Three months after the August wildfire, a group of Maui community members are taking a stand at Kā’anapali Beach to secure long-term housing.
Thousands of Lahaina residents displaced by the fire continue to live in hotels and other temporary housing.
With a large shortage of long-term housing options, some residents have been camping out on the beach since Friday as part of Fishing for Housing. It’s a movement spearheaded by the Lahaina Strong organization.
“The reason why we're here on Kā’anapali Beach is not just to push for long-term housing, but dignified housing," said Courtney Lazo, one of many who lost her home to the Lahaina fire.
"Our families here that are in the hotels that are getting shuffled around, 48-hour eviction notice if even that. Having to move their families, their kids, there's no stability. There's no healing. There's we can't even process and grieve what's going on, when you're constantly worrying, where am I going to be tomorrow? Where am I going to be next week?" she said.
Organizers of Fishing for Housing say there are more than 6,500 people still in temporary housing across 35 hotels and condos.
They are asking Maui Mayor Richard Bissen and Gov. Josh Green to use emergency actions under state law to convert short-term units into long-term rentals.
Lazo said displaced residents are tired of being shuffled around for incoming visitors and she suggests finding ways to honor both.
“We cannot put the tourism industry above the community if it means that the community gets kicked out and gets displaced, over and over again,” she explained at a press conference Friday.
Residents say they’ll be at Kā’anapali Beach as long as it takes to secure adequate housing for Lahaina families.
Paele Kiakona said the group stands not as protesters but as protectors.
“Today, we stand firm, demanding action. We seek secure, long-term housing for our people, protecting them from rent increases that threaten our stability and robust defenses against our unjust evictions. We also demand recognition and respect as the rightful stewards of this land, and not as second-class citizens," he said.
"Time and time again, decisions impacting Lahaina have been made without our input. Today we say, ‘enough.’”
