As the third anniversary of the August 8, 2023 Maui wildfires approaches, multiple sources are reporting on the state of recovery efforts across housing, permitting, and community support. A nonprofit rent-to-own housing program is preparing to place fire survivor families in homes by month’s end, while the governor’s office is highlighting broader rebuild progress including debris clearance and building permits issued across Maui.
- Hawaiian Community Assets’ Ua Hale Aʻela program will make 17 rent-with-option-to-purchase homes available to Maui wildfire survivors, with the first four Wailuku homes ready for occupancy beginning Aug. 28, 2026.
- The program is funded by a $6.34 million grant from the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund, with additional operational support from House Maui.
- Ua Hale Aʻela is the first rent-to-own program of its kind in Hawaii; participants can purchase the home they are renting within two years or less.
- Four HCA clients have already purchased homes through the program on Hawaiʻi Island, and the program also has units available on Kauaʻi. (Maui Now)
- Keeping fire survivors from relocating off-island is central to the program’s mission, according to Maui program manager Kawehi Kaaa. (Hawaii News Now)
- The state reports 100% of wildfire debris has been cleared, 667 building permits issued, and 577 houses completed across Maui as of early August 2026. (Governor of Hawaii)
- Lahaina redevelopment plans emphasize walkability, cultural character, public spaces, and support for local businesses, shaped by community input. (Governor of Hawaii)
- A surf therapy event called Surf for the Soul, organized by Kids Hurt Too, The Andy Irons Foundation, and Billabong, was held in Lahaina to help keiki process grief and trauma from the wildfires. (KITV)
Sources
- Maui Now: Hawaiian Community Assets announces first Maui Strong homes ready for wildfire survivor families beginning Aug. 28
- Governor of Hawaii: Maui’s Road to Recovery Three Years Later
- Hawaii News Now: New program gives Maui fire survivors path to home ownership
- KITV: Lahaina surf event helps keiki rise through the ashes–one wave at a time
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