Josephine Fraser worried her young family's next home would be a tent.
Josephine Fraser, 22, who was born and raised in Lahaina, holds her son Zyon Dias, 18 months, as she watches Ireh Dias, 3, front, run around outside their small home at Ke Ao Maluhia at the Maui Lani housing development, spearheaded by the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Kahului, Hawaii.
Disaster housing experts say the effort, expected to cost more than $500 million over two years, has been unprecedented in its cooperation among federal, state, county and philanthropic organizations toward keeping the community together. Members of at least 1,500 households have already left for other islands or states, some estimates say. Locals fear more will depart if they can’t find stable, affordable, convenient housing.
“Will some people leave? Of course," Green said. “But most will stay, and they’ll really be able to stay if they get their settlements and can invest in their new houses.” “Everyone’s choice is to move out of Lahaina, to move off-island, to move to the mainland, and that’s not something that we want to do,” she said. “Lahaina is our home.”
Thompson has never before seen the Federal Emergency Management Agency invest so heavily in keeping a community together, she said. In October, FEMA raised its rates by 75% to entice landlords to rent to locals. The agency is now paying $3,000 per month for a one-bedroom and more than $5,100 for a three-bedroom. People seeking housing on their own say that has inflated the rental market more.
“Our goal is the community’s goal," Fenton said. "We’ve tried to do everything we can to support that.”
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