More than $2 billion in federal funding is headed to Maui for disaster recovery following last year’s wildfires.
Over the weekend, Congress voted to allocate $1.6 billion in new Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery to fund housing on Maui. An additional $480 million will go toward economic development, small business loans, water and road infrastructure and other needs.
U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz announced the passage of the landmark funding on his social media.
“It's done. We did it. $2.1 billion coming to Maui,” he said. “The bill is passed. It's on its way to the President's desk. It's been a long, long road. I know the people of Maui have been waiting a long time. This is going to help everybody recover.”
The allocations were part of a short-term spending bill to fund the government until March 14.
Strict federal guidelines govern how the funds have to be used and require comprehensive financial reporting by Maui County to the federal government.
“We are profoundly grateful for this vital disaster relief, which will allow us to begin the critical work of rebuilding and fortifying our community after the worst wildfires this nation has seen in a century,” Mayor Richard Bissen said.
“This CDBG-DR funding will not only help our most vulnerable wildfire survivors, but also enable us to invest in projects that will make Maui County more resilient and better prepared for future challenges.”
After spending months preparing, Maui County established a special program office within the Office of Recovery to oversee the management and use of the funds.
