Thursday marks six months since that devastating wildfire in Lahaina killed 100 people and displaced thousands. Many are still struggling to secure long-term housing, but hopes of remaining on Maui appear uncertain.
Princess Nāhiʻenaʻena Elementary School teacher Liko Rogers lost his family home in Lahaina in the Aug. 8 fires. He and his wife Sissy have had to shuffle from hotel to hotel at least three times since. As soon as he received his insurance check, he thought he had a plan.
"Ma kīnohi, manaʻo mākou hiki paha ke hoʻolimalima i kekahi hale ma Maui nei a hoʻohana i ʻia kālā ʻinikua e uku a mākaukau ka ʻāina o Lahaina e hoʻi mākou a kūkulu hou."
At first, he said, they figured they’d rent a home on Maui with the insurance money until their land in Lahaina was ready for them to rebuild.
But Rogers soon realized that with rapidly rising rents, the insurance money would only last so long.
"No laila, ka mākou ke huli nei mākou e kūʻai i hale ma ʻaneʻi, eia naʻe pīpiʻi loa. Pīpiʻi loa. Ko mākou hale ma Lahaina, he ʻehiku lumi moe, ʻehā lumi ʻauʻau, a he hale nui nō. ʻAʻole hiki ke ʻimi ʻia kekahi mea like. A inā ua loaʻa, pīpiʻi loa paha. He ʻoi aku i ka $2 miliona paha."
Rogers said now the plan is to buy a home here on Maui. But it’s expensive — very expensive.
Their home in Lahaina was a seven-bedroom, four-bathroom house. He said they’re never going to find anything like it, and if they do, it’ll probably cost more than $2 million.
"Nui ka hopohopo o mākou, koʻu ʻohana hopohopo mākou ke nānā nei mākou i nā hale ma waho o Maui nei. E pono ana e haʻalele no ka pīpiʻi o nā hale ua nānā ʻia ka mokupuni nui. A inā ʻaʻole ʻo ka ʻāina ʻē paha kahi koho."
Rogers said he and his family are seriously concerned. He said they’ve looked at homes on Hawai’i Island. The mainland is also an option. But his job is here and so are his kids.
"He alahele lōʻihi, ʻaʻole naʻe ia he alaina. E noke mau ana ka ʻohana Rogers ... e kūkulu hou i hale ma laila a e noho hou ana mākou i lahaina i kekahi wā, i ka wā kūpono."
He said it's a long road ahead, but it won’t stop them. The Rogers ‘Ohana will push forward and rebuild their home in Lahaina when the time is right.
