Maui's Ka La‘i Ola development, a beacon of progress for wildfire survivors, celebrated its completion with Governor Josh Green at the helm alongside state and community leaders. The latest in interim housing developments, the 57-acre community acts as a stabilizing force for over 320 families, or close to 900 individuals who lost their homes in the August 2023 Maui wildfires, as reported by the Office of the Governor.
Hawai‘i has risen to the occasion, setting the pace with Ka La‘i Ola as a first-of-its-kind state project targeting those ineligible for federal FEMA aid. Families were welcomed into their new homes in a matter of months, thanks to emergency proclamations that fast-tracked construction, cutting through the traditional four- to six-year timeline typical for such housing developments. Governor Green, acknowledging the swift mobilization and completion, expressed the significance of handing over keys, saying, “Every key we hand to a family is a promise that they are not forgotten, that Hawai‘i stands with them as they rebuild their lives,” during the project's completion ceremony, as noted by the Governor's Office.
The State of Hawai‘i and the Department of Human Services (DHS), in synergy with HomeAid Hawai‘i, the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF), and numerous other community organizations, worked tirelessly to turn what was once a vision into a viable living space. “This community was created to ensure that survivors who did not qualify for federal assistance still had options to find a safe place to call home,” Joseph Campos, Deputy Director of DHS told the Office of the Governor, highlighting the pivotal role of resilience and the aloha spirit in Hawai‘i.
HomeAid Hawai‘i, a nonprofit developer, was instrumental in the project's success, delivering on innovation and cost reduction. “Through public and private partnerships, we reduced costs by 42 percent, ensuring families can focus on earning, saving and rebuilding their futures,” stated Kimo Carvalho, chief executive officer of HomeAid Hawai‘i, reflecting the triumph of collaboration over adversity, according to the Office of the Governor. The completion of Ka La‘i Ola not only serves immediate needs but also primes the land for the Department of Hawaiian Homelands (DHHL), advancing their timeline by 17 years with full ownership transition set for 2029.
With Ka La‘i Ola now the largest modular housing community in Hawai‘i and ranking second nationwide, its contribution to disaster recovery housing is unprecedented, showcasing the potential when community and state entities join forces to address emergency living conditions with dignity and efficiency.
