WAILUKU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The recent death of a Maui County Councilmember may delay the potential phase out of thousands of vacation rentals.

A special meeting to start the process to fill the seat of Tasha Kama started with a moment of silence.

The Kahului councilwoman unexpectedly died eight days ago.

“The loss of Tasha hurts personally because she loved us and we really loved her back,” said Wailuku resident Kathy Fleming.

Kama was head of the Housing and Land Use Committee where some of the county’s most crucial issues were heard, including the controversial Bill 9, which was drafted by the mayor in the wake of the 2023 fires.

It would phase out about 7,000 short-term vacation rentals in hopes to provide more long-term housing.

The bill passed out of Kama’s committee this past su

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