HONOLULU — State Sen. Angus McKelvey said an ambitious $500 million plan to provide long-term stable housing to Maui wildfire survivors still lodged in hotels and other short-term accommodations ignores the needs and concerns of those it’s intended to help.
Gov. Josh Green, Maui Mayor Richard Bissen and other partners announced the plan at a news conference at Maui Lani, one of the designated relocation sites, on Friday, the same day McKelvey joined members of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means on a site visit to the Lahaina burn zone.
What You Need To Know
The Maui Interim Housing Plan is a joint commitment by the state, Maui County, the Hawaii Community Foundation, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the American Red Cross to create more than 3,000 long-term stable housing units
State Sen. Angus McKelvey, who represents West Maui, Maalaea, Waikapu and South Maui, said the plan would disrupt the lives of many residents work on the west side and have children who attend school in the district
McKelvey said the proposed alternative for families to remain in West Maui will exacerbate inflation by forcing families to pay day rates for short-term rentals
McKelvey also took issue with Green’s Ninth Emergency Proclamation on Wildfires
