On November 24th, Governor Josh Green and the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp. are urging homeowners to offer their unoccupied rooms, units, or houses to assist Maui wildfire survivors.
The Hawaii Fire Relief Housing Program, which began in mid-August, has already helped over 500 Maui families affected by the August wildfires in finding more permanent housing, as per state housing officials.
“We are thankful for the compassion and generosity shown by many Hawaii homeowners in providing safe havens for those most affected by the tragedy in Lahaina,” Green stated in a recent news release. “But we still need more property owners to offer longer-term housing opportunities for those in need.”
The program involves compiling a list of homeowners statewide offering their unoccupied properties for assistance. Once the HHFDC staff confirms the information and availability, Maui wildfire survivors can use a searchable list and an interactive map on the HHFDC website to connect with a homeowner.
HHFDC Executive Director Dean Minakami recommends that those offering their properties “be able to maintain the rental arrangements for a minimum of 18 months.”
Following the devastating wildfires on August 8th, which resulted in at least 100 deaths and destroyed over 2,700 structures in Lahaina, the state has taken various measures to provide housing for those displaced, including creating congregate emergency shelters and relocating survivors to hotels in Kaanapali.
While the HHFDC does not offer financial assistance to property owners or renters, FEMA provides fair market rent for wildfire survivors. Additionally, FEMA has introduced a Maui Direct Lease Program and identified possible sites for transitional modular homes on Maui. The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement and Maui County have also established the HOST Housing Support Program to provide financial assistance to households offering housing to wildfire survivors.
The state is exploring other options for housing assistance, such as building more homes on Department of Hawaiian Home Lands property for beneficiaries and encouraging property owners to create accessory dwelling units or convert short-term rentals into long-term leases.
Green emphasized the importance of providing stable, long-term housing solutions for every family affected by the wildfires in Lahaina.
“This is a critical time as many survivors seek to transition out of temporary housing into more stable, longer-term living arrangements as they try to regain some normalcy and routine to their lives,” Minakami said. “If you have an available extra room, ohana unit or accessory dwelling unit, or a vacation rental, please consider helping.”
