Nearly 2,000 Maui wildfire survivors are still sheltered in nine hotels and other sites

Since the Aug. 8, 2023 wildfires, nearly 2,000 individuals are still being housed in hotels on Maui. The Federal Emergency Management Agency reports that currently, 1,969 survivors are sheltered in nine hotels and other sites. The agency provided an update on housing, spending and resources as wildfire recovery nears the nine month mark.

Housing

FEMA’s Direct Lease program will not consider properties if their tenants were evicted so landlords could receive higher rent from FEMA.

• If a complaint is confirmed, the rental property cited in the complaint will not be used in FEMA’s Direct Lease program. The investigation could also result in fines or other action by state authorities.

Under Direct Lease, FEMA leases residential properties for use by survivors. The units are offered for up to 18 months, or until February 2025. The agency can help survivors who need housing, and we can pay the rent directly to the property owners.

• To date, 819 households occupy Direct Lease units. 

Survivors are also taking advantage of a separate FEMA program – Rental Assistance – to locate their own temporary housing.

And FEMA is preparing to build a temporary group housing site that can accommodate 169 modular units.

FEMA continues to seek property owners in Hawaiʻi who want to temporarily lease their vacation homes or other units to FEMA for use by disaster survivors. Interested property owners may send inquiries to: [email protected].

The American Red Cross has helped to care for about 8,000 survivors. That’s about two-thirds of the pre-disaster population of Lahaina. The organization has put them up in dozens of hotels. It is also providing meals, health and mental care, funeral expenses, financial support to move into longer-term temporary housing, and other services to survivors, including those who are not eligible for some FEMA programs.

• Currently, 1,969 survivors are sheltered in nine hotels and other sites. 
• Disaster survivors are encouraged to reach out to the Red Cross at RedCross.org/HIhelp or speak to a Red Cross representative at the Lahaina Disaster Recovery Center. 

If you received initial rental assistance from FEMA, you may be eligible for continued rental assistance. To request an Application for Continued Temporary Housing Assistance or get help completing the form, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362.

Disaster Case Management services are available at no cost to Maui wildfire survivors. Any survivor who was affected by the wildfires, regardless of FEMA eligibility or other federal assistance, may request help from disaster case managers. These specially trained case managers will help you develop a unique and comprehensive recovery plan.  

• To access disaster case management services, dial 211 from anywhere in Hawaiʻi or email [email protected] for more information. 211 specialists use databases of resources available from private and public health and human service agencies to match callers to their specific needs.
• If you have applied for FEMA disaster assistance but also have homeowners’ or renters’ insurance, you may still be eligible for federal grant funding to cover your uninsured expenses. FEMA may be able to help if the insurance settlement you receive did not cover all your losses, if your claim was turned down or if your claim was delayed more than 30 days.
• Even if your insurance settlement includes additional living expenses or loss of use, you may be eligible for FEMA’s temporary housing programs. To find out, call theFEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362.

Recovery by the Numbers

Since wildfires swept over the Island of Maui Aug. 8, more than $379.1 million in federal assistance has been approved for 7,111 households. FEMA is working closely with Maui County, the State of Hawaiʻi and federal and nonprofit partners, with a commitment to helping Maui residents continue their recovery.

FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration have approved more than $379.1 million in federal assistance to survivors of the Aug. 8 wildfires and high winds on Maui. This includes:

• $49,605,137 in FEMA assistance approved for individuals and households, which represents:
• $27,695,204 approved for housing assistance, including more than $21,691,215 in rental assistance.
• $21,909,932 approved for Other Needs Assistance
• $329,545,100 in SBA disaster loans approved for affected Maui homeowners, renters and businesses. 

Federal disaster recovery center at Lahaina Civic Center moving to Hyatt Regency; State resource center to open at Royal Lahaina

Survivors now have two new Lahaina locations where they can receive information or referrals to organizations offering help after the August wildfires on Maui.

Beginning Monday, April 29, survivors can meet with federal support staff, including language interpreters, and community organizations at the Disaster Recovery Center at Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa (see below). After meeting with specialists at the recovery center, be sure to get your Hyatt Regency parking ticket validated.

Also beginning April 29, the State of Hawaiʻi is opening a Community Resources Center at the Royal Lahaina Resort and Bungalows (see table below). Support staff can help identify new resources to meet long-term recovery needs. Survivors can also get masks, Maui County Right-of-Entry forms and vehicle placards allowing them entry to the burn zone. And you can receive information about Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for purchasing food items at grocery stores and other authorized retailers.

• COFA citizens have until Friday, May 31, to apply for FEMA disaster assistance for losses caused by the wildfires and high winds on Maui. Because of a recent change in the law, federal benefits are extended to COFA citizens designated as “qualified aliens” who legally reside in the United States.
  • Among those who are now eligible to apply are citizens of the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands who lived on Maui and suffered losses in the fires.
  • Eligible COFA citizens must show that their primary residence on Maui was affected by the wildfires. 

To apply, COFA citizens may call 808-784-1952 or visit the Disaster Recovery Center. Phone lines are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. HST Monday to Friday; 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. HST Saturday; closed Sundays.

Survivors who are waiting to be placed in units offered under FEMA’s Direct Lease program can also call 808-784-1600. Leave your nine-digit FEMA registration number and a phone number where you can be reached, and a case worker will return your call within 24 hours.

FEMA’s Other Needs Assistance

FEMA’s Other Needs Assistance program offers financial support for uninsured and underinsured personal property losses, medical and dental expenses and essential disaster-related needs. If you have been unable to receive monetary resources from insurance or voluntary agencies, this program may be able to replace essential personal and household items you need. https://www.fema.gov/fact-sheet/guide-femas-other-needs-assistance.

Non-Citizens May Apply for Disaster Assistance

• FEMA is committed to helping all eligible individuals recover from the wildfires, including U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals and “qualified aliens.” Survivors who do not qualify for federal assistance may still call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 for referrals to other sources of aid. To be eligible for FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program, you must have had losses or damage from the wildfires on Maui, but you can apply from anywhere you currently reside.

Keep Your Contact Information Current

Survivors are encouraged to keep your information current because missing or wrong information could delay the delivery of FEMA assistance. If your insurance does not cover all your losses, or your settlement is delayed, you may be eligible for FEMA assistance for your unmet needs. When contacting FEMA, be prepared to give the specialist the nine-digit number assigned to you when you applied for disaster assistance.

If you receive a letter from FEMA saying you are ineligible for assistance, don’t panic. Your application may have stopped processing because something was missing. This is your opportunity to appeal FEMA’s decision. An appeal is a written request to FEMA to review your application for disaster assistance.

You have 60 days from the date on your determination letter to appeal a FEMA decision.

In-person support services for appeals are provided at the Lahaina Disaster Recovery Center (address below) and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement office at Kāko’o Maui Relief and Aid Services Center, 153 E. Kamehameha Ave., Suite 101 in Kahului. 

Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 for case inquiries and answers to your questions.

Confidential Crisis Counseling Services Available

Disasters can create a wide range of emotions that may last for many months. If you are overcome by feelings of hopelessness and stress, help is available. Wildfire survivors can get free, confidential crisis counseling services. Call Hawaiʻi Cares toll free at 800-753-6879 or dial or text Hawaiʻi Cares using the 3-digit calling code 988. This service is available all day, every day.

Maui County residents may also get confidential crisis counseling services from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday by calling 808-446-6676. After 8 p.m., callers may leave a voicemail message and a crisis counselor will return your call the next business day. For non-urgent calls, an operator will introduce the caller to a crisis counselor before transferring the call.

Disaster Legal Services Available to Maui Survivors

If you are facing civil legal issues as a result of the wildfires and you cannot afford an attorney, you can now get legal advice by calling the Legal Aid Society of Hawaiʻi’s toll-free lines at 808-536-4302 or 800-499-4302. The Disaster Legal Services national hotline is 888-743-5749.

Free legal advice may be accessed online at https://www.ladrc.org/disasters/hawaii-wildfires/ or https://hawaii.freelegalanswers.org/.

Keep in Touch with FEMA

Visit DisasterAssistance.gov. Click on the green ‘Check Status’ button to create an online account. Use the same email you provided when you applied for assistance. If you applied for assistance online or using the FEMA app, you already have a disaster assistance account.

Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. If you use a video relay service, captioned telephone service or others, remember to give FEMA your number for that service. Helpline operators speak many languages and lines are open from 2 a.m. to 9 p.m. HST, seven days a week. Press 2 for Spanish. Press 3 for an interpreter who speaks your language.

State Benefits for Low-Income Families

Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, a program managed by the state Department of Human Services and Maui Economic Opportunity, offers cash assistance to families affected by the wildfires. Eligible families must have at least one child under age 18 and must have experienced property loss or damage, and a reduction of earnings or employment as a direct result of the fires. The program also offers 4 months of support for long-term rentals. To apply, call 808-243-4316; email [email protected] or visit www.meoinc.org.

US Fire Administration to Deploy Wildfire and Wind Sensors Across Hawai‘i

The US Fire Administration is working with Hawaiian fire chiefs as well as state and local officials to test 80 wildfire sensors and 16 wind sensors across the Hawaiian Islands.

• These sensors will collect data that can further refine how the final sensors perform, while also detecting anomalies that may indicate a fire.

FEMA Assistance Includes Funeral Expenses

FEMA assistance may be available for funeral or reburial costs as a result of the wildfires. FEMA can help with the unexpected and uninsured expenses associated with the passing of an immediate family member during a declared major federal disaster or emergency. https://www.fema.gov/fact-sheet/fema-assistance-includes-funeral-expenses-0.

Visit MauiRecovers.org for Recovery Information

• Lahaina residents and business owners may apply for permits on a zone-by-zone basis at the County of Maui Kalana O Maui building. To identify your zone, visit mauirecovers.org and subscribe to the latest updates at: https://www.mauirecovers.org/sign-up.
• The Hawai‘i Department of Health provides guidance on the risks of re-entry to the impacted areas: Re-Entry Guidance & Hazard Advisory.
• For answers to your Frequently Asked Questions, click: https://www.mauirecovers.org/recovery/reentry.
• Check the Lahaina Re-entry Map at: https://mauicounty.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/0530ad1257494d00b20093135f843f52.
• Go to https://www.mauinuistrong.info/getsupport. 

Support Available for Wildfire Survivors Facing Domestic Violence

Calls to a Maui County domestic violence hotline have more than doubled since the wildfires, but behavioral health experts and counselors say help is available. Women Helping Women, a service group for those affected by domestic violence, runs Maui County’s only local 24-hour emergency hotline. The group can connect callers to resources and show them how to get out of abusive relationships.

• For additional national and local resources, click https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20231117/support-available-wildfire-survivors-facing-domestic-violence

US Small Business Administration 

The US Small Business Administration has approved $329.5 million in federal disaster loans for Hawai‘i businesses, nonprofits and residents impacted by the Maui wildfires. That includes more than $118.8 million for businesses and $210.6 million to homeowners and renters to help them rebuild and recover from the disaster. 

The last day for small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private nonprofit organizations to apply for an SBA economic injury disaster loan is Friday, May 10.

• SBA is accepting late physical damage loan applications online or in person until Tuesday, June 11, without explanation. Survivors may also apply athttps://www.sba.gov/hawaii-wildfires, call the Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or email [email protected] for information.
• For people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing or have a speech disability, dial 711 to access telecommunications relay services.

SBA will consolidate the Kihei Business Recovery Center and Business Resource and Assessment Center. Beginning Monday, May 13, SBA staff will offer application assistance at the Business Recovery Center located at Maui Research Technology Center, Building A, Suite 199, 590 Lipoa Parkway in Kīhei.

Other Federal Actions

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development is extending relief from foreclosures of Federal Housing Administration-insured mortgages and home equity conversion mortgages until Monday, May 6. Homeowners can call the FHA Resource Center at 800-304-9320 or visit hud.gov for more information. 

HUD-certified housing agencies can provide additional counseling about your post-disaster housing needs. To find a HUD-approved agency, visit hud.gov/findacounseloror call 800-569-4287 or 202-708-1455 (TTY).

FEMA Awards $10 Million to Rebuild Lahaina’s Public Library

FEMA’s Public Assistance program has awarded $9.9 million toward the estimated $12.6 million cost to rebuild the Lahaina Public Library. The wildfires on Maui destroyed the 4,540-square-foot building on Wharf Street. The remaining costs will be covered by insurance proceeds and contributions from the state. https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20240321/fema-awards-10-million-rebuild-lahainas-public-library

FEMA Approves $35 Million to Rebuild State Public Housing Complexes

FEMA’s Public Assistance program also approved $35 million to help the State of Hawaiʻi Public Housing Authority fund reconstruction of three buildings and a community center at Piʻilani Elderly Homes as well as the David Malo Circle housing complex, all of which were destroyed in the wildfires. https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20240404/fema-approves-35-million-rebuild-state-public-housing-destroyed-maui

Additional State and Voluntary Actions

The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement connects survivors to community support services at Kāko’o Maui Resource Hub, 70 Kaahumanu Ave. in Kahului. The Resource Hub is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.