Maui Fire Homebuyer Program Reaches 100 Shopping Letters Issued
Maui County’s Ho’okumu Hou First-Time Homebuyer Opportunity Program has issued 100 shopping letters to wildfire-displaced households, offering up to $600,000 each to help survivors purchase homes. Funded by HUD’s CDBG-DR program, the initiative has distributed over $24.6 million and completed 43 home purchases to date. The county program provides eligible wildfire-displaced households up to $600,000 […]
Maui Wildfire Homebuyer Program Reaches 100 Families Approved for Aid
Multiple outlets reported that Maui County’s Hoʻokumu Hou First-Time Homebuyer Opportunity Program reached a milestone this week, with its 100th family receiving approval for up to $600,000 toward purchasing a home. The program, described as the only one of its kind in the United States, was created to help survivors of the 2023 Lahaina wildfires […]
UH Mānoa Students Visit Maui to Study Lahaina Rebuild Efforts Firsthand
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa students in architecture, engineering, and urban planning completed a two-day field study on Maui in September to observe Lahaina’s wildfire recovery and rebuilding process. They met with county officials, construction firms, AIA Maui, and community organizations involved in the rebuild. Students visited key recovery stakeholders including the Maui County Department […]
UH Study Links Elevated Metal Levels in Maui Fire Survivors to Lung Issues
A University of Hawaiʻi study of 1,400 Maui adults found urinary metal concentrations well above U.S. reference values 6–18 months after the 2023 wildfires, with higher combined metal burdens associated with abnormal lung-function results. Researchers note the findings show statistical associations but do not prove the fires directly caused the elevated levels or lung abnormalities. […]
UH Study Finds Toxic Metals Persisting in Maui Residents Three Years After Fire
Multiple outlets report on new research showing lasting health impacts from the 2023 Lahaina wildfire, with elevated toxic metal levels found in Maui residents months after the disaster. The findings come from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Maui Wildfire Exposure Study (MauiWES) and add to earlier research on reduced lung function across the island’s […]
USPS Open to Curbside Mail Delivery in Rebuilt Lahaina, No Final Decisions Yet
The US Postal Service says it will consider restoring curbside mail delivery to rebuilt Lahaina homes if safety and mailbox conditions are met. No commitment has been made to restore delivery to every pre-fire address, and a decision on the downtown post office closure is still pending. USPS will consider curbside delivery to rebuilt Lahaina […]
HECO Launches Drone Inspections of Power Lines in Wildfire-Risk Zones
Hawaiian Electric has begun using drones to inspect electrical infrastructure in wildfire-prone areas across Maui County, Oahu, and Hawaii Island through December 2026. The inspections are designed to identify equipment issues that could spark wildfires. HECO is using contracted drones to inspect power poles and lines in identified wildfire risk areas on Maui County, Oahu, […]
Hawaiian Electric Seeks PUC Approval for 20MW Maui Solar-Plus-Storage Project
Hawaiian Electric has applied to the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission for a 20-year power purchase agreement with Pulehu Solar, which would add 20 megawatts of solar and 80 megawatt-hours of battery storage to Maui’s grid. The project, sited on Haleakala Ranch land, would generate enough clean energy to power roughly 10,000 Maui households. Hawaiian Electric […]
US Steel Tariffs Add $314K to West Maui’s Olowalu Fire Station Project
Multiple outlets report that the West Maui Improvement Foundation’s planned Olowalu fire station has grown significantly more expensive due to unexpected US tariffs on Canadian steel. The nonprofit, which has been developing the modular facility since 2022 to donate to Maui County, now faces an amended project total of $2,447,651. The cost increase comes as […]
Maui Wildfire Homebuyer Program Hits 100 Shopping Letters Issued
The County of Maui’s Ho’okumu Hou First-Time Homebuyer Opportunity Program has issued 100 home-shopping letters to fire-displaced households, offering up to $600,000 per family to help purchase a home. To date, 43 purchases have been completed and over $24.6 million awarded. 18 fire-displaced households received home-shopping letters today, bringing the program’s total to 100 approved […]