Maui County encouraging thousands of fire survivors to move out of hotels, live with host families
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - It’s been more than two months since fires tore through Lahaina Town, and nearly 7,000 Lahaina fire survivors remain in dozens of hotels.
Officials are asking them to consider transitioning to longer-term housing.
Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen says the number of displaced Lahaina residents staying in hotels has dropped over the past month.
And is encouraging more to take advantage of the program’s out there to stay with “host families.”
But some fire survivors feel they are being pushed out.
It’s been nearly three months since fires tore through Lahaina and Upcountry Maui, displacing thousands of residents.
Bissen said as of last Tuesday, there are still around 7,000 fire survivors staying in 36 hotels on the Valley Isle, that’s down roughly 20 percent from a month ago.
“We want to encourage people to go out of the hotels and into staying with families,” said Bissen.
The mayor hopes more will take advantage of the Council For Native Hawaiian Advancement’s Host Families program that the county is partnering with.
“It can happen in any of the four counties. So, if you are a family that will take an impacted family, we will pay you $375 per person. Up to four people and up to $1500; we will pay that directly to the host families.”
“The ideal thing about this is its already existing inventory. We are not having to build some place for folks to go to.”
But there are concerns and frustrations.
“It doesn’t feel like we are getting pushed out; we are getting pushed out,” said Shannon Ii, who lost her home in the Lahaina fires. “Like that’s where we are at. There is a constant: we need to get out because we don’t want the tourists to see you here and see the reality of what’s going on in Lahaina.”
Mayor Bissen says there is a FEMA rental assistance program fire survivors can also take advantage of.
He says the county is also working with the state on an Airbnb program that displaced residents can stay long-term.
“Together with the state and our federal partners, we are offering options to our folks that are obviously going through a lot of anxiety and a lot of uncertainty dealing with their housing.”
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