Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Lukas Nelson organizes Lōkahi to support housing on Maui

Grammy-award-winning singer/songwriter/musician Lukas Nelson brought together Maui residents and the Hawaiʻi music community for a five-hour evening of special performances to benefit Housing for Healthcare, an initiative addressing the island’s urgent shortage of medical professionals.

Held at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center on Jan. 10, the sold-out event featured Lukas Nelson, Mick Fleetwood, Patrick Simmons, Stephen Wilson Jr., Lily Meola, and the Maui Country Band, among others, with a special appearance by the legendary Paul Simon as the closing act. Ticket proceeds netted $256,000 for Housing for Healthcare, bringing the organization close to full funding for housing construction.

Nelson approached Maui Health Foundation about hosting the benefit concert last November after learning about Housing for Healthcare, a $20 million effort to build 31 transitional houses to attract and retain health care professionals. Within weeks, he had secured the stellar lineup for the evening’s celebration.

“Lōkahi means unity and harmony, and that is exactly what we witnessed through this incredible effort led by Lukas Nelson,” says Maui Health Foundation Chief Philanthropy Officer Melinda Sweany. “We are so grateful for the amazing artists who came out to support. Together, their generosity is helping us address one of the most urgent challenges facing healthcare on Maui by providing housing for those who serve our community every day—including healthcare workers who were impacted by the Lahaina wildfires and are already being supported through this initiative.”

Maui is currently short more than 160 physicians in specialties ranging from family and internal medicine to oncology, surgery, orthopedics, and urology, and both the overall lack of housing and the high cost of existing housing make it nearly impossible to attract and retain these physicians and specialists. The devastating wildfires in 2023 exacerbated the housing crunch as dozens of healthcare professionals lost everything. Sixteen of the 31 homes are completed and occupied by newly arrived physicians, medical professionals who lost their homes in the fires, and medical students training here. The remaining homes are targeted to be completed by July.

For more information or to donate to Housing for Healthcare, visit mauihealth.org/h4h. If you are a healthcare professional on Maui seeking temporary housing, please contact Brandy Aki at Emerald Realty at 808-283-2092 or brandyakimaui@gmail.com.