Lahaina Strong, a group of fire survivors focused on their town's recovery and resiliency, rallied Wednesday at the state Capitol to list their clear demands for state lawmakers this legislative session.
Paele Kiakona, the founder of the advocacy group, lost his multigenerational home to the wildfire and said he wants lawmakers to listen to the community.
"My hometown would still be here right now, but we see the reality," he said.
The Aug. 8 wildfire ripped through the historic West Maui town, killing at least 100 people and displacing thousands of residents who have been staying in hotels until the town rebuilds.
But with Lahaina still in ruins, organizers emphasized the need for housing displaced residents.
Courtney Lazo spoke in favor of measures that would convert short-term rentals into long-term housing, as state officials say that rebuilding Lahaina could take up to five years.
The Valley Isle has over 12,000 short-term rentals and more than 12,000 second homes. However, about 24,000 units sit empty most of the time.
Lazo said there was no place for her family to stay, so they had to move out of Lahaina for shelter.
"The fact that we even allow this to begin with is really disheartening," Lazo said.
Lahaina was once the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom and then a whaling port. The town has also become a bustling tourism area with hotel, restaurant and bar industry workers.
Residents have been divided over reopening Lahaina to tourism while the community is still grieving, but also emphasized the need for people to go back to work.
Lahaina organizers are advocating for more sustainable tourism to state leaders, according to Katie Austin.
She wants the state to invest in comprehensive training programs and an agreement that local hiring is a priority.
"We need to recognize the role of small businesses," Austin said. "We must encourage them to lead a regenerative tourism model and a tourism model that gives back to our ʻāina instead of the constant take we have seen from the current tourism model for years."
The advocacy group also wants the restoration of Lahaina's water and land. The region was known for its lush environment, cultural resources and abundant water. However, the fire revealed a long-running dispute over water use in West Maui.
De Andre Makakoa said water should not be profited off of, but instead valued as a sacred resource. He's demanding the restoration of Lahaina's historic wetlands and making water sources, including recycled water, accessible for community use.
"Because every drop counts in our journey towards self-sustainability," Makakoa said "And remember, this is not Lahaina's fight. This fight is for all of Hawaiʻi. Because what happened to Lahaina can happen anywhere."
Lahaina was a coastal wetland covered with ʻulu groves. Now, invasive grass that's highly flammable overpopulates much of Maui.
Kiakona is pushing for measures requiring landowners to restore Lahaina's ecosystem and remove invasive grasses to prevent future wildfires.
"Our way forward, all we have to do is look back at what was behind us," he said. "Our people were able to sustain themselves for thousands of years without help from any outside entities because they knew how to be stewards of their land."
