Residents are encouraged to attend the County of Maui’s Weekly Disaster Recovery Community Meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11, in the Lahaina Intermediate School cafeteria.

The meeting will include:

• Status of debris clearing by the US Army Corps of Engineers
• An update on the wastewater system
• Information from the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Boating and Recreation
• An overview of community input received on the County Long-Term Recovery Plan
• Information about the Mennonite Disaster Serviceʻs home building program

The meeting will be livestreamed on the County of Maui’s Facebook page; no account is needed to view. Akakū: Maui Community Media will show a live broadcast of the meeting on Channel 53.

There will be no community meetings on Dec. 18 and 25 and Jan. 1.

Impacted residents and homeowners are encouraged to sign up for email and text notifications at https://www.mauirecovers.org/sign-up.

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, in the following areas:

• One lot on Kaili Place
• Six lots near Kopili Street and Kuhua Street
• Eight lots near Malolo Place and Ainakea Road

Sewer service was active for the lots as of Nov. 6, 2024. DEM Director Shayne Agawa announced the updates at the weekly Disaster Recovery Community Update meeting in Lahaina on Nov.6.Some wastewater infrastructure was damaged during the fires, which cut off wastewater service for many properties in fire-impacted areas. To determine if wastewater service for your home or business is impacted, visit https://mauirecovers.org/wastewater and type your address in the search bar on the County of Maui Sewer Service Status interactive map.

DEM anticipates continuing to amend areas in Lahaina impacted by the August 2023 wildfires in coming weeks and months. For questions regarding sewer status, please call the Wastewater Reclamation Division at 808-270-7417.

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

After the deadline, the SBA will accept late applications if delays were caused by circumstances beyond the applicant’s control.

So far, $412.86 million in SBA disaster loans have been approved for affected Maui homeowners, renters and businesses.

The agency has four offices in Maui County for businesses and individuals impacted by the August 2023 wildfires, including high winds. Services are free, and no appointment is necessary.

A link to recovery centers in Lahaina, Wailuku, Kahului and Kīhei can be found by clicking here. Office hours vary.

SBA applicants can apply online and receive additional disaster information by clicking here. Or, they can call the agency’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.

The SBA is hosting seminars every Tuesday on disaster funds availability. These are on Zoom from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Hawaiʻi time.  for more information on SBA disaster assistance. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81128570989; Meeting ID: 811 2857 0989

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.

Representatives of Maui County contractor 4LEAF will be on hand to help residents with the rebuilding process or permits. Resources also will be available for financial services, insurance, employment, or for those feeling anxious, depressed or overwhelmed.

Free food provided by the Cattle Company of Mahi Pono will be available as well. Attendees also can take part in door prizes and free plant and clothing giveaways.

For more information, send email to info@mauichurch.org.

Starting Wednesday, Oct. 30, the County of Maui’s Disaster Recovery Community Update Meetings will be held at a new location in the cafeteria at Lahaina Intermediate School. The school is located at 871 Lahainaluna Road; the cafeteria is makai of the main parking lot.

The prior location, Lahaina Civic Center, is not available for the next several months due to planned renovations, election activities and prior permitted events.

The next Community Update Meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 30 and will include the following topics:·  

• A status report from the County of Maui Department of Environmental Management on the temporary debris disposal site.
• Updates from FEMA representatives on the agency’s available programs.
• A presentation by the Small Business Administration on programs available and approaching application deadlines. 
• Information from Hawaiʻi Community Lending on how homeowners can apply to receive a lot survey at no cost.

The meeting will be live streamed on the County of Maui’s Facebook page; no account is needed to view. A live broadcast of the meeting will also be shown on Akakū: Maui Community Media, Channel 53.

Impacted residents and homeowners are encouraged to sign up for email and text notifications at www.mauirecovers.org/sign-up. For more information on recovery events, visit https://www.mauirecovers.org/events

The Lahaina Homeowner Recovery Program announced that it will offer no-cost lot surveys for Lahaina homeowners who lived in their home before the Aug. 8, 2023, Maui wildfires. Funding for the lot surveys was provided through a $3-million grant to Hawaiʻi Community Lending from the Maui Strong Fund of the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation. 

According to Hawaiʻi Community Lending, the organization responsible for administering the program, 781 homeowners were living in their homes before the fire. Nearly all of them will need a survey to set the property lines to rebuild or sell. 

“There are so many upfront costs our Lahaina homeowners need just to start construction,” said Maria Linz, Hawaiʻi Community Lending program manager and Lahaina resident. “At the least, they will need surveys, plans and permits, which can cost each family tens of thousands of dollars. Many homeowners were underinsured and do not have enough funds to rebuild, let alone afford the upfront costs needed to get out of the gate.” 

Hawaiʻi Community Lending was recently introduced to a family who paid $5,600 for a survey; yet the lot was not ready. Because pins were pulled to complete property work that was still scheduled, the family must now get a new survey. Fortunately, thanks to the support available from Hawaiʻi Community Foundation and the Lahaina Homeowner Recovery Program, they will not have to pay for it. With this new funding in place, Lahaina homeowners will save an estimated $4.5 million in lot survey costs. 

“Our goal is to make sure all eligible homeowners are able to access this resource without having to worry about the cost,” Linz said. “We encourage all Lahaina homeowners who were living in their homes before the fire to enroll in the Lahaina Homeowner Recovery Program, and encourage your neighbors to enroll as well.” 

Here’s how to get your free lot survey:

1. Enroll in the Lahaina Homeowner Recovery Program at https://hawaiicommunitylending.com/mauirelief/
2. Encourage neighbors to enroll in the Lahaina Homeowner Recovery Program. At least nine other neighbors must apply before the survey can take place.

In order to keep costs down and complete the surveys efficiently, Hawaiʻi Community Lending will contract with land surveyors to undertake a comprehensive survey of 8-10 semi-contiguous properties at a time. Once you apply, you will be placed on a waitlist until enough homeowners surrounding your property also enroll. 

As added incentive, for every homeowner who lists you as their referral, you will receive $100 in Foodland or Safeway gift cards (while supplies last). You must be enrolled in the Lahaina Homeowner Recovery Program to qualify for the gift cards. 

“This is great news for Lahaina homeowners, and we mahalo the Maui Strong Fund of the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation for recognizing this pressing need,” said Hawaiʻi Community Lending Executive Director Jeff Gilbreath. “It is essential that homeowners go through the rebuilding process in the right order, or they could lose thousands of dollars, time and energy. The most impactful step homeowners need to take right now is to do a comprehensive lot survey, and this program covers that need.” 

Three new Maui Strong Fund opportunities are available as grants for programs that address solutions for interim- and long-term housing and mental health assistance, the Hawai‘i Community Foundation announced.

The funding opportunities come on the heels of the first report from the “Maui Recovery Survey” which was produced in in partnership with the foundation, the Economic Research Organization at the University of Hawaiʻi and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement.

The findings included:

• Households impacted by the fire are paying on average 43% more rent for the same or fewer bedrooms, compared with before the wildfires. 
• At least 14% of surveyed households live in crowded conditions.
• The proportion of fire-affected households living with family/friends or unhoused has nearly doubled since the wildfires.
• 80% of West Maui residents surveyed have been displaced from their homes, and almost half have had to leave West Maui.
• Displacement has not only affected residents of West Maui and Kula. More than a third of those who worked or owned businesses in West Maui or Kula, but lived elsewhere, were displaced from their homes following the disaster.

Additionally, a recent study by the Hawai‘i State Rural Health Association, “Maui Together Wildfire Assessment 2024,” provides insight into the mental health crisis, with feedback provided by 1,105 fire-impacted individuals. Those study results showed:

• Almost 60% have moved at least three times since the fires, and 33% have moved four or more times.
• Nearly 58% of these respondents say the uncertainty of the future is the hardest thing to face since the fires, followed by housing (40%), the difficulty of navigating the system (30%), and the emotional and mental impacts of the losses they have faced (32%).
• About 64% of fire survivors note a deterioration of their mental health over the past year, with a general concern about there not being enough providers.

“Fire-affected individuals and families deserve to have safe and stable homes that are affordable and located in their communities,” said Keanu Lau Hee, the foundation’s senior director of the Maui Recovery Effort. “To cultivate more solutions to meet the housing needs of our Maui ‘ohana and to support the mental health and wellness of the community as they continue to recover, we are opening three new grant funding opportunities from the Maui Strong Fund.” 

A grant opportunity targeting Interim and Long-Term Housing is available and open to applications from organizations offering disaster housing solutions to meet the needs of wildfire survivors. The foundation will consider applicants who can address needs relating to transitional housing and other priority areas identified by recent data from the UHERO Maui Recovery Survey. The Interim & Long-Term Housing opportunity will be available through Nov. 5, 2024.

A grant opportunity targeting Mental Health – Community Wellness and Wellbeing is available and open to organizations and programs providing mental health resources to Maui wildfire survivors. Many individuals have been emotionally and mentally impacted by the fires and the ongoing recovery. The foundation will consider community-based options that provide activities for children and community engagement for adults and families to support wellness and well-being. The deadline to apply for the Mental Health – Community Wellness & Wellbeing opportunity is Nov. 8, 2024.

The foundation is also seeking applicants through a request for proposal for the Mental Health Crisis Center Program funding opportunity. The program focuses on the development of a mental health hub that will match fire-affected households and individuals with mental health providers. The program aims to increase access and opportunities for mental health care for fire survivors. The deadline to apply for the Mental Health Crisis Center Program opportunity is Nov. 8, 2024.

The Maui Strong Fund continues to accept grant applications on a rolling basis for funding requests up to $100,000. Grant proposals should address critical needs in the recovery effort. The foundation provides responsive grant-making through the Maui Strong Fund and is committed to funding strategies that consider the long-term recovery of Maui’s fire-affected residents.

For more information about the new and current grant opportunities and the request for proposals, visit the foundation website at https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/strengthening/maui-strong-fund/apply-for-a-grant.

With residential debris removal 100% complete, opening of residential areas off Lahainaluna Road is set for Friday, Oct. 4, at 6 a.m. This is Phase 4 of the Maui Emergency Management Agency zone reopening plan and marks one of the final large residential zones to be reopened.

The opening includes zones 8C, 9C, 9D, 9E, 9F, 9G, 9H, 9I, 9J, 9M, 10D, 10E and 10F, according to MEMA. Opening the zones will allow clear access for residents. As these zones reopen, security checkpoints will be reallocated to other areas in the Lahaina Impact Zone. “Local Traffic Only” signs will be installed.

Out of an abundance of caution, while structural evaluations are ongoing, a 150-foot fall zone has been established in all directions surrounding the Pioneer Mill Smokestack (circled in yellow on the attached map). As a result, portions of Lahainaluna Road and Mill Street will be barricaded, restricting access through those points. A security checkpoint will be relocated to Lahainaluna and Kuhua streets to monitor the fall zone and assist with opening the barricades if evacuation is necessary.

For information about zones 8C, 9C, 9D, 9E, 9F, 9G, 9H, 9I, 9J, 9M, 10D, 10E and 10F, visit https://www.mauirecovers.org/reentry.

The County of Maui Department of Planning launched an expedited Special Management Area exemption process for parcels in the Lahaina Disaster Area. 

Supported by 4Leaf Inc., which was contracted by the County to help expedite permits in the wake of the 2023 Maui wildfires, the new SMA exemption application portal can be found by typing “SMXF” in the following link: https://tinyurl.com/va744buu.

The link went live Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, and the Planning Department has 20 exemptions in the pipeline. 

“This new tool will help property owners cut the time it takes to go through the typical SMA exemption process as we collectively work together to return residents to their homes in Lahaina,” County Planning Director Kate Blystone said in a news release update. “Mahalo to our department’s environmental team, along with our partners at 4Leaf, for launching and refining this expedited option for owners impacted by the 2023 Lahaina wildfire.”

The expedited SMA exemption application is only for residential properties that are proposing the construction of a single-family home, including one ‘ohana unit (also referred to as an Accessory Dwelling Unit or ADU).

Additional parameters include the following:

• Parcel must be located within the Lahaina Disaster Area
• Maximum cumulative square footage of 7,500 square feet for all structures being proposed 
• Parcel must be located entirely outside of the erosion hard line (shoreline setback line)
• Parcel must be located entirely outside of County Historic Districts 1 and 2
• Parcel must be located entirely within Flood Zone X or XS.
• If a parcel is located within the National Historic Landmark District (NHLD), it must conform to the design standards of the NHLD and each structure is limited to 3,500 feet.

To find out whether a parcel is located within the SMA, county historic districts, NHLD, and flood zones, visit the County’s Land Use Viewer at this link, https://tinyurl.com/2t4rbe99.

For general Planning Department information, visit www.mauicounty.gov/planning.

Residents are encouraged to attend the County of Maui’s Weekly Disaster Recovery Community Update Meeting at 5:30 tonight, Wednesday, Sept. 25, in the Lahaina Civic Center gymnasium.

The meeting will include a status report on debris clearing by the US Army Corps of Engineers, a Hawaiʻi Department of Education update on Kamehameha III Elementary School, and an Environmental Protection Agency update on Wahikuli cesspool inspections and information on the agency’s new sewer line design project. 

The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA) will have a presentation on services available at the County Office of Recovery – West Maui at Lahaina Gateway Center and information on free architectural plans and guidance on navigating the rebuilding process.

The meeting will be livestreamed on the County of Maui’s Facebook page; no account is needed to view. Akakū: Maui Community Media will show a live broadcast of the meeting on Channel 53.

Impacted residents and homeowners are encouraged to sign up for email and text notifications at https://www.mauirecovers.org/sign-up.