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Vacation rentals evicted from Kīhei Marketplace redevelopment plans
A redevelopment project to beautify the rundown Kīhei Marketplace ran into strong community opposition Tuesday before the Maui Planning Commission with dozens of testifiers irked about plans for 13 transient vacation rentals. Commissioners received 56 pieces of written testimony and heard from more than a half-dozen testifiers, the vast...
Green, advocates unite to support short-term rental bill as end of legislative session nears
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - There’s a final push underway at the state Legislature to let counties phase out short-term rentals to help ease the housing crisis. For groups that don’t always agree, there was a show of unity among the governor, lawmakers, unions and Maui activists. At the State...
Bank of Hawai‘i’s Lahaina branch is under construction with grand opening set before the end of 2024
Bank of Hawai‘i announces today that construction of its new Lahaina Branch is currently underway at a new location at Lahaina Cannery Mall with an anticipated grand opening by the end of 2024. The new branch will feature the bank’s signature Branch of Tomorrow concept, providing much-needed financial services...
Critical minutes: Timeline details early emergency response to Lahaina wildfire
A minute-by-minute timeline assembled by fire investigators provides a chilling, detailed account of how a grassland fire reported at 2:55 p.m. Aug. 8, mauka of the Lahaina Bypass and Kelawea Mauka Makai Park, rapidly grew into a monster, devouring everything in its path. The story of the afternoon Lahaina fire’s...
Kaulana Mahina workforce housing apartments celebrates grand opening in Central Maui
The grand opening of Kaulana Mahina Apartments—a workforce housing development in Wailuku—took place on Thursday, April 18. This event comes at a time when the chronically undersupplied housing market on Maui has been further impacted by the devastating fires of last August. Legacy Partners, in partnership with the...
To make it to 100, he survived the Great Depression, WWII — and the Lahaina wildfires
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Hawaii has a new member in the centenarian club. James Peck, celebrated his 100th birthday on Sunday. While that is an incredible feat itself, his life story is equally amazing. Born in a Los Angeles suburb in 1924, Peck lived through the great depression with his family.
Meals for Lahaina fire victims staying in hotels cut to 1 per day
Maui fire survivors still living in hotels have had their daily meals reduced from three to one. The about 820 families still sheltering in hotels were notified via text message earlier this month. The Hawaiʻi Emergency Management Agency in February requested that FEMA extend the non-congregate sheltering program. FEMA agreed,...
Lawmakers take aim at vacation rentals after Lahaina wildfire amplifies housing crisis
Amy Chadwick spent years scrimping and saving as a single mother of two to buy a house in Lahaina on Maui. But after a devastating fire leveled Lahaina in August and reduced Chadwick's home to white dust, the cheapest rental she and her now-husband could find for their family and dogs cost $10,000 a month.
Maui County opens permitting center to help residents rebuild after the fires
Maui County is opening a new Recovery Permitting Center next week in Kahului. A satellite location is also being planned for Lahaina. The center’s staff will assist residents with the process of applying for Disaster Recovery Building Permits for structures affected by the August wildfires. That includes alterations, repairs, reconstruction and new construction.
Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne Johnson pledged $10M for Maui wildfire survivors. They gave much more.
When Winfrey and Johnson launched the People's Fund for Maui, which benefitted people who lost their homes in the wildfires, they committed $10 million and asked others to join them. At the time, the request was met with some criticism, given especially Winfrey's wealth and extensive estate in Maui.
As lawmakers work to finalize state budget, Maui mayor seeks $125M for wildfire recovery
Maui's mayor has sent an urgent letter to lawmakers seeking $125 million in emergency funding to help recover from the Lahaina and upcountry wildfires. This comes as leaders work to finalize the $12 billion state budget.
County offers clarifications on mayor’s presence in the EOC, and a missing sign-in sheet noted in AG’s report on Lahaina fire
The County of Maui offered clarifications and response on details contained in the Attorney General’s Lahaina Fire Comprehensive Timeline Report, which was released on Wednesday. The Phase One report contains information related to Mayor Richard Bissen’s presence in the County Emergency Operations Center, the timing of his request for a Maui Emergency Proclamation, and the County’s efforts to comply with requests for documents. The County Communications Office issued clarifications, defending actions and efforts to provide timely response during and in the wake of the Lahaina Wildfire Disaster.
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