In Lahaina, Hawaii, Maude Cumming rushed to break ground on housing for survivors of a massive fire that killed 102 people and destroyed nearly 2,200 structures. Her nonprofit, the Family Life Center, planned to build an 88-unit village of modular homes named Ohana Hope Village. However, a year later, only 10 units are occupied, fueling frustration in the community due to continued housing insecurity. Construction was stalled by bureaucratic obstacles including meeting commercial standards and slow access to a county water line.
Housing insecurity remains a major hurdle for survivors, with 59% of affected people on Maui having moved at least three times since the fire. Families have moved as many as eight times as housing programs expired or tensions rose among hosts. While short-term housing was found for all families, long-term solutions remain challenging due to high rents on the island.
Disaster teams helped over 13,000 displaced people with temporary shelter and currently aid is provided through rental assistance programs, interim housing, and disaster case management. While 8,000 people were initially moved into hotels, efforts are ongoing to provide longer-term housing solutions. Cumming aims to finish the Ohana Hope Village in the next few months, hoping it can serve as a model for disaster response. However, uncertainty and frustration persist among residents waiting for stable housing, highlighting the ongoing challenges in recovery efforts.
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