Ask The Mayor: Are There Plans for Homeless Housing on Maui?

Maui County Mayor Michael Victorino answers some of the most-asked questions submitted to his staff.

Q:  What are the county’s plans for the property at the corner of Kaʻahumanu and Wahine Pio avenues? My understanding is that the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College leased the land from the county and built dormitory buildings on it, then abandoned those buildings. The site would have been perfect for transitional housing for the homeless. Is the county just going to leave the buildings as they are?

A:  Mahalo for the question because this is a project I am looking at very closely.

As I said in my State of the County address, we are looking at building permanent housing at this site for our homeless working families or families at the edge of homelessness. These dorms have been vacant since 2008, so we hope to partner with private and public entities to bring this project into fruition. We also are receiving support from the community, state legislators, council members and the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corporation.

Mahalo again, and I look forward to announcing more details in the near future.

Want to Ask The Mayor? 

Submit your Maui County related questions to Mayor Michael Victorino by email at AskTheMayor@mauicounty.gov, by phone at (808) 270-7855 or via mail to 200 S. High Street, ninth floor, Wailuku, Hawaiʻi 96793.

Questions submitted will be considered for inclusion in the “Ask the Mayor” column.