A waiver of special management area rules for Lahaina wildfire survivors is expected to reduce rebuilding permit processing by about a year, speeding reconstruction and economic recovery for the West Maui community impacted by the deadly Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires.

Wildfire survivors currently in FEMA’s Direct Housing Program will be required to begin paying rent on March 1, 2025. The rental requirement will be in effect for the remainder of FEMA’s housing assistance program, which has been extended through Feb. 10, 2026.  

Residents are encouraged to attend the County of Maui’s Lahaina Community Meeting at 5:30 tonight (Feb. 5, 2025), at the Lahaina Intermediate School cafeteria.

The Senate Committees on Labor & Technology and Public Safety & Military Affairs unanimously passed Senate Bill 1383 on Monday at the State Capitol. The bill would prevent wildfires by adopting an extensive revamping of Hawaiʻi’s fire prevention laws, as proposed by Gov. Josh Green’s administration.

A bill to help with rebuilding historic Lahaina town advanced Monday afternoon out of the Senate Water and Land Committee, chaired by Sen. Lorraine Inouye of Hilo, Hawaiʻi Island.

FEMA’s 167-unit Kiohana temporary home site for wildfire survivors was completed this week in Lahaina, Maui. 

Former residents of the Lahaina Surf and Front Street Apartments — destroyed in the August 2023 wildfires — cheered when they were reassured that both affordable housing complexes would be rebuilt and that they, as residents at the time of the fires, would be given priority to return to redeveloped homes.

Gov. Josh Green, M.D., has announced the release of $6.3 million restricted funds from the Dept. of Business, Economic Development and Tourism budget for a marketing effort to address the continued economic impacts from the August 2023 Maui wildfires and the expected downturn due to the January 2025 Southern California wildfires.

If selling land is a last resort, the pledge recognizes that real estate professionals can serve as a safety net that connects homeowners with resources to help keep their families on their land.

In a special meeting today, Maui County Council members passed on second-and-final reading a bill authorizing an intergovernmental agreement for the disposition of the historic Spring House and the Lahaina Public Library, both ravaged by the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfire.

A House bill requested by the administration of Gov. Josh Green aimed at preventing wildfires in Hawaiʻi will be heard by two House committees at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Measure specifically targets four affordable housing projects that offered 358 units before the fire.

The Kelea Foundation will host a community training aimed at helping organizations supporting wildfire survivors better understand and address the needs of individuals with disabilities.

Hawai‘i US Sen. Brian Schatz says Hawai‘i will receive nearly $9.8 million in new federal funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help rebuild wildfire-ravaged historic Lahaina landmarks, like the Old Lahaina Courthouse, Waiola Church, Hale Aloha Museum and the Master’s Reading Room. 

Companion House and Senate bills have been introduced to carry out in state laws wildfire prevention recommendations called for in the Hawaiʻi Department of the Attorney General’s “final and forward-looking report” on the Aug. 8, 2023, Maui wildfires that killed at least 102 and destroyed more than 2,000 structures.

Maui Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) Administrator Amos Lonokailua-Hewett has released the agency’s After-Action Report on the 2023 Maui wildfires.

The County of Maui Department of Environmental Management’s (DEM) Wastewater Reclamation Division announced that it has amended the Sewer Service Status from “red,” which indicates a property does not currently have active sewer service, to “green,” meaning the sewer service is active, for 32 properties in the following areas: Sewer service was active for the […]

Companion bills in the state House and Senate have been submitted to establish the Maui Wildfires Settlement Trust Fund to pay claims from about 2,200 plaintiffs who’ve filed claims from injuries suffered in the August 2023 disaster.

The West Maui Temporary Debris Storage site environmental monitoring quarterly report for the fourth 90-day operational period shows the findings from sampling and monitoring comply with county, state and federal environmental regulations.

Hale Mahaolu, a nonprofit affordable housing provider, has announced plans to redevelop its Lahaina Surf property, and the Front Street Apartments, which is owned by the Hawai‘i Housing Finance and Development Corporation. The redevelopment projects are expected to provide 304 units of family housing for Maui residents.