West Maui Community Meeting to Discuss Homelessness

Photo by Wendy Osher.

By Maui Now Staff

The West Maui Taxpayers Association will hold a community meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 16, at the Lahaina Civic Center to discuss housing shortages for the island’s unsheltered, houseless or homeless.

The Community Meeting Room doors will open at 4:30 p.m.; food service will begin at 5 p.m.; and the program will begin at 5:30 p.m.

The panel will lead a moderated discussion with attendees intended to amplify action on and informed interest about one of the WMTA’s highest priorities with respect to West Maui’s diversified housing needs.

According to the latest 2015 Statewide Point in Time Count compiled by the state Department of Human Services, there are an estimated 1,137 homeless individuals on Maui. That translates to a 12% increase in the homeless population on Maui from year before levels

Panelists include those representing the proposed Kauaula Transient Camp, homeless resource coordinators and county officials. Community leaders and stakeholders targeted to be selected by WMTA to serve on a panel include:

• Erin Lowenthal of Ka Hale A Ke Ola
• Lisa Darcy and Dean Frampton of Ho‘moana Foundation
• Kaloa Robinson of Stanford Carr Development Inc.
• A representative from Maui County Department of Housing and Human Concerns
• Maude Cummings of Maui Homeless Alliance
• Thelma Akita Kealoha – Catholic Charities Director, Maui County
• Dr. Keli‘i Akina, president of the Grassroot Institute of Hawai‘i

The meeting is intended to create a dialog that accelerates, advances, furthers and positively affects the current condition the scarcity of accessible housing in West Maui, and deepen understanding of the housing needs for West Maui and develop creative solutions.