Some 3,000 wildfire survivors have been moved from shelters into hotels, timeshares and Airbnb units, allowing for the closure of the last American Red Cross shelter on Maui — a critical milestone in the state’s Maui wildfire response.
The American Red Cross, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency began relocating those who were displaced into more suitable mid- to longer-term housing eight days after the wildfires. The South Maui Community Park Gymnasium in Kihei, the last American Red Cross emergency shelter in operation, closed Tuesday.
More than a dozen hotels and timeshares are now housing more than 4,400 displaced people, including former shelter guests as well as hotel employees. Another 900 people have been booked into Airbnb units. Displaced residents, who have come from Lahaina, Kula and other fire-ravaged areas of Maui, will continue to receive meals, casework services, financial recovery resources and other disaster relief assistance at these accommodations.
Gov. Josh Green said in a statement: “We want to thank our partners at the American Red Cross, FEMA, the hotel industry and Airbnb, for stepping up during this unprecedented tragedy. Only together can we rise up, recover and bring healing to the Lahaina community.
“I would also like to express my gratitude to the West Maui properties who are housing hundreds of their team members and their families. These hotels and timeshares have generously opened up their properties without hesitation. I especially want to thank the Royal Lahaina Resort for being the first hotel to step up to the plate and offer housing for those displaced from the wildfires.”
The state has extended a contract to the American Red Cross to operate the housing program and provide wraparound social services for survivors. Funding for the contract is coming from FEMA’s noncongregate sheltering program.
Officials said quickly housing residents who cannot return to their homes in visitor industry lodging in their own community will give Maui County time to develop longer-term housing options while helping to preserve continuity in survivors’ lives.
Federal Disaster Response Coordinator Bob Fenton said in a statement, “The first 30 days of a disaster can be especially difficult for survivors as they navigate their insurance coverage and eligibility for various programs. As the residents of Maui take their first steps towards recovery, FEMA ensures displaced survivors have access to comfortable and private accommodations, regardless of their eligibility for FEMA assistance.”
Survivors who have registered for FEMA assistance will undergo eligibility reviews in mid-September. Those whose homes are uninhabitable may remain in a hotel until they find a more suitable housing either on their own or through the assistance of a counselor.
As of Thursday, the state said, 6,872 people had applied for FEMA’s individuals and households program, which has disbursed over $12.4 million. FEMA also has disbursed 1,429 housing assistance payments totalling $6.2 million. FEMA has distributed 3, 786 payments, some $6.1 million, for other needs and assistance.
The Small Business Administration had approved as of Thursday 35 residential loans totaling more than $3.9 million, and approved another seven business and economic disaster injury loans totaling $586,500.
Green and the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp. also have set up the Hawaii Fire Relief Housing Program, which aims to connect displaced Maui residents with homeowners in Hawaii and out of state who have offered unoccupied rooms, units or houses on a temporary basis. Some 1,074 properties, of which 619 have been verified, are part of the program. So far, 1,138 households, comprising 3,113 people, have registered. As of Thursday, 101 families had been placed.
Since Maui’s supply of hotel rooms has been sufficient to accommodate displaced residents, Honolulu on Thursday ended its temporary suspension of the short-term vacation rental 30-day minimum rental period requirement. The policy change had been implemented Aug. 11 to help provide emergency housing for Maui residents.
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said in a statement, “While we remain ready to do anything and everything we can to support our suffering neighbors on Maui, in light of ample hotel space on Oahu, we are resuming in full force our efforts to terminate illegal short-term vacation rentals.
Blangiardi added, however, that Maui residents still need longer-term support.
“I encourage those of you who can help to consider joining the state’s program by converting short-term vacation rentals into long-term housing options for our Maui neighbors in need,” he said.
