This year, 23 businesses raised more than $8,800 and 1,761 pounds of food through the end of October, which combined will provide 50,710 meals to individuals and families across the Maui Food Bank’s network.  

Kūpuna impacted by the August 2023 wildfires are eligible for low-income senior housing in an initiative launched by the nonprofit J. Walter Cameron Center in response to the island’s post-disaster housing crisis.

With the balance of power in Washington shifting into the hands of Republicans and incoming President Donald Trump, Hawai‘i Democratic US Sen. Brian Schatz appealed to Senate colleagues to prioritize passage of a disaster aid funding for long-term relief of Maui wildfire survivors.

Online feedback on the draft of the County of Maui’s Long-Term Recovery Plan for Lahaina is currently open on www.MauiRecovers.org/lahaina. The deadline to submit feedback is Friday, Nov. 15, 2024.

The Hawaiʻi Department of Health is issuing Guidance for Existing Cesspool Use in Residential Kula, Maui. It was developed in an effort to support Kula residents affected by the wildfires, working to rebuild and reoccupy their homes.

Since launching its expanded wildfire safety strategy one year ago, Hawaiian Electric reports making significant improvements to reduce wildfire risk from its equipment. Actions include a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) program, replacing and testing thousands of utility poles, upgrading miles of overhead power lines, clearing instrusive vegetation near electrical equipment, and installing weather stations and AI-assisted high definition […]

Honolulu Cookie Company has opened a store at Whalers Village in Kāʻanapali.

Lahainaluna Road will officially reopen for unrestricted public access at 6 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, according to an announcement from the County of Maui.

Maui Economic Opportunity has received more than $27,000 in private gifts since August—led by a nearly $20,000 donation from Servco—to assist those impacted by the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfires.

A joint informational briefing hosted by the Committee on Commerce and Consumer Protection, the Committee on Public Safety and Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, and the Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism takes place at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. The purpose of this joint informational briefing is for Hawaiian Electric Company to present its Wildfire Mitigation Plan, which was ordered by the Public Utilities Commission.

The County of Maui Department of Environmental Management’s Wastewater Reclamation Division announced that it has amended the Sewer Service Status from “red” to “green,” meaning sewer service is now active for 15 properties including: one lot on Kaili Place, six lots near Kopili and Kuhua streets, and eight lots near Mall Place and Ainakea Road.

Federal officials are reminding wildfire survivors that the US Small Business Administration’s deadline for Economic Injury Loans is Saturday, Nov. 9.

Residents are encouraged to attend the County of Maui’s Weekly Disaster Recovery Community Meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6, in the Lahaina Intermediate School cafeteria. The meeting will include a presentation by Keʻeaumoku Kapu on the work of Nā ʻAikāne of Maui and the cultural monitoring program in place for debris cleanup in Lahaina.

Mokuʻula, once the spiritual and political center of the Hawaiian Kingdom, is the subject of a groundbreaking 360-degree animated film that will have its first public showing on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024 at 6 p.m. at The Sphere at the Maui Ocean Center. The Lahaina Restoration Foundation presents the public premiere of E Hoʻi Ka Nani I Mokuʻula — Let the Glory Return to Mokuʻula, an evocative animated film that weaves together the powerful stories of the island’s royal past.

Motorists are advised of potential traffic delays as modular homes for wildfire survivors are transported from Kahului to the state’s Ka Laʻi Ola housing site and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Kilohana site, both in Lahaina.

Projects would boost on-call staffing and technology used by the county’s emergency management agency, as well as improve evacuation access.

For Lahaina wildfire survivors and those who continue to struggle with returning to a sense of “normalcy,” Hope Worldwide and Maui Christian Church will host the free Lahaina Housing & Resource Fair from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, at Lahaina Intermediate School cafeteria.

Alpha, Inc. in partnership with Dynamic Group, FEMA, and local subcontractors, announced the commencement of the Kilohana Temporary Housing Project in Lahaina. This initiative aims to provide much-needed housing for families affected by the 2023 wildfires, helping them return to the westside of Maui.

Habitat for Humanity Maui announced it is the recipient of a $3 million donation from Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez. This contribution, one of the largest in the organization’s history, will directly support Habitat Maui’s ongoing efforts to address Maui’s urgent need for affordable housing, especially in light of the recent wildfires and the worsening housing crisis on the island, organization leaders said.

“Whose Future?” draws solely from the public record to tell the story of how the community sought to shape its own land use future. This narrative gains renewed relevance in light of the tragic August 2023 fire, as West Maui faces complex decisions around disaster relief and rebuilding.