The new County of Maui Recovery Permit Center officially opened its doors today in Kahului, providing a vital resource for those who are looking to rebuild in fire-affected areas in Lahaina and Kula as they navigate the permitting process and take the next step toward returning home.

The center is located at the County of Maui Service Center, 110 Alaihi St., Suite 207, and is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Representatives from 4LEAF Inc. are on hand to answer any questions residents may have regarding the streamlined emergency permitting process.

“This is another milestone for our community to be able to get back to their properties, and that’s what this is all about, that’s what we are pushing for, is to get people back onto their lots,” Mayor Richard Bissen said Monday at the new center. “We encourage people to submit their requests so we can accommodate them, whether it’s for a temporary or permanent structure.”

Those who wish to file through the emergency permitting portal can find links to their specific application – called the DSA Disaster Recovery Building Permit – at https://mapps.mauicounty.gov/DSA-DRBP. One application is for single-family dwellings, accessory dwellings and accessory structures, and another is for multifamily, business, commercial, industrial and other non-residential structures.

While the Kahului center will serve as the main hub through which permits will be processed, a satellite office is in the process of being set up at the Lahaina Gateway Center.

“We hope to get the physical center in Lahaina up soon,” Mayor Bissen said. “For now, we have the Kahului center, and I also encourage people to apply online and call the permit center.

For information on the Recovery Permit Center, call (808) 270-5724 or visit https://mapps.mauicounty.gov/DSA-DRBP. For more information on housing resources, visit https://www.mauirecovers.org/housing.