Gov. Josh Green hopes that owners of 3,000 short-term rental units on Maui convert to long-term housing for victims — or face a ban on short-term rentals.

His current emergency proclamation following the Aug. 8 wildfires expires on Jan. 4 and Green said today that he could lay down what he called “the nuclear hammer” sometime in mid-January “if necessary. … I’ll take whatever action’s necessary” to get 3,000 families out of hotels and into long-term housing.

Letters from the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Monday went out to 13,000 owners of short-term rental units touting the financial incentives, Green said.

He said he has spoken to some owners who told him “they don’t want to rent to local people. That made me very angry.”

“Multiple people” said “… it’s their right to rent to whoever they choose.”