Over a year after Lahaina fires, Native Hawaiian homeowners hit another breaking point
Mikey Burke, a Native Hawaiian and fourth-generation Lahainan, lost her home in the Maui wildfires last August.
Mikey Burke, a Native Hawaiian and fourth-generation Lahainan, lost her home in the Maui wildfires last August. She wants to rebuild for her family of six, but the costs are overwhelming, especially since her rental assistance ran out two months ago. And when she tried to get an extension, she was denied. She also didn’t qualify for FEMA aid until her rent was due.
Lifelong Lahaina residents who have squeezed out every avenue of assistance are now at a unique crossroads: leave the only home they’ve known or figure out a way to stay — both of which feel impossible.
For many Lahaina homeowners, rental assistance through their insurance ended in October after they’d spent the first couple of months post-fire filing claims and getting shuffled into hotels.
Now, they’re feeling a multipronged pinch of expiring financial assistance, rising rents and an insurance gap that has left them unable to pay for rebuilding costs.
Carolyn Auweloa and Mikey Burke have started Lahaina Community Land Trust so residents have the option to stay in Lahaina or sell within the community.Jessica Machado / NBC News“A couple of months ago, we all felt like we were finally at that ‘we can breathe’ phase,” said Kukui Keahi, a fire survivor and the community care lead for the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement’s Maui recovery program. “Now, I think we’re at this rocky area again.”
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