The Hawaii Community Foundation awarded a
$40 million grant through the Maui Strong Fund on Thursday to nonprofit HomeAid Hawaii to support the Ka La‘i Ola interim housing development project.
The project will span
54 acres at Leiali‘i in West Maui and will create 450 units, including studios and one-, two- and three-bedroom homes to house survivors of the August wildfires for up to five years.
The Ka La‘i Ola project also will include property management and community services like child care, health care, financial planning and trauma-informed support services.
“Dignified housing is the foundation for people and communities to heal, recover and thrive following a natural disaster,” HomeAid Hawaii Executive Director Kimo Carvalho said in an HCF news release. “Public and private funding sources not only allow us the opportunity to develop housing solutions in response to community requests to stay in West Maui; it allows us to design intentional spaces that are inclusive, foster connection and create healing spaces that will aid in their recovery.”
The grant completes HCF’s total $50 million commitment to the Maui Interim Housing Plan, a collaboration between government and nonprofit partners —
including the state, Maui County, the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the American Red Cross and HCF —
to commit a collective
$500 million to create over 3,000 stable housing units with 18-month arrangements.
In January, HCF committed $10 million to CNHA to build 68 accessory dwelling units for survivors.
“This contribution from the Maui Strong Fund donors is not just a donation, it’s a statement of the aloha and commitment to our people in their time of need,” Gov. Josh Green said in the news release.
HCF’s Maui Strong Fund was established the morning after the wildfires to support both immediate and long-term recovery of survivors. Since its inception the fund has received $190 million in donations, including interest earned, and has committed over $90 million to grantees.
The groundbreaking date for the Ka La‘i Ola project has not been announced yet.
