Hawaiian Community Assets, a statewide nonprofit housing counseling agency, announced that the first four Wailuku homes offered through its Ua Hale Aʻela program for Maui wildfire survivors will be available for occupancy beginning Aug. 28, 2026. 

The homes are made possible through a $6.34 million award from the Hawai‘i Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund, with support from House Maui for operational expenses, and are being offered through HCA’s Ua Hale Aʻela program.

Through the support of funding partners, the first Maui Strong Ua Hale Aʻela homes are being offered at approximately 20% below market value, making homeownership more attainable for wildfire survivors.

“Hawaiian Community Assets has moved quickly to acquire and renovate homes under our rent-with-option-to-purchase model to assist wildfire survivors on Maui who are in urgent need of available and affordable housing,” said Chelsie Evans Enos, CEO of Hawaiian Community Assets. “This is about more than rebuilding homes — it’s about rebuilding stability. Every family that remains on Maui strengthens our communities, preserves local roots, and creates a pathway toward generational wealth.”

Through its partnership with the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund, House Maui, and other funding partners, HCA will make a total of 17 rent-with-option-to-purchase homes available for Maui wildfire survivors as properties are acquired, renovated and prepared for occupancy.

Nearly three years after the Maui wildfires displaced thousands of residents, these homes represent another step in the long-term recovery effort, helping local families remain on Maui while building toward permanent homeownership.

The program, which offers units across Maui, Kauaʻi, and Hawaiʻi Island, creates a pathway for renters to purchase the home they are living in, helping many families become homeowners in two years or less. It is the first program of its kind in Hawai‘i. To date, four HCA clients have purchased their homes through the program on Hawaiʻi Island.

Families interested in Ua Hale Aʻela can view available properties, rental pricing, eligibility information, and anticipated availability at hawaiiancommunity.net/ua-hale-aela. Interested households are encouraged to submit an interest form to begin working with HCA’s Housing Specialists and prepare for homeownership opportunities as units become available.

Launched in 2024, Ua Hale Aʻela was designed to break the cycle of housing insecurity by acquiring and repurposing existing homes, providing immediate rentals, and creating a structured pathway for families to become homeowners. The program is a beacon of hope for those who may not qualify for traditional mortgages, transforming the lives of vulnerable populations.

Last year, HCA expanded Ua Hale A‘ela with the purchase of a 28-unit condominium building in Hilo, made possible through a partnership with the County of Hawaiʻiʻs Office of Housing and Community Development.

Working together, HCA and subsidiary Hawai‘i Community Lending (HCL) lead families through the homebuying process — from budgeting and savings to grants and loans – to ensure a solid financial foundation. HCA has also provided HUD-certified housing counseling, personalized financial planning and financial education workshops to hundreds of wildfire-affected families.

HCA’s services are rooted in Kahua Waiwai — a Native Hawaiian approach to financial empowerment that centers cultural identity and community care. Nearly 60% of the individuals HCA serves identify as Native Hawaiian, and all are connected by HCA and HCL’s shared goal of building generational wealth through housing and returning to the land.

Founded in 2000, Hawaiian Community Assets is a HUD-approved nonprofit housing counseling agency. We work to build the capacity of low- and moderate-income communities to achieve and sustain economic self-sufficiency, with a focus on Native Hawaiians. For more, visit HawaiianCommunity.net.