Multiple outlets including Maui Now, Maui News, Hawaii Public Radio, and Hawaii Free Press reported on a new University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization (UHERO) study released August 12, 2026, marking three years since the Lahaina wildfires. The report finds meaningful progress in housing stability for fire-affected families, but employment, incomes, and available assistance have not kept pace. Displacement remains widespread, particularly in West Maui.
- About two-thirds of fire-affected households now live in permanent housing, up from just over half in early 2025.
- Homeownership among affected households has ticked up from 38% to 42%.
- Households still in temporary housing are moving far less frequently — the share at the same address for more than a year has tripled to nearly two-thirds. (Maui Now)
- Among West Maui households displaced from both their home and the area as of early 2025, only about 7% had returned to their original homes a year later. (Maui News)
- Just over 40% of fire-affected people work full-time — unchanged from a year ago and well below the pre-fire rate of roughly 60%.
- Rental costs have eased for studios and one-bedrooms, returning to near pre-fire levels, but larger units remain significantly more expensive.
- Median rent for unassisted renters in two-bedroom units remained above $2,300 — more than 45% higher than the pre-fire median of $1,600. (Maui News)
- Median rent for three-plus-bedroom units ranged from $2,500–$2,700, compared to $1,400 before the fires. (Maui News)
- The share of households receiving full rental assistance (paying under $100/month) dropped from 37% in January 2025 to 15% by May 2026, and about half of fire-affected people received no assistance at all in April–May 2026. (Maui Now)
- UHERO cautioned its displacement figures likely understate the problem, as the survey relies on Maui-based networks and may miss those who have left Hawaiʻi entirely. (Maui News)
- Hoʻōla iā Mauiakama Disaster Long Term Recovery Group, Mennonite Disaster Service, and Lahaina Community Land Trust are among organizations rebuilding homes for qualifying survivors at little to no cost, with more rebuilds planned for 2026 and 2027. (Hawaii Public Radio)
Sources
- Hawaii Free Press: Lahaina: Three Years Later, Return Slows to a Trickle
- Hawaii Public Radio: Maui housing looking up but employment still suffers post-fire, says UHERO report
- Hawaii Public Radio: Lahaina voices: ‘The feeling that I have is indescribable. It’s magic.’
- Maui Now: More Maui fire survivors are in stable housing, but now face pressure of declining aid, report says
- Maui News: UHERO: Housing recovery advances while jobs, incomes lag three years after wildfires
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