Question: Is it too late to get DUA?
Answer: No. The deadline to file an initial claim for Disaster Unemployment Assistance has been extended to Oct. 26, about a month beyond the original date, according to the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Maui residents affected by the wildfires who don’t qualify for regular unemployment insurance may be eligible for DUA, which pays a maximum of $763 a week for up to 26 weeks.
“DUA is available for eligible unemployed workers, self-employed individuals, farmers, and fishers engaged in business at the time of the disaster. Eligibility for DUA benefits will be determined on a week-to-week basis for each week a claim certification is filed,” the DLIR said in a news release.
For more information and instructions on filing, go to https://labor.hawaii.gov/blog/mauiwildfires/.
Q: Would letting someone camp in the backyard qualify for the new fire housing assistance?
A: No. The Host Housing Support Program, which will pay people to share their homes with Maui residents displaced by the wildfires, requires that “survivor families (or individuals) must be living in the Host family’s permanent housing accommodations to qualify for this program. Tents and temporary shelter living are not eligible,” according to the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement’s website, https://www.hawaiiancouncil.org/.
The website, where hosts can apply online, also says guests must have access to safe sleeping areas, bathrooms, and kitchens, and that site |visits may be required to confirm eligibility.
During the first phase of what’s described as a pilot program, qualifying hosts can receive $375 per guest each month, up to a maximum of $1,500 per month for six months.
The program, which is not limited to native Hawaiians, is being funded by CNHA, the Red Cross and the Hawaii Community Foundation, all of which have raised millions of donor dollars for Maui wildfire relief.
Q: My mother’s driver’s license is going to expire. She is bed-bound and will not drive again. How can she apply for a state ID if she cannot go in person?
A: There’s a special process for incapacitated people who need a state ID, although be forewarned that it doesn’t result in the issuance of a federally compliant “gold star” ID; applicants receive a noncompliant state ID instead, according to the city. The city’s website spells out what you’ll need to do to help your mom obtain this form of identification. See https://808ne.ws/incapid for detailed instructions.
Q: Regarding the petition to delay tourism in West Maui, must one live on Maui to sign that?
A: No. The online petition posted on the Action Network, which describes itself as “an open platform that empowers individuals and groups to organize for progressive causes,” asks for the signer’s name, email address, zip code or location outside the U.S. The petition demands that Sunday’s planned reopening of tourism to West Maui be delayed to an unspecified date. “The decision to reopen must not proceed without proper consultation with the working-class families of Lahaina, who have been displaced by the fires,” it says. The petition is sponsored by Lahaina Strong, a community group that dates back to at least August 2018, when a wind-whipped wildfire burned about 20 homes, five years before the inferno that destroyed much of the town. Lahaina Strong’s Instagram (officiallahainastrong) says the group aims to “Keep Lahaina lands in local hands. Empower the people, restore the water, defend the land.”
Mahalo
On Aug. 12, my caregiver and I went to Kahala Longs. When it was time to pay for our purchases, Darin, who was the customer before us, motioned the cashier to pass our items through. To our astonishment, he paid for all of our purchases! The cashier told us Darin does these kind acts frequently. We want to thank this young man from the bottom of our hearts! His kindness is remarkable. — Two very thankful people
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
