Recent funding allocated to help Lahaina families rebuild

Through its Maui Strong Fund, the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation has awarded $7.5 million to the Partnership to Rebuild Lahaina to aid local families rebuilding their homes that were lost in the August 2023 wildfires, the nonprofit announced Monday. The County of Maui is matching $7.5 million in recoverable grants toward the initiative, bringing the combined total to $15 million.

Funds will support 77 median income homeowners in starting or completing reconstruction of their homes over the next year. The new phase of support focuses on those earning more than 80% of Maui County’s area median income, or approximately $90,640 for a family of four – which is “too much to receive federal aid, but not enough to rebuild on their own,” HCF said.

“This effort is about empowering local families with the resources they need to rebuild and return home,” said Keanu Lau Hee, HCF senior director for the Maui Recovery Effort, in a statement. “Through the Maui Strong Fund, we are honored to stand alongside our partners and help bridge critical funding gaps — especially for those who may not qualify for other recovery programs. Every family deserves the opportunity to restore what was lost and reclaim a sense of stability and hope.”

Hawai‘i Community Lending, a nonprofit mortgage lender and member of the coalition Partnership to Rebuild Lahaina, will administer the program. HCL will work directly with families “to determine eligibility, originate affordable loans and connect them with additional financing from local banks,” according to the announcement.

“HCL is honored to partner with Hawaiʻi Community Foundation and the County of Maui to get resources to our Lahaina families so they can get back on the land and back home,” said HCL Executive Director Jeff Gilbreath in a statement. “We look forward to the work ahead and we welcome Lahaina homeowners to come, meet our team and get your families access to these resources to help you rebuild.”

For nearly two years since the fires, HCL’s Lahaina Homeowner Recovery Program and Kānaka Anti-Displacement Fund has provided grants and loans to more than 500 owner-occupant Lahaina homeowners.

To enroll in the Lahaina Homeowner Recovery Program, visit hawaiicommunitylending.com/mauirelief or call 808-587-7656.

The Partnership to Rebuild Lahaina is a public-private coalition started this year “to restore housing and strengthen the community’s recovery,” with both short-term relief and long-term rebuilding efforts. In addition to HCL, it is comprised of Ho‘ōla iā Mauiakama Long Term Recovery Group, Mennonite Disaster Service, Lahaina Community Land Trust, U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency and Habitat for Humanity Maui.

In June, HCF granted Hoʻōla LTRG $760,528 to launch a new Volunteer Rebuild Housing Program for Maui fire survivors, which includes startup costs for home building coordination and volunteer housing with construction expected to begin in October.

“This grant from the Hawai‘i Community Foundation is more than a contribution — it’s a catalyst,” said Rhonda Alexander-Monkres, executive director of Hoʻōla iā LTRG, at the time. “We’re building homes, partnerships and pathways to healing. With HCF’s support, our community can move forward with grace and gratitude. It’s a testament to the power of unity and the unwavering hope we share for Maui’s future.”

As of July 25, the Maui Strong Fund has received more than $210 million in donations, including interest earned, and dispersed more than $141 million to over 250 local organizations addressing housing, health care, mental health, education, economic recovery and cultural resilience.

Micah Kāne is the outgoing CEO and president of Hawai‘i Community Foundation, with Terry George tapped to lead the organization come Aug. 1. HCF's mission is “to create an equitable and vibrant Hawai‘i in which all our Island communities thrive.”

For more resources for individuals and households affected by the 2023 Maui wildfires, visit strongerhawaii.org.

To learn more about HCF’s Maui Strong Fund, or to donate, click here.

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Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros can be reached at kelsey@alohastatedaily.com.