Ten affordable housing developments were lost in the Lahaina wildfire, including:

One State-owned property:

• Front Street Apartments (300 units)

Two properties owned by the Hawai’i Public Housing Authority:

• David Malo Circle (18 units)
• Piʻilani Homes (42 units)

Three County-owned properties:

• Komohana Hale (20 units)
• Lahaina Crossroads (20 units)
• Ka Hale A Ke Ola (94-unit homeless resource center)

Three properties owned by private nonprofit organizations:

• Hale Mahaolu Eono (35 units) that is jointly financed by HUD and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
• Lahaina Surf (112 units) (financed  by HUD)
• The Weinberg Court (62 units)

An additional project was privately held, but financed through Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), issued by the State and federal governments:

• Kaiāulu O Kupuohi (89 units)

Combined, these projects provided well over 700 units of affordable housing for Maui residents before the fire.  While these projects were an important supply of housing for Maui, there remains a great need for additional housing units to meet demand. This program supports the re-construction of these projects, and where feasible, expansion to include additional units and/ or new affordable housing projects to meet the continuing and growing need. The actual level of affordability is unknown at this time, though it is likely to be set at similar levels as the projects were pre-fire. These projects are identified as a “program” to signify the great need for affordable housing, and to, at a minimum, match the unit number and affordability levels that the former units had.

The Lahaina wildfire destroyed several hundred affordable housing units owned and/or financed by public entities. This program prioritizes replacement, and potentially expansion, of those lost units to account for the growing need of affordable housing in the area. The initial seven sites of this program remain in public ownership (except the LIHTC-funded project).

As ten projects are included in this program, each project will experience individual roadblocks. Ongoing management will be required for as long as the units are in use. If expanded, additional property acquisition and funding will be required for construction of the units.

• Publicly funded housing is expensive  and complex to build
• Extensive permitting and financing must be obtained, likely well beyond what is available post-fire
• Each project will need to be located outside of known hazard areas and planned, permitted and constructed  as an individual project

This project will see to the creation of a cultural corridor and the restoration of Malu ʻUlu o Lele, Mokuʻula and the Loko o Mokuhinia Complex. A Cultural Corridor along the coast will restore, honor and protect culturally significant sites from Mokuʻula to the King’s Loʻi Kalo—including other sites such as, Loko o Nalehu, Loko o Kaluaʻehu and Hale Piula. Restoration of the three areas will create a sustainable and vibrant cultural space that remembers and highlights Hawaiian history, restores Lahaina’s natural wetland coastal ecosystem and cultural historical sites, supports the well-being of the Lahaina community, and, with the planting of ‘ulu trees throughout Lahaina town, reduces urban heat index and provides an abundant food source for generations to come. This project will provide healing for the community, wetland restoration, habitat restoration, cultural restoration, restoration of Native Hawaiian places of historical and spiritual significance, flood mitigation and control, fire risk mitigation through green breaks and water breaks, increase in water flow and groundwater recharge, and a buffer between the ocean and the town to mitigate hazards of sea level rise, shoreline erosion and waves.

Historically, Loko o Mokuhinia was a 17-acre pond among West Maui’s large network of coastal wetlands. Located within the pond was Mokuʻula, an island reserved for high ranking aliʻi. Mokuʻula and Loko o Mokuhinia were highly sacred and culturally significant spaces and served as the residence of Kihawahine, a moʻo goddess and spiritual guardian. In the mid 19th century, water diversions to large-scale plantations in West Maui led to the eventual stagnation of Loko o Mokuhinia. In the early 20th century, the pond was filled and turned into Malu ʻUlu o Lele Park, and today Mokuʻula and Mokuhinia lie about  2 to 3 feet underground. The Native Hawaiian community and broader local community have been fighting for the restoration of Mokuʻula and Mokuhinia for decades. The 2023 Lahaina wildfires stimulated a renewed push across Hawaiʻi for the revitalization of Mokuʻula and Mokuhinia for the healing and recovery of the Lahaina community and lāhui.

Restoration of Mokuʻula and Mokuhinia will require collaboration and communication between the community and government agencies across County, State and federal levels. Community visions for restoration may look different from one another. Restoration will require several years for planning and implementation, so funding needs will be ongoing. Additionally, restoration will have interdependencies with other recovery efforts like the reconstruction of the town, watershed restoration and water and stream flow, so timing and coordination will be key in the planning phase.

• Community engagement is necessary with Native Hawaiian groups and leaders, the Lahaina community and the broader lāhui across Hawaiʻi to ensure that restoration efforts are community led
• Undertake a comprehensive planning process to analyze the area’s historical, cultural and archaeological significance
• Study the existing environmental and hydrological conditions
• Assess potential land acquisition needs Conduct community engagement Develop a master plan and implementation plan
• Identify funding sources for the planning process, implementation and maintenance of the site

This project involves the creation of a Lahaina Memorial that honors the lives of loved ones lost and the experiences of survivors and community members. The Lahaina Memorial will serve as a healing space for the community to gather, remember and reflect. Planning for the memorial will heavily involve community members and survivors and also serve as a healing process for the community. The location choice and design of the memorial will be community-led to ensure that the space properly honors those lost and serves as an appropriate long-term space for the community.

The August 8, 2023 Lahaina wildfire tragically took the lives of at least 102 loved ones, destroyed approximately 2,200 structures homes and businesses and displaced thousands of people. The fire destroyed an entire town that was beloved by many across Maui, Hawai’i and the world. The fire has had immeasurable reverberating effects across the pae ‘āina o Hawaiʻi, and the creation of a Lahaina Memorial is necessary for the healing of the community and remembrance of those lost.

Challenges include funding, consensus among community and finding a location in Lahaina.

• Work with community to do initial planning for memorial
• Identify funding opportunities
• Plan memorial
• Design and construct memorial with community leading efforts

This project includes studies and assessments to provide data about the current state of energy infrastructure and understand the opportunities to improve resilience, redundancy and independence. These  studies and assessments will produce projects for implementation that the County of Maui can promote to achieve more resilient power and energy systems in West Maui.

Power and energy are priorities for the County of Maui and the impacted community. Studies and assessments will help provide deeper understanding of the current State of the infrastructure and determine next steps toward achieving resilience. These studies will identify potential projects that can be implemented at various locations to enhance redundant power supply for critical services and infrastructure, improve self-sufficiency and increase resilience to mitigate the impact of future disasters.

This project requires coordination with Hawaiian Electric.

• Studies will produce a list of projects for implementation

This project is intended to ensure communication networks are redundant and reliable during emergencies. The project includes a series of facility upgrades and new installations that will provide for increased coordination and communication between and among county departments, first responders, non-governmental organizations, and the public. The projects will expand radio and cellular capacity, close gaps in existing communication channels, increase public warning and information sharing, and improve overall emergency response capabilities as a result.

The August 2023 wildfires exposed critical vulnerabilities in the communications systems on Maui, demonstrating a need for system augmentation, redundancy measures, expansion and hardening efforts to ensure continuity of communications capabilities during emergencies. Improving redundancy and expanding capacity of the communications systems on Maui will improve public safety in event of emergency. Public messaging and information dissemination directly impacts residents’ ability to respond appropriately to emerging crises in a timely and informed fashion.

Many of the upgrades and new equipment will be located in remote areas of the island, adding complexity to implementation efforts.

• Finalize the scopes of work for the various projects included in this effort
• Identify resources for implementation

• Will create an affordable program and administrative space in West Maui for nonprofit and government organizations to provide health, education and human services to wildfire survivors.
• It is meant to be a multipurpose center for resilience, mental health assessment and therapy, as well as a community resource gathering space.
• Ke Ola Hou will provide long-term stability to an established program that incubates and accelerates wellbeing for members of the community.
• Services and activities range from quiet walks, gardening and conversations to group activities like kanikapila, lei making, variety of classes, and social
  and community gatherings. There will also be healing help, from lomilomi to emotional support or professional therapists and many different opportunities to talk story.

• Partnerships have been established and interim space has been secured for five years.
• Long term programming, space acquisition, funding, and construction will be needed.

This project is to develop a new public collector roadway which will be aligned east of, and roughly parallel to, Honoapi’ilani Highway (approximately 2 miles) with two travel lanes and additional turn lanes at major intersections. Utilities including drainage, water, sewer, power, telephone, and television will be installed or upgraded. The Kuhua Street extension may include the proposed West Maui Greenway multiuse path.

As this area is currently undeveloped, it will provide new necessary connectivity, egress, multimodal transportation, and utility corridors to West Maui. The project will alleviate existing traffic congestion and improve circulation, including pedestrianfriendly access by incorporating a multiuse trail along its entire length in a later phase. The roadway would also serve as an alternate route during emergencies or in the event of unexpected closures of Honoapi’ilani Highway.

Land acquisition for right-of-way and construction permitting will need to be obtained.

• Securing right of way, land acquisition and subdivisions
• Preparation of an environmental assessment and construction documents
• Obtainment of construction permits, advertisement for bid, and construction

This project will develop a site that will create retail and community gathering spaces, celebrate culture and the arts, provide family friendly activities, fundraising opportunities and a venue to learn about the history of Lahaina and the host culture and of other cultures that make up our melting pot in Maui. It will reopen businesses, create a venue for local entertainers, create a new shopping hub with a food and beverage destination, and assist in supporting local businesses. The market will house tiny shops, mini galleries, food trucks/food vendors, beer garden, farmer’s market, cultural activities and education, Ohana Game Area, outdoor playground in courtyard area, and picnic tables/umbrellas for outdoor eating/sitting. Several properties are being considered.

There is a need to jump start economic revitalization in the Lahaina Business District.  The proposed groupings of sprung steel structures can provide large covered spaces that can handle a wide variety of uses, as well as be repurposed when no longer necessary for this current project.  The structure can be erected quickly providing Lahaina businesses an accessible location and residents a place of community.

Potential locations for where the market will live are being considered but land acquisition is still required. Funding is also necessary to the success of this project.

• Land acquisition
• Building of the structures
• Landscaping
• Various interior renovations (electrical, carpentry, air conditioning, equipment) are still needed for the project to open

The project involves the construction of a four-lane, controlled access, bypass highway between Keawe Street and Honokowai, a distance of approximately 5 miles.  The bypass will extend northward from its terminus at Keawe Street as it passes to the east of the Kaʻanapali Resort and then proceed in a northwesterly direction until it reaches Honokowai, south of Mahinahina Gulch.  The minimum right-of-way width will be 150 feet. A Kaʻanapali Connector will be located to the north of the Lahaina Civic Center and will be approximately 1 mile in length.

• Extends the current boundaries of the Lahaina Bypass to increase connectivity and continue development of a utility corridor in West Maui.
• Will construct a four-lane, controlled access, highway between Keawe Street and Honokowai, for approximately 5 miles. It will extend north from Keawe Street, passing the Kaʻanapali Resort, and then proceed in a northwesterly direction until it reaches Honokowai, south of Mahinahina Gulch.
• A Kaʻanapali Connector will extend to the north of the Lahaina Civic Center for approximately 1 mile.
• Has high interest and support from community members and would serve in providing redundancy in the transportation system in West Maui.

This project will extend the current boundaries of the Lahaina Bypass to increase connectivity and continue development of a utility corridor in West Maui. This project has high interest and support from community members, and would serve an added benefit of providing redundancy in the transportation system in West Maui.

This project is reliant on land acquisition for right of way and requires the Environmental Impact Statement to be updated. The State DOT is currently prioritizing adjustments to existing infrastructure and is not currently planning to engage in projects for new construction / new capacity. This project will need to be added to the State’s Transportation Improvement Program to be considered for federal funding opportunities.

• Securing right of way
• Land acquisition and subdivisions (2 years)
• Preparation of construction documents -Plans, specifications, and estimate (2 years)
• Obtaining construction permits -roadway, highway, grading, driveway, building, electrical, and plumbing permits (2 years)
• Advertisement for bid and construction

The MEMA Advancement Program is composed of four major areas of emphasis:

• Emergency Services Infrastructure: Upgrades in emergency services communications and situational awareness infrastructure, data collection, management and dissemination to support policy making, resource allocation and incident support. These systems will also provide key inputs to public information and advisory notices during incidents to include response and recovery.
• Emergency Services Staffing: Create a MEMA Reserve (on-call paid) and MEMA Volunteer (on-call unpaid) program to provide MEMA with staffing during activations.
• Shelters, Resilience Centers and Assembly Areas: Building upon previous efforts, suitability analyses will be updated and needs analyses generated for sheltering utilizing both County and Department of Education facilities under various scenarios. Additionally, sites for resilience centers and assembly areas will be identified with associated support requirements under various contingencies.
• Community Engagement: In addition to ongoing community education and preparedness activities, implementing a comprehensive social media strategy utilizing social media monitoring for situational awareness, can provide emergency alert and other relevant information to affected communities during response and recovery and a renewed emphasis on recruitment and training of Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES).

This program will improve the County’s ability to identify, mitigate and respond to all hazard threats to the community, as well as the community’s awareness and ability to prepare for and respond to all hazards and threats. While situational awareness tools are improving, additional tools and procedures would improve information dissemination, planning and decision making both by MEMA and various partners. Even with the increase in civil service staffing for MEMA, additional personnel resources may be needed to ensure that incident support functions are fully staffed for incidents that last over several operational periods. Creation of a MEMA Reserve would provide Incident Management Team (IMT) support to unified and area commands within the County while a MEMA Volunteer Corps could assist with incident support in the Emergency Operations Center to backfill civil service personnel. The County lacks sufficient hurricane-resistant shelters. This effort will assess the inventory of available shelter facilities, identify needed capital investment to make hurricane-resistant and prioritize improvements.

A stable civil service cadre is a critical requirement in executing the proposed program.

• Completion of the MEMA Strategic  Plan to include review and approval  by Department of Management

A complete architectural assessment on surviving buildings and structures listed in 1974 nomination form as well as other building and structures that contribute to NHLD that were eligible for listing on the national register of historic places prior to August 8, 2023 wildfires. Hawaiian Kingdom history will also be proposed as another period of significance. Archaeological surveys, Traditional Cultural Properties (TCP) studies and oral history reports will document the rich history of Lahaina. TCP studies should include new and existing oral histories report as well as ethnography.  These assessments and studies will be used to update the NHLD nomination for submittal and consideration by the National Park Service (NPS).

The last update to the NHLD in Lahaina, was in 1974. The community strongly supported the Historic District prior to the fire. Evaluating the NHLD to determine integrity status following the loss of many historic structures in the wildfire, whether boundaries need to be adjusted, and the impact to include other periods of significance to the NHLD is needed to guide redevelopment in Lahaina. There are architectural design guidelines currently in place and the County’s Cultural Resources Commission is the authority for plans within the NHLD.

NPS is developing a Section 213 report of the National Historic Preservation Act. This report will contain NPS recommendations relating to the NHLD. This report is due by November 2024. Reviewing it is critical to identify County alignment and/or inconsistencies which may require updating County Code.

• Funding sources will need to be identified beyond the County’s limited Certified Local Government grants
• Funding to start developing the TCP studies to document the various cultures of Lahaina is critical for updating the NHLD nomination
• This effort will require professionals that meet the Secretary of Interior standards to complete this work

This project includes a suite of planning, design and construction activities to improve and expand the recycled water distribution infrastructure in West Maui. It will improve, repair and rehabilitate old pipelines, ditches and reservoirs, as well as construct new distribution pipelines, laterals, meters, and other appurtenances to service non-potable water needs from Honokowai to Olowalu. It will expand customer base and usage of recycled water, may potentially provide irrigation to support replanting of native vegetation for erosion control in the impact area and may provide irrigation to a potential firebreak mauka of Lahaina. It includes the following tasks:

• Lahaina Wastewater Treatment Facility (improve, repair and rehabilitate old pipelines, ditches and reservoirs already in place)
• Honokowai R-1 Water Distribution System (sign, permitting, management and construction of new R-1 distribution pipelines, laterals, meters and other appurtenances within Honoapi’ilani Hwy., Lower Honoapi’ilani Road and Kaʻanapali Shores Place)
• Lahaina Recycled Water Force Main (Assessment, design, permitting for the rehabilitation/replacement of an existing 6,700-foot force main, construction of a second force main, pump station, access road and supporting utilities/improvements)
• Lahaina R-1 Recycled Waterline for Firebreak (Development of 5 miles of
  16- inch recycled waterline conveying 200,000 gallons of recycled R-1 water daily from an R-1 reservoir, supplied by DEM’s Lahaina Wastewater Treatment Plant)

Maximizing the use of recycled water is a high-priority for the community, County and State. With drought conditions increasingly threatening water supplies in West Maui and the scarcity of water resources leading to ongoing concern over water access, the community looks to improve resource management. Utilizing R-1 Recycled Water for agricultural purposes in West Maui, from Olowalu to Honokowai, could positively influence the hydrology of Lahaina and contribute to other restoration efforts including fire mitigation and wetland restoration. R-1 expansion will also decrease reliance on injection wells.

Potential challenges could include permitting and access, as some components are planned to impact privately-owned land. This may result in additional projects to complete, beyond those captured in this project.

• A safety analysis of the West Maui reservoirs needs to be completed
• Project design is anticipated in 2025 and construction is anticipated in 2027

This project will be a comprehensive rebuild plan for Lahaina focusing on business centers, public lands, circulation and mobility, and Front Street. This plan will build upon the vision expressed in the West Maui Community Plan, incorporating the National Historic Landmark District (NHLD) guidelines, the West Maui Community Corridor Plan and West Maui Greenway Plan. The proposed project will be finer grained than previous plans, identifying specific areas for mixed-use, parks, housing, transit hubs, and public facilities. It would be completed over multiple phases and may include subordinate plans and visions for Front Street, and public lands and parks. The project will require extensive community engagement including direct coordination with landowners. Following the completion of the Rebuild Lahaina Plan, the County may take the lead on rezoning the area to match the intention of the community. It may also identify needed future projects and a timeline for those projects.

The wildfire destroyed most of the structures in the commercial and historic core of Lahaina. This plan provides an opportunity to restore the Lahaina community and to correct aspects of organic evolution of the town that were not ideal for residents. It will evaluate alternative development scenarios, including re-envisioning the future of Front Street, programming for public lands, developing transit-oriented communities, re-purposing the shoreline area in the pre-disaster commercial area, planning for resilience and the long-term protection and enhancement of cultural resources.

This plan will require extensive financial and technical support to be completed.  Assistance from philanthropic organizations and grant funding should be leveraged to complete this work.

• Develop a scope of work and request for proposal to obtain consultant assistance
• Identify project team members
• Secure funding source for plan development, technical studies and community engagement
• Define project boundary

This project will rebuild the West Maui Senior Center with the potential to expand in order to provide more services. The senior center served as a central hub of activity for seniors in Lahaina to learn and grow through a variety of programs. There were charity events such as food and clothing donation drives and nonprofits working with kūpuna and keiki to create care packages for the homeless. The senior center also had public health benefits such as a variety of fitness classes, including but not limited to yoga, hula, cardio and tai chi. There were enrichment activities in addition to these wellness benefits, such as creative endeavors like sewing classes, line dancing, art classes, movie nights and cooking classes. The variety of classes offered not only benefits the kūpuna but also creates more work opportunities for instructors.

The Department of Human Concerns has a strong desire to see that the West Maui Senior Center is rebuilt so that it can serve this vulnerable segment of the population. The West Maui Senior Center was  always vibrant, and was revered by community members. It served a large number of residents prior to the fires, and the West Maui Senior Center has struggled to keep up with their demand for services due to the loss of this physical location.

Funding, infrastructure, zoning limitations, possible redesign of this area, and the desire to have senior services centralized at another location are current concerns for this project.

• Continue to understand funding, infrastructure and zoning limitations to move forward
• Potential to centralize services at another location

This project will revegetate Lahaina with native plants, canoe plants and culturally appropriate plants to restore the burned landscape, increase resilience, beautify the town, increase storm water infiltration and groundwater recharge, and provide food and material sources for the community. It will educate the community about native plants and resilient landscaping. Reforesting Lahaina (beyond the town) and Kula with native plants will restore the native landscape, reduce invasive plant fuel loads, increase fire and hazard resilience, increase  groundwater recharge, and provide food and material sources for the community.  This project includes key efforts such as:

• Create a Maui Native Nursery Network of existing nurseries around the island to establish partnerships and increase operations to provide plants to Lahaina, Kula, Pūlehu, and Olinda
• Establish new nurseries in Lahaina moku to grow plants to revegetate the town
• Establish biosecurity protocols and quarantine areas in new nurseries
• Establish and expand composting facilities in Lahaina for waste diversion and generation of mulch for revegetation, soil restoration, and erosion control
• Reforest the middle watershed area surrounding Lahaina town to turn the unproductive invasive grasslands into thriving forested and agriculture areas; Reforest the DLNR lands in upper mauka Lahaina
• Implement other reforestation projects led by organizations across Lahaina, Kula, Olinda, and Pūlehu.

The Lahaina impact zone needs to be revegetated with appropriate fire resilient native plants and canoe plants to reduce fire risk and erosion. Community members want to revegetate their homes, and public properties such as street medians and open spaces need to be revegetated. Surrounding Lahaina, invasive buffelgrass has regrown in the impact zone on private lands and the surrounding areas beyond still pose high fire risks for the town. For the safety and environmental well-being of Lahaina, it’s essential to form multiagency partnerships to manage the private lands surrounding the town, by removing invasive fuel loads, replanting with native plants to reduce fire and wind risk, restoring the native landscape, and creating new agriculture and agroforestry industry areas.

A major challenge is creating partnerships between private landowners, government agencies and community groups. Litigation against the landowners around Lahaina also pose barriers to working together and taking action to restore the landscape. Funding for revegetation and reforestation projects and long-term maintenance of lands are also challenges. The County currently does not have policies to require the management of fallow lands.

• Identify funding for the nurseries in the Maui Native Nursery Network to expand growing and seed banking operations and funding and partner sites to establish new nurseries in Lahaina/West Maui
• Expand and create regional composting facilities in Lahaina
• Establish partnerships to manage and reforest land surrounding Lahaina

This project will increase the County’s capacity to handle floodwaters, making it more resilient to flood risk. It includes current projects like the Lahaina Town Drainage Master Plan Update (to address localized flooding in urbanized areas of Lahaina Town) and preliminary design for the flood control project (retention basins and diversion channels mauka of Lahaina Town). This project is supported through USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations Program. The County DPW is the local sponsor with Stantec as contractor. The project is currently working on a supplementary environmental impact study since the original Environmental Impact Statement was written in the 1980s, and a hydrologic and hydraulic study. Once studies are completed, USDA NRCS and DPW will discuss the data, needs and how the Lahaina Watershed can address the needs through feasible conservation practices, either structural or non-structural.

This project will implement holistic stormwater and flood management, minimize stormwater runoff into the ocean and manage floodwaters across West Maui.

This project aligns with the current effort to develop a watershed management plan for Kahoma and Kaua’ula watersheds. Currently there is a lack of sponsorship for NRCS projects. The current contract NRCS has is for roughly $1.4 million, but with the additional scoping going on because of the fires there are going to be more funds needed. This project will have to compete nationally for design funding.

• Identification of funding source(s)  and design

This project will provide necessary fire evacuation connectivity on various roads to better support and facilitate public safety in the future. It would consist of a phased approach that would require land acquisition and road improvements for a variety of identified locations where streets do not meet current fire codes, cul-de-sacs are substandard and connections are missing. Streets included are:

• Aki Street Connecto
• Papalaua to Aki Street Connector
• Kaakolu Street to Lahaina Bypass
• Kanakea Loop to Lahainaluna Road
• Kuhua Street Extension to Komo Mai
• Dickenson Street Extension
• N. Hakau Place to Lahaina Bypass

Wahikuli Connectors to Cane Haul Road/West Maui Greenway:

• Fleming Road
• Wahikuli Road
• Malanai Street

Maui Fire Department has reviewed the wildfire impact zone and determined certain streets need to be improved or connected to facilitate public safety in the future. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has also conducted a LifeSim model to review existing conditions and evacuation strategies and determine their effectiveness. The outcome of both efforts is the identification of streets in impacted neighborhoods that would benefit from increased connectivity to improve evacuation ability. This project has been identified and  prioritized as a key public safety project that needs to move forward within the fire impacted areas to support disaster evacuation. It will provide necessary connectivity, ingress and egress for impacted neighborhoods.

Land acquisition for right-of-way, environmental assessment and construction permitting is needed.

• An Infrastructure and Road Master Plan
• Securing right of way
• Land acquisition and subdivisions
• Preparation of an environmental assessment and construction documents
• Obtain construction permits
• Advertisement for bid and construction

Wai and watershed recovery planning for Lahaina moku and Kula moku will plan for mauka to makai holistic restoration efforts for the well-being of the environment and people. This project involves the creation of a Wai and Watershed Recovery Working Group for Lahaina and Kula moku comprised of various County, State, federal, and community groups to discuss wai and watershed recovery current efforts and future needs. This project involves management planning for the watersheds of Lahaina moku, including:

• Wahikuli
• Kahoma
• Kauaʻula
• Launiupoko
• Olowalu
• Ukumehame
• Papalaua
• and Pohakea

This project also involves community water planning in Lahaina moku for ecosystem function, water supply for community needs and water supply for watershed restoration activities. The goal for this project is to plan for key water and watershed restoration projects from mauka to makai, such as reforestation with native plants, fuels reduction of invasive grasses, restoration of stream flow, establishment of agroforestry and agriculture, flood control, and erosion control.

This project is key to revitalizing the health of the environment and people, reducing fire and hazard risks for the community, increasing aquifer recharge, restoring native habitats, and maintaining the health of the coral reef ecosystem. Currently, there are no watershed management plans that cover the Lahaina impact zone, and the majority of the lands directly surrounding Lahaina in the mid-watershed region lie fallow with invasive grasses that pose high fire risks for the community. The development of a watershed management plan can facilitate collaboration and project implementation across County, State, federal, and community groups and open pathways to funding sources. The community has also expressed interest in development and implementation of a community-led water plan, which focuses on water systems and community governance over water in West Maui.

Many government agencies, community groups, and private landowners remain siloed but groups must work together for holistic mauka to makai recovery and longterm success. At the core of most recovery efforts are questions of the future of Lahaina’s wai and water supply and its potential use and/or purpose. Urban development and natural resources stewardship is another challenge; development requires land and water, which places strain on natural resources and activities like reforestation, conservation, agriculture and food security, restoring stream flow, and recharging the groundwater aquifer. Oftentimes, funding for studies, planning and implementation is limited as economic benefits of wai and watershed planning aren’t recognized.

• Identify individuals, agencies and groups to include in working group discussions
• Build relationships among groups
• Get funding watershed plans and studies
• Identify key projects and actions to restore the fallow grasslands surrounding Lahaina and restore Lahaina’s watershed from mauka to makai
• Develop a multiagency management program for the middle watershed area to steward the unproductive former plantation lands which currently lie fallow
• Develop a division in the County Department of Agriculture to manage  the middle watershed

This project will expand water use and availability by increasing access to existing ground water sources and establishing new connections to the County’s potable water system.

1. Honokowai Tunnel Intake And Transmission Line
   Project would provide a new potable water source by constructing a horizontal tunnel and skimmer well to capture groundwater in Honokowai Valley. No further treatment would be required. CWRM has determined that water from tunnel does not impact stream flows, as stream flows for Honokowai Valley are generated farther upstream. Project benefits include diversification of source, redundancy within the system and provides a lower-cost source alternative than drilling a new well.
   ‍
2. Lahaina Wells Development:
   Launiupoko Well #1 and #2, Honolua Well H1 and H2
   The project will include development of two well fields in Launiupoko aquifer and two well fields in Honolua aquifer to provide additional supply to the Lahaina area to ensure adequate water supply.

This project aims to increase availability of water to meet community needs. Expanding water availability serves the needs of the community and provides for increased resilience. The County’s Department of Water Supply’s Maui Island Water Use and Development Plan (2022) adopted strategies to maximize surface water production up to treatment plant capacity when stream flow allows (as the most affordable water supply) and develop sufficient wells to rely on in dry season. This project will aid in the mitigation of drought impacts on the water supply. Additionally, it will enable the use of the Kanaha stream for ecosystem restoration projects as part of rebuilding Lahaina. Increased well capacity will also provide additional water flow for fire suppression.

Uncertainty over water use permit allocations from DLNR CWRM to accommodate new water source development in West Maui, requiring further coordination. There are also private property concerns.

• Secure water use permits to develop drinking water wells in Launiupoko and Honolua aquifers.  Engineering and construction are upcoming for development of the wells
• Design is anticipated to take place from 2024 to 2026 with construction to be completed by 2028

This project includes several multidisciplinary actions to reduce and mitigate wildfire risk for the town and increase community resilience and preparedness for future fires, as mentioned in the County’s Hazard Mitigation Plan:

• Work across County, State, federal, community, and private groups to establish a green break and/or fire break at the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) around Lahaina town
• Update and implement actions in the current West Maui Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP)
• Update and implement the Upcountry Maui CWPP and South Maui CWPP
• Update the West Maui CWPP

This project is key to reducing wildfire risk for Lahaina in the future. The grasslands around Lahaina pose a fire risk to the town, and a multiagency approach is needed to establish a green break and/or fire break at the WUI around the town. While holistic reforestation, agroforestry and ungulate grazing plans on private lands can reduce fire risk for the town, those efforts take time, and an immediate need is to protect the town. CWPPs outline specific actions to take to protect a community from future wildfires and are a prerequisite for some federal funding opportunities for wildfire protection projects. The current West Maui CWPP, Upcountry CWPP and South Maui CWPP identify and prioritize key place-based actions in need of funding and implementation. CWPPs are typically updated every 10 years, and the West Maui CWPP and Upcountry CWPP are both due for an update.

Challenges including funding, cross-coordination among agencies to establish a green break/fire break and long-term maintenance of the green break/fire break, political and community buy-in for new policies, and the identification of leadership for project implementation.

• Meetings among County, State, federal, community, and private landowner groups to develop an approach for implementing a WUI green break/fire break
• Updates by Hawaiʻi Wildfire Management Organization (HWMO) to the Upcountry CWPP with funding through US Forest Service Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program
• Identify funding for update of the West Maui CWPP and the implementation of key actions in the current Upcountry and West Maui CWPP
• Continued work across County agencies to propose new policies to reduce wildfire risk
• To develop a community wildfire education campaign

Building off the County of Maui Department of Agriculture 2024-2028 Strategic Plan, this recovery project involves the creation of a Lahaina Moku Agriculture Plan to develop and prioritize agriculture initiatives for Lahaina moku’s agriculture, farms, food systems, and ecosystems.

Goals of the plan include:

• Developing a regional sustainable and diversified agriculture industry
• Supporting local farming initiatives
• Building economic resilience
• Supporting the health of residents and ecosystems through natural resource restoration and stewardship
• Improving food security and access to healthy food

Key example efforts include:

• Supporting emergency feeding needs
• Supporting recovery of farms damaged in the fires
• Establishing new agriculture and agroforestry industry areas in Lahaina to turn former plantation lands into production
• Building agriculture infrastructure such  as cold storage and dry storage

Historically, Native Hawaiians cultivated the land to feed and sustain generations, and Lahaina was particularly favored by ali’i for its abundance of food and ideal climate conditions. Even just 50 years ago, Lahainaluna High School’s agriculture program fed the Lahaina community, with students growing fruits and vegetables and caring for chickens and livestock. Today, the Lahaina community and government agencies have expressed interest in alternative economic industries to tourism and reinvigorating sustainable agricultural practices to reshape Maui’s economy, generate jobs, and feed the community.  Hawai’i’s communities are extremely food insecure and vulnerable to future disasters and supply chain issues and placing economic strain on residents and business owners due to high food costs. After the August 2023 wildfires, thousands of displaced survivors were in need of immediate feeding support, and a coalition of various government and community groups came together to form the Maui Emergency Feeding Task Force to address community needs. Emergency feeding needs are ongoing and future initiatives are needed for future food resilience to disasters and for long-term self-sufficient food security.

Challenges include funding, the need for comprehensive collaborative strategies across community, private landowners, business and hotel owners, and government agencies. Political, community and tourist industry buy-in, conflict between tourism and other economic industries, water supply and water infrastructure in regions of Lahaina surrounding and mauka of the town, and industrial plantation land use from mid 1800s to 1900s changed the landscape and climate of Lahaina.

• Identify funding and develop the  Lahaina Moku Agriculture Plan
• Implement actions, strategies, initiatives, and programs and establish partnerships  and funding for implementation

This program will spearhead an effort within the County to address the significant need for acquisition of multiple parcels of real property in the impact zone, including along the shoreline for parcels that face development challenges due to sea level rise and other shoreline hazards. There may also be a need to dispose of or exchange some parcels of real property to facilitate wildfire recovery, as well as acquire property for easements and/or property for water and sewer lines, additional right of way for new streets or widening existing streets. There could be a need to acquire property for new major  projects, such as a new or expanded county parks, a County office building, other types of projects, and parking structures.

This program would identify a general work scope for a new real estate program within the Finance Department, determine human capital needs to adequately staff the department and conduct a hiring program to fill the identified needed positions.  It would also establish general levels of expertise necessary for administering a real estate and financing program.

Understanding how this program fits within the current County administrative structure, including operationally, and existing management  personnel, is currently the biggest identified roadblock.

• Identification of potential types of acquisitions
• Potential funding sources for acquisition and legal and financial questions related to specific properties or types  of acquisitions
• Evaluating current County-owned property to determine if disposal of  the property is a good option

This would promote high codes for rebuilds for residential and commercial buildings. For each hazard type there would be clear ladder showing if higher codes were used, they would further increase their resilience and reduce their hazard vulnerability.

This project includes the replacement of two important, high priority community facilities: King Kamehameha III Elementary School and the Lahaina Public Library. These projects are separate and independent, and neither have definitive locations or designs as of the publishing of this plan. The replacement of King Kamehameha III Elementary School involves the identification of a permanent site, while the Lahaina Public Library replacement will identify a new site for the library. This project also involves discussions and planning for the long-term use of the ‘āina in the original facility locations for community benefit. King Kamehameha III Elementary School and the Lahaina Public Library are both currently located along the Lahaina coast on Native Hawaiian culturally significant sites. The community has expressed interest in establishing a cultural corridor encompassing the ʻāina of these sites to serve cultural practitioners, provide opportunities for community education, rewrite the narrative of these spaces, and elevate the visitor experience in correct cultural management practices.

For the replacement of King Kamehameha III Elementary School, locating a new school will require direct community outreach to families of former student along with staff and the general public. Schools have a profound impact on the community, and thus should be carefully located to serve students safely and with easy pedestrian and vehicular access.

The Lahaina Public Library Replacement will require community input and planning as it should be centrally located and easily accessible to all residents of Lahaina and West Maui. Planning for the long-term use of the ‘āina of the original facility sites will require county-state coordination and community outreach to cultural practitioners, generational families and residents  of Lahaina.

Schools and libraries are essential public facilities and can have a profound impact on the functioning of a community.  Location siting and design for both projects will require public outreach and coordination with the Lahaina Rebuild Framework project.

• Identify new sites with community engagement and then starting the design and construction process

This project will include the following key activities:

• Monitor, measure and report potentially harmful substances in the environment: Air, Ash and Debris, Beach Sand, Coastal Sediment, Coastal Waters, West Maui Temporary Debris Storage (TDS) Site, and County Parks' Soil Testing and other facilities and locations as requested and relevant to Maui Wildfires recovery;
• Create and maintain a Maui Environmental Data Portal to present, interpret and explain monitoring data in lay terms using narrative and data visualization tools. Suitable for adaptation to future incidents; and
• Prepare Comprehensive Environmental Monitoring and Sampling Plan.

This project includes four State recovery projects:

• Maui Comprehensive Economic Development Implementation Fund - Provide targeted funding to priority infrastructure, workforce and economic development projects identified by the forthcoming Maui Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy implementation plan.
• Prioritizing Maui Business for Innovate Hawaiʻi Tech and Innovation Grants - Hawaiʻi Technology Development Corporation (HTDC) prioritized Maui tech and manufacturing business with grant assistance when applying for competitive grant program administered by Innovate Hawaiʻi.  This is a competitive grant focusing on economic impacts for the State.
• Small Business Training for Tech and Manufacturing - HTDC prioritized Maui tech and manufacturing business with grant assistance when applying for competitive grant program administered by Innovate Hawaiʻi.  This is a competitive grant focusing on economic impacts for the State.
• Ecommerce Training Program - HTDC has priorities helping impacted tech and manufacturing business with digital business ecommerce training and implementation.  Program resources have been prioritized for Maui companies if they need assistance.

This project includes development of an environmentally conscious green workforce and creation of green job opportunities for a sustainable Hawaiʻi and Maui—to provide economic opportunities for local people to stay and live in Maui while also restoring the environment. Key goals of this project include diversification of economy, beyond tourism, towards a circular sustainable economy; return of thriving agriculture industry to Lahaina; increase accessibility and create jobs in conservation, agriculture, environmental science, regenerative tourism, and climate change resilience; create educational programming, career pathways, and mentorship programs for youth to transition from elementary to high school, to college, to careers; create a workforce of local people who can do the natural resources restoration work and maintenance for Lahaina and Maui in the coming years; and create regenerative pono tourism practices through programming, incentives, education and policy.

Maui is highly dependent on tourism as its main economic driver. After the 2023 fires and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, Maui and Hawaiʻi’s economic vulnerabilities were clearly shown, as thousands lost their jobs and millions of dollars of daily revenue abruptly halted. Maui must look to alternative economic industries for short, mid and long-term recovery and community well-being. Additionally, younger generations often move away from Maui due to lack of job opportunities and high cost of living. For recovery efforts involving revegetation, landscape restoration and reforestation, for example, Maui lacks sufficient local workforce and capacity for implementation. This recovery project would address the need to train a local workforce for natural resources restoration and maintenance work for recovery, as well as generate long-term job opportunities in alternative economic industries such as agriculture, conservation and natural resources management.

Challenges include the current economic dependence on tourism, unclear direction for economic future of Lahaina and Hawai’i, education of new workforce and  re-education of current workforce, differences in intentions, purposes, and underlying goals, people (especially younger generation) leaving Maui and Hawai’i due to lack of job opportunities, high cost of living, low wages (typically for service, conservation and ʻāina jobs), and constraints of Hawai’i State Department of Education.

• Creation of ʻāina-based educational opportunities
• Provide equitable access to education, workforce and professional development, programs for P-20
• Innovation and entrepreneurship, mentorship program, and sustainable tourism practices and programming

This project includes: Phase 1 - Harbor Building Reconstruction: Reestablishment of fuel (completed in June 2024), demolition of the current building and building reconstruction and Phase 2 - Dredging to restore capacity. Mala Wharf rehabilitation will be considered for use as an emergency backup option in the event of loss of service at Lahaina Harbor.

This project consists of performing a Health Service, Behavioral Health Service and Social Service Gap Analysis and addressing those identified gaps. Maui has faced shortages in healthcare service providers for specialties such as obstetrics, gynecology and pediatrics. This project will identify programs, partners and solutions to increase access to specialized health services.

The gap analysis will build off the ongoing Childcare and Behavioral Health Services Gap Analysis being performed by the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College, whose purpose is to conduct a succinct gap analysis of childcare and behavioral health services for f ire-impacted individuals as part of Hulihia’s Lahaina Revitalization Project. Their analysis aims to identify existing services, assess their adequacy and determine areas of need to inform strategic planning and resource allocation. It will assess the current landscape of childcare and behavioral health services available to fire-impacted individuals in the Lahaina area, identify gaps and deficiencies in existing services based on community needs assessments and provide quantifiable data to Hulihia to be mapped using data visualization tools. Once gaps are identified, this project will work to address them

This project will identify areas of shortage in health services exacerbated by the fires in order to be able to expand them down the line and combine cultural understanding with mental health resources. The University of Hawaiʻi analysis identifies a scope of childcare and behavioral health services, so additional analysis must be done on primary health services and social services, including but not limited to:

• Outpatient Ambulatory Care Centers
• Outpatient Health Clinics
• Skilled Nursing Facilities
• Long-Term Care Units
• Dialysis
• Older Adult Assisted Living Facilities
• Older Adult Memory Care Units
• Older Adult Home Health Care Agencies
• and Specialty Care on island.

This project is dependent on the findings of the gap analysis conducted by Hulihiaʻs Center for Sustainable Systems, University of Hawaiʻi Maui College, and the outcome of the work built off of that gap analysis. There is currently no owner identified for the comprehensive gap services analysis.

• Gaps and duplications in system wide service availability,  contributing factors, needed program expansions, and next steps for addressing gaps need to be identified.
• There needs to be coordination with and determination of the scope of analysis proposed by the University of Hawaiʻi.
• If the scope is focused on health, an alternate mechanism to identify gaps and duplication in social services may need to be implemented.
• Once the gap analysis has been completed, options and stakeholders involved to pursue service expansion should be identified.
• University program development should be explored and relations between university and industry bolstered.

The project includes various analyses that take a holistic view of the current infrastructure in place and evaluate future infrastructure needs in and around the impact area, ultimately identifying improvements necessary to implement the community’s vision for recovery. These assessments and studies will also evaluate the development and redevelopment opportunities of county-owned land in Lahaina to support decision making and will include an assessment of the impacts of sea level rise on various rebuilding scenarios. Based on the findings of the site analyses and potential redevelopment opportunities, land use modifications may be identified (e.g. zone changes). These efforts will build on goals, policies and implementation actions identified in the 2022 West Maui Community Plan. The individual studies will include roadways, drainage, water, sewer, electrical and telecommunication systems.

This project will create an inter-island ferry system that would deliver public transportation between Maui, Lanaʻi and Molokaʻi to improve access to resources for remote locations. It would provide increased resilience and could serve as evacuation and transportation of goods and services in the event of an emergency. Additionally, the ferry system would allow for money generated from revenue would go back into the County rather than to private corporations. There would be lower construction disruption and costs compared to building bridges, trains and tunnels.

This project will update the capacity of water infrastructure in Lahaina by improving pipeline and facility deficiencies to meet current hydraulic criteria to address low fire flow residual pressures in the water system. The County’s Department of Water Supply identified the most critical capacity deficiencies in the water system to be insufficient storage and undersized waterlines. Priority projects to mitigate deficiencies include:

1. Construction of a new 1.7-million-gallon water storage tank to increase Lahaina’s water system’s storage from 4.4 million gallons to 6.1 million gallons
2. Small diameter pipeline upgrades to correct hydraulic deficiencies and improve fire flow
3. North-South Transmission Main upgrades to improve the conveyance of water from North of the Lahaina system to South of the system

By improving fire flow capacity of the water system, this project will improve public safety and support the County’s Department of Water Supply in fulfilling its core mission of reliably delivering safe drinking water for generations. This project will immediately benefit Lahaina in the long-term recovery process and protect the community from future wildfire events. The Maui Fire Chief’s Wildfire After Action Report dated 4/17/2024 recommended that recovery efforts include increasing the Lahaina water system’s ability to meet fire flow requirements.

This project addresses the infrastructure upgrades necessary to meet capacity needs, but water source development is also a critical component of addressing capacity deficiencies. This will require collaboration with CWRM to secure the necessary water use permit allocations to accommodate new water source development in West Maui.

• Continue to partner with the State Department of Health and State Hawaiian Housing Authority to secure funding
• Identify funding for the new storage tank

Disaster Case Management (DCM) is an essential part of recovery as it connects survivors with case managers to assess and address their needs through the creation of a disaster recovery plan.  This project encompasses the long-term disaster case management program that extends beyond response activities.

This project involves preservation,  restoration, rehabilitation, and/or reconstruction of historic buildings in Lahaina lost to the fire, as well as cultural spaces and stories.  Key efforts include: restoration of historic structures; creation of a Lahaina historic corridor that aligns with the establishment of the Lahaina cultural corridor; a multicultural center and museum to create space for community members to gather and celebrate culture and heritage; oral histories from survivors and residents of Lahaina and Kula to capture their experiences and memories before the fire, the day of, and after the fire; and potential feasibility study to designate Lahaina as a National Heritage Area by NPS. This project will honor the culture and history of Lahaina by partnering with Lahaina community members, supporting government agencies, historic property owners, and community groups involved in historic preservation and restoration such as Lahaina Restoration Foundation.

Almost all of Lahaina’s historic buildings were damaged or completely destroyed in the August 2023 wildfire. Building foundations and some historic building materials remain; though significant planning, funding, coordination, and community engagement is needed to rebuild the historic structures. Community members and leaders have expressed interest in restoring historic structures and establishing a historic corridor in Lahaina. The fires also destroyed Lahaina’s museum, Na ʻAikane o Maui (Maui’s only Native Hawaiian cultural center), as well as irreplaceable historical artifacts. A new museum space in Lahaina would provide a space to share the history of Lahaina and house artifacts, while a multicultural center would provide a much-needed space to learn, practice culture and strengthen the spiritual, mental and physical health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. It would prepare next generations to become contributing people in their communities, families and nations and provide access to recordings of oral histories which provides opportunities to document stories, traditions and experiences and share these with the broader community. Oral histories are significant traditions to Native Hawaiians and other cultures to pass down information from generation to generation.

Gaining consensus between groups,  identification of leadership, funding, economic viability, and long-term funding and maintenance. Additionally, there are competing opinions on post-contact building/site restoration, shoreline management area requirements, updated shoreline setbacks, and other land use controls for Front Street’s redevelopment.

• Establish connections within the community and identify community leads, funding opportunities, planners and contractors for the rebuild planning
• Scope, plan and complete oral history project and multicultural center and museum with community and supporting agencies

This project will make enhancements to the existing wastewater infrastructure in Lahaina, including planning, design and construction of a proposed gravity sewer system to service approximately 231 households, currently serviced by cesspools. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is providing direct technical assistance to support the County, including the County Department of Environmental Management, Department of Public Works and others as needed by developing documents necessary for construction. The intent of this technical assistance is to deliver the project
"shovel ready" to the County for construction implementation. The EPA's Technical Assistance period of performance is approximately 18 months from contract award date.

The West Maui Business Center (WMBC) provides comprehensive support service that includes small business advising/coaching, workshops, business research and resources, and networking opportunities. Project partners offering in-person and/or virtual assistance are County Office of Economic Development, American Job Center, Maui County Business Resource Center Hawaiʻi Small Business Development Center Network, Maui Economic Development Board, Maui Economic Opportunity, and County Department of Liquor Control. Most services are provided at no cost; fees may be incurred from specialized services. More information can be found at: https://www.mauinuistrong.info/westmauibusinesscenter

The West Maui Greenway is a proposed 25-mile multiuse trail that will connect Ukumehame to Līpoa Point. It will provide a safe, multimodal transportation option to using the Honoapi’ilani Highway and act as an alternative evacuation route accessible to vehicles in an emergency, as well as a fire and fuel break for fire protection. Welcoming people of all ages and abilities who walk, bike, or use assisted mobility devices, the  West Maui Greenway was identified as a priority project in numerous previous planning efforts. The Maui Metropolitan Planning Organization received federal funding and produced the West Maui Greenway Plan (September 2022) which developed a preferred route alignment, breaking the corridor into seven segments and trail types. This project focuses on Phase 1 which includes Segments 3, 4, and 5 from Lahaina Civic Center to Launiupoko Beach Park (5.25 miles).

The West Maui Greenway will provide a variety of community benefits when complete. It will serve as a multimodal transportation corridor providing connections to key community destinations, resilience benefits and a utility corridor for power lines and water and wastewater lines.  It is also anticipated to provided an amenity to Lahaina that will encourage adjacent economic development.

Route alignment and design for Phase 1 need to be coordinated with the Lahaina Rebuild Framework project as the West Maui Greenway is a key urban design feature for the town.  Right-of-way acquisition, funding  and long-term management and maintenance of the greenway are key challenges.

• Begin environmental permitting, community engagement, and right of way acquisition investigations for Phase 1
• Secure funding for right of way acquisition, design and construction

This project will provide construction funding and land acquisition for a Critical Access Hospital in West Maui that will include 25 acute and sub-acute beds, five emergency room (ER) bays and three operating rooms (ORs). It is being lead privately with County inclusion.