Legislators in Hawaii started a new legislative session on Wednesday, January 17, pledging to tackle the pressing issues highlighted by the tragic August 2023 wildfire that destroyed the ancient town of Lahaina. These are the persistent danger of wildfires and the severe shortage of affordable housing.
Nearly six months after the fire that killed 100 people, Lahaina is still in ruins as cleanup moves slowly and systematically. Even with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) rental subsidies, many displaced individuals are still unable to locate somewhere to rent, so the agency is paying for their hotel accommodations. One factor is the high demand for vacation rentals in West Maui, which causes the housing market to be rather tight.
Getting to the bottom of these issues is critical for Maui and the rest of the state, according to lawmakers.
Charred remains of a burned neighborhood is seen in the aftermath of a wildfire, in Lahaina, western Maui, Hawaii on August 14, 2023.
Addressing Housing Issues
In a report by The Associated Press, Democratic Senate President Ron Kouchi said that reducing the risk of fires will be one of the chamber's highest priorities. "And as we go forward, we want to make sure it doesn't happen on any other island," he added.
Democrat House Speaker Scott Saiki said that the people of Maui and Lahaina must be addressed first.
One method to achieve this, per Saiki's statements to reporters, would be to put emphasis on water consumption for affordable housing. A University of Hawaii study found that 15% of Maui's housing stock and 40% of Lahaina's are vacation rentals, and Saiki wants the legislature to do something about it.
Saiki said that it is uncertain whether the counties can handle short-term rentals on their own, so it is crucial for the state government and the legislature to address the issue directly.
Rep. Nadine Nakamura, the majority leader of the House, said that the bipartisan wildfire legislative package contains provisions that would explicitly grant counties the power to eliminate short-term rentals.
See Also: Maui Children Face Mental Health Crisis, Housing Insecurity After Deadly Wildfire in Hawaii
Demands Expressed by Protesters
Members of the Lahaina Strong protest group, who have been setting up camp outside of hotels on Kaanapali Beach to get politicians to take action on their housing crisis, staged a march through Honolulu and a demonstration at the Capitol.
Jordan Ruidas, one of the organizers who traveled to Oahu for the event, stated: "There are still over 5,000 Lahaina fire victims displaced and sheltering in hotels. The concept of home remains a distant dream."
Ruidas said the Lahaina Strong organization is requesting that the county cancel the exceptions it has granted to 2,500 West Maui vacation rental units that do not possess the necessary licenses to be leased for stays of less than 30 days continuously. Additionally, the group is requesting a pause on rent hikes and evictions, as well as a postponement of mortgage payments for houses destroyed in the fire.
See Also: Native Hawaiians Feel Pushed Out of Homes Amidst Rising Cost of Living, Gentrification
