The Federal Emergency Management Agency on Thursday, at the request of the state, approved a one-year extension of the Individuals and Households Program for survivors of the Aug. 8, 2023, Maui wildfires.

Originally set to end on Feb. 10, 2025, the program — which includes financial assistance and direct temporary housing assistance — has been extended until Feb 10, 2026.

“FEMA’s extension means survivors will continue to have homes for their families for the foreseeable future,” U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, said in a statement. “But let’s be clear about what’s needed — building temporary housing so that survivors have stable roofs over their heads as they recover.”

The extension was granted under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, which enables FEMA to extend aid in response to extraordinary circumstances.

According to FEMA’s statement, 2023’s wildfires caused unprecedented damage in Lahaina, severely affecting households, businesses and infrastructure across Maui County.

FEMA continues to work closely with the state, local authorities and volunteers to assist survivors in transitioning from temporary housing to permanent solutions. Personalized assistance is being provided through disaster case managers.

As part of the ongoing assistance, FEMA in September 2023 approved direct lease as a form of direct temporary housing assistance.

Currently, 1,194 households reside in FEMA- provided units.

During the extended period, survivors in temporary housing are expected to work toward securing permanent housing and may be required to start paying rent, depending on their financial capacity.

Rent will be based on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Fair Market Rents calculations. FEMA will notify occupants in advance about rent requirements.

Households with incomes at or below HUD’s very low-income limit will qualify for reduced rent of $50 per month without needing to submit additional documentation of pre- or post- disaster housing costs. Households with incomes above this limit will need to provide post-disaster housing cost documentation for FEMA to determine their rent based on their financial ability.

FEMA is also conducting outreach to help occupants of temporary housing units with the required documentation, aiming to reduce the need for appeals regarding rent amounts.

For more information on temporary housing, affected residents can call the Individual Assistance Housing Hotline at 808-784-1600 or reach the disaster case management program by contacting 211.

Residents can call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 or get in-person assistance at Lahaina Gateway or the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement office in Kahului.