Lahaina to Get Prefab Buildings for Wildfire Survivors

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(TNS) – A state social services agency is working to produce what could be the first temporary housing community developed for Maui fire survivors, a 450-unit project where initial occupancy is expected in a few months.

The $115 million project has been named Kala’iola and is being created using furnished, prefabricated homes from four manufacturers arranged with 26 community buildings on undeveloped state land in Lahaina long planned for residential development.

An initial phase with 270 homes and some community buildings likely won’t be ready until August because of time needed to develop roads and utility infrastructure on the site.

However, fire survivors may be able to move into some of the homes with temporary utility connections in April or May, and perhaps one day purchase the units at a discount for use on property that homeowners lost in the Aug. 8 fire.

The state Department of Human Services is heading up the project at the direction of Gov. Josh Green.

“The main goal is to get people out of noncongregate shelters as soon as possible,” said Joseph Campos II, DHS deputy director. “We think it’s a good place for building a sense of community….This is one way the state of Hawaii can ensure that people have a peaceful place of recovery.”

DHS is buying the homes from four companies and will put them on 72 acres near Lahaina Civic Center and within a larger state-owned parcel where development of the master- planned Villages of Leali’i has been long stalled.

Homes in the DHS project range from studios to three-bedroom units, all with lanai. To serve multigenerational families, multiple units can be arranged more closely.

Community buildings will be used to provide things including child care, wellness services, gathering places for seniors, laundry facilities and a resiliency hub.

If the plan is realized, the new homes would supplement state, county and federal government efforts to temporarily move more fire survivors out of expensive hotel lodging after more than six months since the disaster destroyed close to 4, 000 homes and killed at least 101 people.

About 1,750 households remained in hotels as of last week, according to Green.

The governor has implored owners of legal and illegal vacation rentals to rent their properties to fire survivors in return for above-market residential rates and property tax abatement, but there hasn’t been enough willingness to satisfy the need.

“Our collective goal is to move all individuals and families who are in short-term hotels into long-term stable housing by July 1,” Green said Tuesday during a presentation.

The 450 homes at Kala ‘iola represent the biggest planned new temporary fire survivor housing project on Maui, where there are also county, federal and private-sector plans to produce such housing.

These other plans, according to Maui County officials, include 34 homes to be developed at Maui Lani by the county, 214 homes planned in Kaanapali by FEMA, 88 homes being built in Kahului by the nonprofit Family Life Center, 77 homes planned in Napili by the Holomua Institute and 50 homes being developed at Kapalua Resort for resort employees by their employer.

Development timetables for all the projects are somewhat uncertain, according to Maui County officials. It’s possible that the 270-unit initial phase of Kala’iola becomes the first one ready for fire survivors.

The cost for all 450 housing units totals $56 million, according to DHS, or about $118, 000 per unit on average.

The project’s total $115 million budget includes $30 million pledged by the Hawaii Community Foundation and $10 million expected from the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, which would benefit from some of the infrastructure under the long-term Leali ‘i development plan.

The Villages of Leali’i master plan is a state project that dates back to at least 1990. It covers 1,128 acres and envisions roughly 3,000 to 4,000 homes, including DHHL homesteads and affordable housing.

Campos estimated that the temporary homes for fire survivors at Kala ‘iola could be in place for three to five years, and will cost the state $5 million a year to operate, mainly from utility and property management expenses. He said it would be a policy decision to determine how long the state covers expenses for tenants.

Longer-term or even permanent use of the homes is expected. Campos anticipates that the homes might be sold at a discount to Lahaina property owners who want to move the units when they are able to return and rebuild on property destroyed by the fire.

Temporary homes The state plans to buy 450 furnished, prefabricated homes from four companies and install them on undeveloped land in Lahaina.