When speaking about the housing crisis, most fail to state responsibilities that fall upon the renters.

Many renters destroy rentals and then leave with no recourse available to owners.

These people have no shame and the “system” is protecting them. This issue is avoided because of fear of hurting people’s feelings, but that is ridiculous.

None of these homeowners have anything to do with anyone’s situation and the circumstances that caused them to need housing.

Rents of $3,000 or more force multiple families into a home. Overcrowding will lead to damage and other issues again.

The system is set up to fail.

Real efforts to address the multiple causes of homelessness need to happen. You cannot throw money and homes at everyone and expect it to fix the issues. You need to address each case individually because the solutions are varied.

With those solutions need to come accountability, and repercussions for misuse and damages caused by tenants no matter the back story.

This is what happens when people are priced out of home ownership and now rent. When the FEMA rent assistance programs run out, there are going to be even more homeless and more empty homes.

What happens when homeowners are forced to sell because they can’t get tenants in their rentals? Then corporations and outsiders come and buy up even more Maui homes. We will be worse off than now.

Kapena Hill

Kahului