The Hawaiʻi Fire Relief Housing Program, an emergency response effort by the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, has registered more than 900 houses, apartment units and rooms that are immediately available for rent by Maui residents displaced by the island’s devastating fires.
As of August 22, nearly 80 Maui families had found rental housing through the program, HHFDC Interim Executive Director Dean Minakami said in a statement. Of the 900-plus properties offered to date, just over half are on Maui, with about 30 percent on Oʻahu. Ten offers came from out-of-state.
Hawai‘i Gov. Josh Green welcomed the news, noting that a large number of displaced Maui residents have already moved from emergency shelters to nearby hotels. He then asked that more Hawai‘i residential property owners respond.
“Now the survivors will begin to turn their focus toward their next steps as they try to restore some semblance of normalcy to their lives,” Green said in a statement. “We humbly ask that those Hawaiʻi homeowners and landlords who are able to open up their homes to our Maui survivors to show their aloha.”
The program connects displaced residents with available properties, which are posted and updated twice daily on the program’s online database and map; FAQs are also posted. Rental payments are not provided.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is providing direct financial assistance to eligible residents who rent units offered at fair market value.
Rents and other terms are negotiated by displaced residents and property owners as part of a standard rental agreement. The HHFDC is encouraging property owners to charge minimal to zero rent. There is no obligation for parties to accept the agreement.
The program’s hotline staff can be reached from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and via email. The HHFDC says response has been overwhelming and urges those who have not yet received a return call to remain patient.
For available rental property database and map: https://dbedt.hawaii.gov/hhfdc/hawaii-fire-relief-housing-program/
For FAQ: https://dbedt.hawaii.gov/hhfdc/files/2023/08/HHFDC-Fire-Relief-Housing-FAQ-V.4.0-081623-1100.pdf
For FEMA assistance: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4724
Hotline: (808) 587-0469
Hotline email: [email protected]
