Hale Makua is rolling out a two-pronged plan it hopes will keep Maui residents from having to choose between basic care, basic housing, and leaving the island altogether. The nonprofit announced Thursday that it will build a Kahului “CarePlex” health campus and a 100-unit workforce rental project at Kahului Community Center Park, both aimed at keeping nurses, teachers and families displaced by the 2023 wildfires living and working on Maui. Together, the projects bundle a higher-acuity rehabilitation center, same-day surgery and specialty clinics with local training programs and below-market housing to plug chronic staffing and access gaps.
Inside the Planned Kahului CarePlex
The CarePlex is designed as a one-stop hub for higher-need care that too often requires a flight to another island. Plans call for a Kahului Rehabilitation Center with 56 skilled nursing and intermediate-care beds, paired with physical, occupational and speech therapy services. That center would sit alongside an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) and a physician clinic focused on women’s health and specialty care.
Insurers are stepping in too. HMSA has agreed to co-develop the ASC and clinic so more residents can receive same-day procedures on-island and visiting specialists have a home base on Maui, according to a press release from Hale Makua.
Shortages Behind the Big Swing
Statewide workforce numbers help explain the urgency. The Healthcare Association of Hawaii's 2024 Healthcare Workforce Initiative found nearly 4,700 open health care positions across the state, with Maui accounting for roughly 430 of those openings. Planning documents and local reporting cited by the association underscore the strain: Maui faces a roughly 41% physician shortfall, 60% unmet demand for specialty care and a 28% surgical shortage that sends many residents off-island for what should be routine procedures, according to the Healthcare Association of Hawaii.
Where the Housing Goes and Who Gets It
The companion housing project is pitched as a lifeline for workers and fire-displaced families who want to stay put but are being priced out. The workforce rental is planned for a subdivided portion of Kahului Community Center Park at 275 Uhu St. and would add roughly 100 units reserved for entry- and mid-level health care and education workers along with families displaced by the 2023 wildfires.
Project documents shown to county lawmakers outline 74 two-bedroom units and 26 one-bedroom units, with rents capped at about 30% of household income. The proposal has the county's preliminary backing through Resolution 25-139, CD1, according to Maui News and reflected in records from Maui County.
Who Is Paying and Who Is Partnering
The CarePlex and housing complex have attracted a mix of philanthropic, county and federal backing, although organizers acknowledge they still need more capital to move from drawings to dirt work. Early commitments include grants from the Kosasa Foundation and the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, along with earlier career-pathway support from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation and the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation.
On the federal side, earmarks have been secured, with Sen. Brian Schatz reporting $3 million for Hale Makua’s expansion. Developers say ongoing pre-development work and environmental review will shape a multi-year path toward actual construction.
What Happens Next
County committee action this summer cleared the way for pre-development while property meets and bounds, archaeological reviews and permitting are sorted out. The real schedule will ultimately come down to full financing and formal approvals.
Wesley Lo, who leads Hale Makua, plans to shift into a full-time role at the nonprofit later this year to shepherd the projects. "This crucial project shows what's possible when strong local partners come together for Maui Nui," County of Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said, according to Maui Now, and county records lay out the next steps for council consideration as the concept moves from promise to build-out.
