LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Blue Cleaning, a small business in West Maui that spruces up 27 vacation rentals, survived the sharp decline in tourists during the Covid-19 pandemic and after the devastating Aug. 8 wildfire in Lahaina.

But now Leo Szakacs-Kekona, who owns and runs the operation with his wife, is worried about Mayor Richard Bissen’s recent proposal to permanently eliminate 7,000 short-term rental units — more than half of the island’s stock — by Jan. 1, 2026, in an effort to create much-needed long-term housing for the county.

“Is this going to be the blow that knocks us down?” Szakacs-Kekona said. “Other independent contractors also are worried. It’s always the little guy that gets shot down first.”

Even Bissen said there would be “economic fallout” when he announced his proposal in early May. But how much fallout is what Tasha Kama, chair of the County Council’s Housing and Land Use Committee, wants to know before making any decisions.