County secures $2M grant from National Park Service to support Lahaina Royal Complex

The County of Maui Department of ʻŌiwi Resources has secured $2 million in highly competitive federal funding through a grant awarded by the National Park Service.

The $2 million award from National Park Service’s FY25 Emergency Supplemental Historic Preservation Fund was announced in December. It will provide support to advance preservation planning and initial implementation of recovery efforts at King Kamehameha III’s Royal Residential Complex, including Mokuʻula and Loko o Mokuhinia. The Lahaina area once formed the spiritual and political heart of the Hawaiian Kingdom and remains one of Hawaiʻi’s most culturally and historically significant landscapes.

“This federal investment is a powerful affirmation of Lahaina’s cultural significance and our community’s resilience,” Mayor Richard Bissen said. “The $2 million National Park Service grant honors the deep historical and spiritual importance of the Lahaina Royal Complex while helping to ensure its restoration is guided by cultural stewardship, careful planning and respect for place. As Lahaina continues to heal from the 2023 wildfires, this support represents a meaningful step forward for Maui and for all of Hawaiʻi.”

“This award reflects dedication, collaboration and hard work by our department and our community partners,” County Department of ʻŌiwi Resources Director Kaponoʻai Molitau said. “More importantly, it recognizes the area’s enduring significance to all of Hawaiʻi and the community’s commitment to restoring this sacred place.”

Collaborating closely with cultural practitioners, community organizations and technical experts, the County Department of ʻŌiwi Resources will lead the multiyear effort to guide post-fire recovery at King Kamehameha III’s Royal Residential Complex, or Lahaina Royal Complex.

Planned work includes early implementation activities, such as restoring Native Hawaiian place names, reforesting fire-impacted areas with native plants and advancing restoration of Mokuʻula and Loko o Mokuhinia. All work will adhere to national historic preservation standards while being guided by Native Hawaiian knowledge, values and protocols.

Beyond cultural preservation, the project will provide tangible benefits to the Lahaina community, including environmental restoration, flood and fire risk mitigation, opportunities for community healing and long-term stewardship of the land. By restoring wetlands, improving water flow and reintroducing native vegetation, the project also supports both cultural renewal and ecological resilience, according to the County Department of ʻŌiwi Resources.

For details on the Department of ʻŌiwi Resources, visit https://www.mauicounty.gov/2810/Department-of-Oiwi-Resources.