#Kilohana

Calling it a “significant milestone,” the County of Maui Department of Environmental Management Wastewater Reclamation Division announced that Lahaina’s County sewer system is now 100% active. The progress comes as homes and businesses look to rebuild after the August 2023 wildfire.

The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement has appointed Kauʻilani Kahoʻonei Arce as its new chief operating officer. Arce will oversee daily operations, ensuring CNHA’s initiatives, programs and partnerships align with the organization’s mission of uplifting and empowering the Native Hawaiian community.

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

A sewer line being built for the Kilohana Temporary Group Housing Site on Maui will have long-term benefits for Lahaina.

The Department of Public Works said Okolani Drive and South Kīhei Road from Wailea Alanui Drive to Kilohana in South Maui remain closed as of noon today due to storm impacts. Also, trees are blocking both lanes on Naʻalae and Waipoli roads Upcountry, and crews are working to clear the roads. Parks facilities that closed include: Central Maui Regional Sports Complex; Coach Spencer Shiraishi Memorial Pool; Keawakapu Beach parking lot; Kīhei Aquatic Center; and Kīhei Community Center.

Wildfire recovery, the cancellation of the Maui Fair, housing solutions, and election highlights are among the stories that made our list of top features this year. Here’s a recap of some of Maui’s biggest stories in 2024.

Motorists are advised of potential traffic delays as modular homes for wildfire survivors are delivered to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Kilohana site in Lahaina. Loads will be transported from Kahului Harbor to a staging area near the Kahului boat ramp, beginning at 7 a.m. and throughout the day, on Sunday, Dec. 29.

Motorists on Maui are advised of potential traffic delays as modular homes for wildfire survivors are transported from Kahului Harbor to FEMA’s Kilohana temporary group housing site in Lahaina over the next two weeks.

The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority has announced its upcoming community partnerships focused on natural resources, cultural initiatives, festivals and signature events. HTA is reinvesting nearly $3 million in partnerships with 105 community-based organizations, projects, programs and events taking place across Hawai‘i from January 1 to June 30, 2025.

Hauling for the state’s Ka Laʻi Ola housing site in Lahaina will take place nightly on Friday, Nov. 29 and Saturday, Nov. 30 beginning at 9 p.m. The transport for the FEMA Kilohana project is scheduled nightly, beginning at 8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 30 and Sunday, Dec. 1.

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.

The next Wailuku First Friday town party is set for Nov. 1, from 6 to 9 p.m., on Market Street. In celebration of community generosity, several Wailuku town merchants and event vendors have announced that proceeds from their sales will be donated to local organizations.

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.

Motorists are advised of potential traffic delays as 10 modular homes for wildfire survivors are transported from Kahului Harbor to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Kilohana temporary housing site in Lahaina. The hauling is scheduled nightly from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 27 through Wednesday, Oct. 30.

The meeting will include a status report on debris clearing by the US Army Corps of Engineers, an update on the progress of the Kilohana temporary group housing site from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and a presentation from Samaritan’s Purse about its US Rebuild Program.

The US Army Corps of Engineers, in partnership with federal, state, and local agencies, has completed debris removal from all residential properties devastated by the August 2023 wildfires in Lahaina. The milestone marks the return of 1,390 completed residential properties to the County of Maui. Property owners are now able to apply for building permits as part of the next phase in the rebuilding process.

The Wailuku First Friday street party on Sept. 6, 2024 kick’s-off the two month Hawaiian Showcase “Festivals of Aloha.” The event, from 6 to 9 p.m., features entertainment by Maui Music Mission, Te Ohi Nui and Hālau Keola Aliʻi O Kekai. The Hammah House Band celebrates their release of the single “Like Mehk,” with music on the Market St. Stage.

A ground blessing ceremony was held on Friday at Wahikuli Park, marking the start of a critical sewer line installation at the Kilohana Temporary Group Housing site in Lahaina. This project is part of the utility preparation for Kilohana, which will provide longer-term housing for survivors of the August 2023 Maui wildfires. The Kilohana site, which will soon feature 169 FEMA-procured modular housing units, ranging from one to three bedrooms.

At the one year mark since the fires, the Federal Emergency Management Agency provided an update on its Kilohana group housing site. The development, located on 34 acres mauka of a cane haul road near Wahikuli Road, will provide temporary housing for 169 households, and is anticipated to be complete by the end of October 2024.

The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA) announced the launch of its two newest Community Tourism Collaborative (CTC) programs: the Community Stewardship Program and the Regenerative Experiences Program. Modeled after the traditional regenerative water system of Hawaiʻi, these programs aim to support and enhance the efforts of organizations dedicated to revitalizing and preserving Hawaiʻi’s sacred spaces and creating sustainable visitor experiences.