Maui Business

The University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization issued a new report, “After the Maui wildfires: The road ahead.” The report finds that businesses in Lahaina generated more than $70 million per month in revenue and they employed about 8,500 individuals. Roughly 2,000 homes in Lahaina were lost in the fire, representing 3% of Maui’s entire residential housing stock. Residential structures within the burned area were valued at $550 million.

Thanks to the generous contributions of its Residents and Associates, Kāhala Nui recently donated $74,842 to the Hawai‘i Community Foundation Maui Strong Fund. The total donation includes a $10,000 match by Kāhala Nui Senior Living Foundation’s Community Outreach Fund.

Maui United Way’s Emergency Financial Assistance program has received more than 7,000 unique individual requests for financial help. The program offered a one-time $1,000 financial assistance payment, not to exceed $5,000 per household, for adult fire survivors living in the impacted fire zones in Lahaina and Kula. It was made possible by the many generous donations from local kamaʻāina, mainland friends, and people from around the world.  

ALTRES Foundation today announced it has launched an online portal for unemployed Maui workers affected by the unprecedented wildfires. The newly launched portal, HireMaui.org, went live on Aug. 28, and offers a way for displaced Maui workers to connect with job vacancies offered by businesses statewide.

While West Maui and fire-affected parts of Kula remain no place for visitors — with teams still searching for remains from the Lahaina fire and the recovery in the early stages — the rest of the island was unharmed by the fires but now is reeling from the abrupt loss of tourists that is causing people to lose their jobs and businesses to struggle.

Central Pacific Bank announced the Lahaina Branch will reopen to serve the West Maui community on Monday, Aug. 28, 2023. The branch, which has been closed since Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023, will provide a full range of business and personal banking services when it reopens on Monday.

The Hawaiʻi State Department of Labor & Industrial Relations today announced the availability of a disaster recovery jobs portal for Maui to help workers and businesses impacted by the wildfires. The portal provides access to all currently available jobs on Maui as maintained by the DLIR. 

Kamaka Air facilitated 10 evacuation flights and multiple free cargo flight deliveries with more than 65,000 pounds of essential supplies, such as food, clothing, medicine, and household goods for citizens affected by the crisis.

“Individuals that do not qualify for regular unemployment insurance may be eligible for DUA benefits beginning the week of Aug. 13, 2023, as long as the individual’s unemployment continues to be a direct result of the disaster,” said Governor Josh Green, M.D.

Tokyo Star Bank Co., Ltd. and Central Pacific Bank have entered into a memorandum of understanding for a new business alliance aimed at strengthening their connection between Japan and Hawaiʻi.

After 11 years of island-wide sales at farmers’ markets around Maui, ʻOkoʻa Farms has opened its first brick-and-mortar produce-driven store – ʻOkoʻa Farms – Fresh Upcountry Produce.

“Maui nonprofits are a needed support system for our communities,” says Lisa Paulson, Executive Director of the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association. “With the hardships of the recent wildfires, it was crucial to make this hard-earned money available to them immediately.”

The job fair set to take place on Aug. 26 at The Shops at Wailea has been postponed until further notice.

The Servco Foundation has committed an initial aid of $120,000 to recovery efforts on Maui, including contributions to the American Red Cross Hawaiʻi and assistance for displaced families with children.

Aloha Pacific, HawaiʻiUSA, and Hawaiian Financial Federal Credit Unions have partnered to gather essential supplies for Maui community members affected by the recent natural disaster, accepting donations of various items at select Oʻahu branch locations.

The Internal Revenue Service announced today, victims of wildfires in parts of Hawaiʻi that began on Aug. 8, 2023, now have until Feb. 15, 2024, to file various individual and business tax returns and make tax payments.

With many travelers leaving West Maui amid the disastrous wildfires first reported on Aug. 8, the overflow of rental vehicles are piling up again around the Kahului Airport. This time around, government leaders are choosing their words carefully to prevent unwanted economic impacts for the rest of the island and the state.

All T-Mobile sites impacted by the fire have restored connection except for one that services Lahaina and was severely damaged. However, T-Mobile has the town of Lahaina now covered by a portable COW (cell on wheels) operating at the Lahaina Gateway Center.

To date, FEMA has provided more than $2.3 million in assistance to more than 1,330 households, including more than $800,000 in initial rental assistance, Hooks said. FEMA wants all survivors to register as soon as possible so that they receive the help they need.

Hawaiian Telcom is providing free community WiFi and phone service at three Maui shelters: War Memorial Gym in Wailuku, Kīhei Gym and Hannibal Tavares Community Center in Pukalani.