New deadlines announced for Maui wildfire survivor housing assistance

Maui residents displaced by the August 2023 wildfires have until Dec. 15 to submit new applications for the Hawaiʻi Interim Housing Program. Households with existing applications have until Jan. 15 to complete them. To apply, visit here.

The housing program is managed by the Hawaiʻi Office of Recovery and Resiliency in partnership with the state Department of Human Services and the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corp. The program has been open for applications since July 2024. It is providing housing assistance to 135 survivor households in 148 units in several Maui locations. These include: Hale ‘O Lāʻie (formerly the Haggai Institute in Kīhei), Ka Laʻi Ola in West Maui and the Hawaiʻi Disaster Rental Assistance Program, which places survivors in temporary rental units. Additional interim housing sites may also become available in future.

Wildfire survivors are eligible for the program if they are ineligible for other forms of disaster housing benefits from insurance, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or other disaster aid providers. Participants must have lived in Maui County at the time of the disaster and were displaced from a primary residence because of the wildfires or faced disaster-related income loss that led to the loss of a primary residence.

Households are encouraged to apply even if they are unsure of their eligibility. There is no cost to apply. Those placed in interim housing will not be required to pay rent or utility bills through August 2025.

Applicants may need to provide the following documentation:

• Proof of identity (no citizenship requirement)
• Proof of pre-disaster residency in Maui County
• Evidence of disaster-caused income loss and inability to pay rent or mortgage resulting in the loss of your pre-disaster residence
• Documentation of any other assistance received related to the Maui fires

For more information and to apply, visit https://dbedt.hawaii.gov/hhfdc/hawaiistaterecovers/ or call 1-808-727-1550. Translation assistance is available for those with limited English proficiency.