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"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