New Kahului homes blessed and move-in ready for two healthcare professionals impacted by the Lahaina fires

The first two completed homes under the Housing for Healthcare initiative were blessed in a private ceremony held with the two new tenants and their families, both Maui healthcare professionals who lost their homes and belongings in the devastating Lahaina fires last year. The families moved into their homes this month.

The ceremony symbolized a new beginning for both families, who have been challenged to find stable, affordable housing since the fires. Project leaders say this marks a significant milestone in Housing for Healthcare’s mission to build a foundation of hope and stability for healthcare professionals on Maui.

Maui Memorial Medical Center nurse Leah Pyle and her family of five, lost their home, car, and all their belongings to the fire. After seven months living in multiple hotels with her teenage sons, they were able to find a short-term rental. However, the high cost of rent left them considering whether or not the best future for them was on Maui.

“I am so thankful to finally have some stability and know we can stay here until we are able to rebuild,” said Pyle.

Family practice physician Kyle Mouery, MD, who serves the Lahaina community, was also nearly left no choice but to leave Maui due to the lack of stable housing available for his family of six. Now, as one of the initiatives first tenants, he can remain on the island and continue to serve the community.

“All of our team in Lahaina lost something. Some of us lost family members, some of us lost our houses, we all lost our community,” said Dr. Mouery. “I honestly feel guilty to be among the first to be selected for this housing project as I know that so many people are struggling to find housing security. My family and I have moved five times in this past year since the fires, but we have been lucky to have been welcomed into the homes of my fellow colleagues and other rentals that have gotten us closer to our kids’ schools.”

Among those in attendance at the blessing were Maui Mayor Richard Bissen; Council Member Alice Lee; Maui Health Foundation Board President Tamar Goodfellow; Vice President Karen Williams; Foundation Chief Philanthropy Officer Melinda Sweany; Maui Health CEO Lynn Fulton; Kaiser Permanente’s Executive Vice President, Chief Health Officer, and Board Chair for Maui Health’s Board of Directors Dr. Bechara Choucair; Lehua Builders owner Sandra Duvauchelle and her team; and many Foundation donors who made these homes possible.

“I am deeply grateful to the past administration, our Maui County Council Members past and present, and for the determination of Tamar Goodfellow, whose commitment to the people of Maui turned this vision into reality,” said Mayor Richard Bissen. “These homes honor the selfless dedication of these healthcare workers who continued to care for our community despite enduring great personal loss.”

Maui Health CEO Lynn Fulton emphasized the importance of this project in ensuring a healthy future for Maui County, saying, “We’re here to improve the health of our residents and to do that we need talented clinicians that live on the island and are a part of our community. Housing is a fundamental health need, and this project is a seed that will help grow a flourishing community of healthcare professionals to care for our loved ones for many years to come.”

During the blessing event, Maui Health Foundation Board President Tamar Goodfellow acknowledged the many hands credited with the project’s rapid progress, which launched in May 2023 after the Maui County Council approved the gift of land. The Foundation’s inaugural Housing for Healthcare fundraiser kicked off in February and thanks to the generosity of Foundation donors and community supporters, has since raised over $9 million to date. Kaiser Permanente East Bay Community Foundation’s commitment to provide a low interest construction loan to finance the project was the final hurdle crossed to officially break ground in March 2024.

The project’s development partner, Lehua Builders, and property management company Emerald Club Realty, Inc. also played a critical role, working to complete and lease the first two homes in less than seven months.

“Sandy from Lehua Builders offered us pre-registered home designs and worked with the county to expedite the building permits,” says Maui Health Foundation Chief Philanthropy Officer Melinda Sweany. “She also asked her subcontractors to match the pricing from her original project, saving the Foundation on supply costs.”

“These homes are proof positive that when we come together as a community, we can achieve incredible things,” said Goodfellow. “This initiative helps give healthcare workers peace of mind, allowing them to focus on what they do best—caring for our people.”

With partial funding from Hawaiʻi Community Foundation to build an additional 15 ‘ohana units, this exciting, first-of-its-kind housing project will provide 31 total units, available to lease at below-market rates, for healthcare professionals working in Maui County. Preference is given to those displaced by the Maui wildfires.

The units are located in Kahului, minutes from Maui Memorial Medical Center and other central Maui medical clinics that employ many in Maui’s healthcare workforce. Healthcare professionals who live on Maui may submit their interest online at www.mauihealth.org/H4H or contact Emerald Club Realty, Inc. at 808-242-6629.