Direct Lease News Today

"Community groups, including Lahaina Strong — which includes many Lahaina fire survivors — have been outspoken in demanding action to convert vacation rentals into local housing to address affordability and availability issues," writes Opinion Editor Don Miller.

Since the Aug. 8, 2023 wildfires, nearly 2,000 individuals are still being housed in hotels on Maui. The Federal Emergency Management Agency reports that currently, 1,969 survivors are sheltered in nine hotels and other sites. The agency provided an update on housing, spending and resources as wildfire recovery nears the nine month mark.

A group rallying to help secondary victims of the August fires is asking Gov. Josh Green to extend protections for tenants facing evictions from landlords seeking more lucrative rental income tied to subsidized housing for wildfire survivors.

While the Federal Emergency Management Agency continues to lease Maui rental units to Maui wildfire survivors who lost their homes, the FEMA Direct Lease program is turning away property owners who illegally force tenants out so landlords can gain higher rents from the FEMA program.

Overseeing Lahaina recovery operations is Bob Fenton, the Regional Administrator for FEMA tabbed by President Biden as Chief Federal Response Coordinator less than two weeks after the fires. He provides

The collective effort, called the “Maui Interim Housing Plan” commits to securing a pool of 3,000 housing units with 18-month commitments to provide a stable place for households displaced by the Maui fires, currently residing in short-term hotels.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration have approved over $330.8 million in federal relief aid for 6,925 households since the Aug. 8 wildfires on Maui, FEMA announced Friday in a news release.

FEMA said they were able to find alternate housing for those who were slated to move into the manufactured homes.

The session, planned for 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 21, will be held at The Westin Maui Resort and Spa, Kāʻanapali Honokahua and Honokeana Room, 2365 Kāʻanapali Parkway on Maui. Registration for the event, which will also be broadcast via Zoom, must be completed by Dec. 20.

KAANAPALI — The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is holding an Industry Day event today in Kaanapali for owners of short-term rental properties that