#Carolyn Auweloa

Congress’ $1.6 billion in federal wildfire disaster relief funding falls more than four times short of Maui’s unmet needs, now estimated at almost $7.7 billion in the aftermath of the August 2023 wildfire disaster. The original damage estimate was $5.52 billion.

The Lahaina Community Land Trust will be on hand at an upcoming community workshop hosted by the Maui Construction Industry Coalition. The workshop takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 29 at the Lahainaluna Intermediate School cafeteria.

“Community land trusts are nonprofits that buy and own land with the purpose of keeping it in community control, to be used as the community determines. The buildings and homes on the land can be owned by individual families but are tethered to the land trust by a lease with terms determined by the trust. This allows the CLT and its members to make sure that the property is protected forever, and that it is used for purposes that serve the community, whatever the community decides that is: housing, culture, agriculture, etc..”