#Hookumu Hou

Marking a significant chapter in rebuilding, the County of Maui Office of Recovery announced that eight families received First-Time Homebuyer Opportunity Program shopping letters today, which allow them to begin shopping for a house within their approved price range.

George Dacuycuy and his grandson, 21, are among the first applicants to get the go-ahead from the Ho‘okumu Hou first-time homebuyers program.

Hoʻokumu Hou’s First-Time Homebuyer Opportunity Program application period will close Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, the County of Maui Office of Recovery announced at Wednesday night’s Lahaina Community Meeting. However, applications for Hoʻokumu Hou’s Single-Family Homeowner Reconstruction and Single-Family Homeowner Reimbursement programs will remain open.

Of the 446 applications already filed, 76% are for the first-time homebuyer program, reflecting the impact of the August 2023 wildfires on renters and the ongoing struggle of residents to afford a home in today’s pricey market.

The County of Maui Office of Recovery will host an additional community information session online from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025, to present finalized policies for the upcoming Hoʻokumu Hou housing programs.

The County of Maui Office of Recovery will be hosting a series of community meetings on July 30 and Aug. 1, 2025, leading up to the opening of Hoʻokumu Hou program applications on Aug. 11. Newly named Hoʻokumu Hou, which will cover all of the County’s recovery programs funded by federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds, will focus on housing initiatives intended to help wildfire survivors receive the means they need to stay, or return, home.