The Hawaiian homestead community of Leialiʻi, just a few minutes west of Lāhainā, is home to more than 100 Native Hawaiian beneficiaries of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.
Fortunately, only two homes in Leialiʻi were lost in the Aug. 8 wildfires, but homesteaders were left without electricity or water.
Hawaiian Homes Commissioner Randy Awo, who represents Native Hawaiian beneficiaries on Maui, has been on the ground in Leialiʻi since government officials allowed him in.
“We were finally allowed to enter, I think it was the Thursday following the event. And so we were allowed to get through the checkpoint to go out with some of our staff,” Awo said. “What we did see initially was this miraculous survival of homes that were surrounded by devastation.”
The fire burned through the adjacent neighborhood of Wahikuli just east of Leialiʻi and proceeded to go around nearly all structures in Leialiʻi except for two homes. But they still had their challenges.
“They had no electricity, they had no running water. There was damage to the roofs,” Awo said. “And so, you know, our immediate concern was to move quickly with whatever supplies they needed.”
Several Leialiʻi homesteaders offered up their homes to serve as community hubs for distributing supplies including water and food as well as air filters and generators.
Looking to the future, Awo said DHHL’s plans to develop 250 homestead lots in Leialiʻi may get fast tracked to provide housing opportunities for displaced Native Hawaiian beneficiaries.
“That was put on hold for a while because that’s a very costly project because the ʻāina is very expensive to develop — a lot of blue rock,” Awo said.
“But you know as a result of what occurred, the focus has now shifted to Leialiʻi.”
Awo and the Commission have also set up the DHHL Emergency Rental Assistance Program to make available up to $5 million in federal funds to help pay for temporary lodging and/or rent for up to six months.
These funds are being made available to DHHL lessees and applicants.
