Maui Residents Rebuild Lahaina for Community After Fires and Storms
In the wake of devastating wildfires and severe flooding, residents of Lahaina, Maui, are leading a determined effort to rebuild their community for locals rather than tourists. The deadliest wildfires in US history ravaged Lahaina in 2023, destroying over 2,000 structures and claiming more than 100 lives. Nearly three years later, hundreds of households remain in temporary housing, with poverty, unemployment, and housing instability worsening significantly.
Climate Crises and Community Resilience
In March, Hawaii experienced two consecutive storms that caused the worst flooding in two decades. In Lahaina, muddy floodwaters transformed streets into rivers, carved new paths through the barren landscape, and created sinkholes that engulfed cars. This disaster compounded the ongoing recovery from the wildfires, highlighting the urgent need for climate resilience.
"So many people were hanging on by a thread as it is," said Paele Kiakona, an organizer with the grassroots group Lahaina Strong. Despite these challenges, organizers and residents remain committed to protecting Lahaina from further climate crises and rebuilding the town for their community.
Grassroots Initiatives and Native Restoration
Several community-led initiatives are driving the recovery. Kaiāulu Initiatives is planting acres of native plants to restore land that was fallowed by decades of water diversion, which had made it susceptible to fire. Meanwhile, Nā 'Aikāne o Maui Cultural Center is advising on the redevelopment of Front Street, the main tourist area, to better honor Native Hawaiian heritage and serve the local community.
Perhaps the most significant victory came in December, when the city council passed a law to phase out 7,000 vacation rentals on the island—15% of the housing stock—to provide homes for fire survivors and other locals. "We passed legislation as community members, which is unheard of," Kiakona noted. "We're just community members organizing grassroots from the bottom up, bringing our people in."
Community Mobilization in Crisis
The fires and storms have reinforced the importance of community self-reliance. In the immediate aftermath of the 2023 blaze, local efforts filled gaps where federal emergency assistance was slow to respond. During the recent storms, residents coordinated to remove fallen trees, pull cars from riverbeds, and dig trenches to divert flooding. "We were just jumping in everywhere we possibly could," Kiakona said. "The community is so activated."
Prioritizing Housing for Locals
After the fires, fears grew that recovery would be too slow and expensive for locals to remain. This became a reality, with about 3,400 residents leaving the island due to insurance gaps, uneven federal aid, and soaring rents. To counter this, Lahaina Strong led an encampment behind high-end resorts on Kāʻanapali beach, demanding long-term housing for survivors. The protest highlighted how local government had prioritized tourists over residents.
The pressure paid off: after seven months of protests and talks, the mayor introduced a proposal to phase out short-term rentals in apartment-zoned areas by 2029 in west Maui, including Lahaina, and by 2031 for the rest of the island. "I think there's an understanding that the status quo led us to where we are," Kiakona explained. "We've put so much effort into making things better for our home that the status quo would be the end of us, again."
Keeping Land in Local Hands
The Lahaina Community Land Trust is another key initiative, buying homes for sale and reselling them to locals at affordable rates to prevent sales to investors or non-locals. The trust, composed of multigenerational residents, also provides grants for rebuilding. "Our vision is restoring relationship to 'āina [land], whether it's through housing, commercial spaces or open space that is really grounded in the real history of this place," said Autumn Ness, executive director of the land trust. So far, the trust has acquired at least 20 parcels of land for housing and plans to expand into commercial spaces.
Protecting Vulnerable Community Members
Recovery efforts also focus on vulnerable groups, such as Lahaina's Filipino immigrants, who make up about 40% of the community. Many struggle to access formal assistance due to work and childcare constraints. Tagnawa, an advocacy group, has stepped in to connect survivors to disaster relief in their language, facilitate health assessments, and organize mental health workshops.
Additionally, increased US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations have led to deportations of some fire survivors, creating fear in immigrant communities. Maui Roots Reborn provides "know your rights" trainings, an ICE watch group, and a rapid response network to offer stability. "If there is anything that we can do to provide stability in some way or another... we're not only creating community, but we're also creating stability in meaningful ways," said Veronica Mendoza, executive director of the group.
Looking Ahead
Weeks after the storms, a disaster declaration was finally approved for Hawaii. Kiakona emphasized the ongoing role of community in overcoming tragedy. "Bureaucracy gets in the way a lot of the time, so sometimes the community just needs to take action," he said. "That's how we are in Hawaii—we take care of one another." Through these collective efforts, Lahaina residents are forging a path toward a resilient, locally focused future.
