The news is reporting that residents in West Maui are searching for housing at Kaanapali Beach. The residents of La Hina, another area, are also looking for answers and long-term housing. Nikki Schenfeld provides more information on the situation.
She is at the famous Kaanapali Beach, where a dozen hotel properties are currently accommodating thousands of displaced residents and visitors until the government can find them long-term housing. Governor Josh Green mentioned earlier this week that there are still approximately 6,700 residents staying in hotel rooms, with most of them being in Kaanapali, which is a popular tourist destination on the island.
Despite losing his home, a resident named Earl says he is lucky to have an apartment, but he knows many others who are moving from room to room daily. He mentions the issue of families being kicked out of hotels to make room for tourists, which he believes is unfair.
Junya Nicole’s daughter lost her home in the fire and is currently living with 17 others who are also displaced. They want the red tape to be removed in terms of permitting and allow for temporary long-term housing to be built on agricultural land in West Maui. He has been providing families with temporary accommodations in hotels since the fires, and in the past week, he moved 45 people to a new hotel, including one family twice in less than seven days. Governor Green’s team is working with partners, including Maui County, to secure long-term housing for those affected by the wildfires.
The housing crisis in Hawaii has been worsened by the fires, making it even more challenging to address. Mayor Bissen met with several Latino residents earlier today to hear their concerns about the housing issue..
