation Homes:
Revenue Procedure 2008-16 Provides Safe Harbor 

Revenue Procedure (“Rev. Proc.”) 2008-16 provides a safe harbor for exchanges of vacation homes (defined as “dwelling unit” in the Rev. Proc.). This ruling provides clear guidance of the circumstances under which the IRS will not challenge whether a vacation home will qualify as property “held for investment” under §1031.   …

Maui Real Estate Market Overview and Buyer Statistics: 2022

Many Sellers want to know where buyers of Maui County real estate call home (in this case, their legal residence).  Historically, buyers originate largely from the state of Hawaii.  In total, there were just 38 sales to foreign nationals out of 2067 in 2022, accounting for just 2% of the sales volume (number of sales) and 4% of the dollar volume ($).   Buyers from the US represented 98% of the sales volume and 96% of the dollar volume.

The majority of Maui's buyers are Hawaiian residents, representing 67% of the sales volume (number of sales) and 56% of the sales volume ($).  California runs second with 15% of the sales volume and 19% of the dollar volume ($).  Washington follows as a

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