Maui wildfire survivors have until Jan. 15 to complete Interim Housing applications

The Office of Resiliency and Recovery today announced that the deadline to complete applications for the Hawaiʻi Interim Housing Program (HIHP) for Maui residents displaced by the August 2023 Wildfires is Jan. 15, 2025. Households that have existing applications have until Jan. 15 to complete any remaining information for HIHP processing.

HIHP may consider late applications in the event of an unforeseen and verifiable circumstance outside of an applicant’s control. To make a late application request, the applicant must submit a late application request letter no later than March 17, 2025.

HIHP 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 Corporation. The HIHP program has been open for applications since July 2024 and is currently housing more than 300 wildfire survivor households in several housing solutions across Maui.

HIHP includes all state of Hawaiʻi interim housing sites related to DR-4724-HI Maui Wildfires recovery, including 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 the future.

Eligibility Requirements:
You may be eligible for HIHP if:

• You are not eligible for other forms of disaster housing assistance including FEMA housing support, you lived in Maui County at the time of the disaster, and:
• You are displaced from your residence due to the Maui wildfires, or
• You faced disaster-related income loss that resulted in the loss of your home.
• Households are encouraged to apply even if they are unsure of their eligibility. There is no cost to apply, and those placed in interim housing will not be required to pay rent or utility bills through August 2025.

Application Requirements:
HIHP 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 the HIHP Contact Center at 808-727-1550. Translation assistance is available for those with limited English proficiency.