LAHAINA >> More than a year after the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfire displaced about a third of state Department of Education employees in West Maui, housing insecurity and financial challenges continue to threaten the department’s ability to retain and attract qualified educators.

Gov. Josh Green and DOE Superintendent Keith Hayashi on Friday announced two new teacher resiliency programs, including a $20 million workforce housing program and an initiative that rewards DOE employees in West Maui who played a critical role in keeping Lahaina schools open following the deadly disaster.

Green said a 47-unit rental housing complex will be built by Maui-based Dowling Co. using the state’s Major Disaster Fund and state capital improvement program funds.

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According to the governor, displaced educators and new recruits will get priority for the below-market- priced rental housing, which is going up behind Lahaina­luna High, Princess Nahi‘e­na‘ena Elementary and Lahaina Intermediate schools. Green said some units will be available in July, with full completion by spring 2026.

The other initiative announced Friday is the HERO (Honoring Employees’ Resilience and Optimism) awards, providing selected DOE employees cash awards of $2,500 and $1,000, based on employment status.

Green said he is inspired by the strength of West Maui teachers, many of whom were displaced by the fire but still have played a critical role in Lahaina’s recovery.

“A lot of these teachers lost their homes and some lost loved ones, so the housing combined with the HERO awards today is meant to focus on those who have stuck with us during this very difficult time,” Green said.

He added that the new affordable rentals at the West Maui schools adds to the 450 temporary housing units the state is building and efforts by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which held a blessing ceremony Friday when the first fire-affected residents moved into the Kilohana Temporary Group Housing Site comprising 167 modular housing units on four acres of state land in Lahaina at Fleming Road and Malo Street.

These latest programs recognize that getting homeowners back to their properties is a huge milestone for Lahaina’s post-fire recovery, but it’s actually a small part of the housing equation since about 3,900 households, or nearly 90% of the 4,500 households displaced by the wildfire, were renters.

Since the fire, many renters have struggled with issues beyond their control, including lack of available rentals and rising rents as demand has tightened and FEMA premiums have skewed rental rates higher.

Hayashi told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser Friday that one out of every three West Maui educators was displaced from housing by the fire.

“We’ve had folks leave West Maui. The fire exacerbated an already hard situation and has made it more difficult to retain and attract staff,” he said, adding that keeping West Maui teachers is especially critical for the well-being of students who went through the disaster.

“Our teachers build trust with our students and their families, so consistency is important,” he said. “By providing affordable and stable housing, we’re ensuring that our teachers and staff can remain here, deeply rooted in the communities they serve.”

Kaleka Manoha, a 17-year veteran educator at Princess Nahi‘ena‘ena Elementary, and Darice Garcia, an educational assistant at King Kamehameha III Elementary, praised both new West Maui resiliency programs for educational employees. The two were among the first recipients of the HERO awards, which were made possible through a donation from longtime Hawaii residents and philanthropists Marc Benioff, chair and CEO of Salesforce, and his wife, Lynne.

“It’s so awesome that we’re getting a little bit extra. It’s very helpful, especially because I have a child,” Manoha said.

Garcia added, “This is a blessing to a lot of people, so it was really exciting. To my school community, as a parent of a student, I say, thank you.”

The Maui Economic Development Board will issue the payments to eligible salaried DOE employees, who will receive $2,500 per award period, while eligible casual employees will get $1,000 per award period.

A second round of HERO awards will open in late January, with payments expected to be distributed in April.