Protect Pā'ia from unsustainable development
Protect Pā'ia from unsustainable development
The Issue
California developer Sam Hirbod/EC Pāʻia is trying to fast-track a 170-unit housing and commercial project under the guise of affordable housing. But the numbers tell a different story. Only 34 units would be low-income rentals and none for sale. 80% of the single-family homes will be market rate and priced around $1.6 million, with an additional 18 “gentlemen estates” planned for the adjoining 245 acres. That isn't housing for local families. It's a luxury development using "affordable" as a shortcut around the reviews every project of this size should face.
The project would increase Lower Pāʻiaʻs population by at least 20% (500-800 people) yet lacks an emergency evacuation study, social impact assessments, needs assessment, and Environmental Assessments. Critically, the developer has no clear answer for where the water for 170 new homes or commercial space will come from, in a place where water is already scarce and every drop matters. The project is also not able to connect to County Sewer until at least 2030, requiring onsite wastewater disposal in an area that is directly upstream from the ocean.
Furthermore, development in Pāʻia should be driven by community needs. And while the developer has hosted 1-on-1 meetings with select community members, the community has largely been left out of the conversation. The lack of community input is evident in EC Pāʻiaʻs plans, which do not include any parks, playgrounds, playing fields, or other community-centered services like a library or community gardens (except for a parking lot at the furthest end of Pāʻia Town). It will also extend commercial zoning through residential areas up Baldwin Avenue and will increase traffic on Baldwin significantly.
This is not a community-driven project. It is developer-driven to maximize profits and minimize oversight.
Sign to urge the Maui County Council and other decision makers to require a full Environmental Assessment, social impact assessment, emergency evacuation assessment, robust traffic study, and a confirmed water source before EC Pāʻia moves forward.
Petition Closed
The Issue
California developer Sam Hirbod/EC Pāʻia is trying to fast-track a 170-unit housing and commercial project under the guise of affordable housing. But the numbers tell a different story. Only 34 units would be low-income rentals and none for sale. 80% of the single-family homes will be market rate and priced around $1.6 million, with an additional 18 “gentlemen estates” planned for the adjoining 245 acres. That isn't housing for local families. It's a luxury development using "affordable" as a shortcut around the reviews every project of this size should face.
The project would increase Lower Pāʻiaʻs population by at least 20% (500-800 people) yet lacks an emergency evacuation study, social impact assessments, needs assessment, and Environmental Assessments. Critically, the developer has no clear answer for where the water for 170 new homes or commercial space will come from, in a place where water is already scarce and every drop matters. The project is also not able to connect to County Sewer until at least 2030, requiring onsite wastewater disposal in an area that is directly upstream from the ocean.
Furthermore, development in Pāʻia should be driven by community needs. And while the developer has hosted 1-on-1 meetings with select community members, the community has largely been left out of the conversation. The lack of community input is evident in EC Pāʻiaʻs plans, which do not include any parks, playgrounds, playing fields, or other community-centered services like a library or community gardens (except for a parking lot at the furthest end of Pāʻia Town). It will also extend commercial zoning through residential areas up Baldwin Avenue and will increase traffic on Baldwin significantly.
This is not a community-driven project. It is developer-driven to maximize profits and minimize oversight.
Sign to urge the Maui County Council and other decision makers to require a full Environmental Assessment, social impact assessment, emergency evacuation assessment, robust traffic study, and a confirmed water source before EC Pāʻia moves forward.
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on October 7, 2026