Temporary FEMA housing support extended for Maui wildfire survivors to February 2026

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has extended by one year its Individuals and Households Program, including Financial Assistance and Direct Temporary Housing Assistance for Maui wildfire survivors. The extension comes at the request of the state of Hawaiʻi.

The initial 18-month period of FEMA individuals and households assistance was set to end Feb.10, 2025 but has now been extended to Feb. 10, 2026.

Regarding the announced extension, US Sen. Brian Schatz said: “FEMA’s extension means survivors will continue to have homes for their families for the foreseeable future. But let’s be clear about what’s needed – building temporary housing so that survivors have stable roofs over their heads as they recover.”

Under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, FEMA may extend the period of assistance due to extraordinary circumstances. Last year’s wildfires killed at least 102, destroyed more than 2,000 structures in Lahaina and impacted numerous households, businesses, communities and the infrastructure on Maui.

FEMA said it is working closely with the state of Hawai‘i, local officials and volunteers to help survivors in temporary housing find permanent solutions. Disaster case managers are also providing personalized assistance.

FEMA approved the Direct Lease as a form of Direct Temporary Housing Assistance in September 2023 and currently has 1,194 households occupying FEMA-provided units. The program has come under fire for leading to what’s been called “predatory behavior” among some landlords seeking higher rent from people displaced by the wildfires.

During the extended period, survivors who continue to live in a FEMA-provided temporary housing unit are generally expected to work on their permanent housing plan and start paying rent, depending on their financial ability. The rent amount would be based on the US Department of Housing and Urban Development Fair Market Rent.

FEMA will send occupants an advance notice of the rent requirement.

Occupants who provide documentation of their post-disaster income that meets or is below HUD’s very low-income limit will qualify for fully reduced rent of $50 per month without having to appeal and submit documentation of pre- or post-disaster housing costs.

Occupants with household incomes above the HUD very low-income limit will only have to provide documentation of post-disaster housing costs for FEMA to evaluate the amount of rent to be charged based on their financial ability.

FEMA will conduct outreach to assist occupants of temporary housing units with the documentation necessary to evaluate their ability to pay. This effort is designed to reduce the need for occupants to appeal the rent amount determined by FEMA.

For more information on temporary housing, call the Individual Assistance Housing Hotline at 808-784-1600. Or contact 2-1-1 to reach the disaster case management program.

Residents also may call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Helpline operators can provide assistance in many languages. Those using a relay service such as Video Relay Service, captioned telephone service or others, should give FEMA a number for that service when applying.

In-person help is available at:
Lahaina Gateway (next to Ace Hardware) Maui County Office of Recovery – West Maui 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement Office (next to Maui Mall) Kākoʻo Relief & Aid Services Center; 153 E. Kamehameha Ave. Suite 101 Kahului 96732
9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

For the latest information on the Maui wildfire recovery efforts, visit mauicounty.gov, mauirecovers.org,fema.gov/disaster/4724 and Hawaii Wildfires – YouTube. Follow FEMA on social media: @FEMARegion9 and facebook.com/fema. You may also get disaster assistance information and download applications at sba.gov/hawaii-wildfires.