A new $20 million housing project for West Maui educators just broke ground. The rental complex will feature 47 units and provide much-needed housing for teachers displaced by the fires.
Officials say the housing will help bring stability to Lahaina’s classrooms.
“This project is about creating a real path for educators to stay rooted in Lahaina, in the community that they serve,” said Department of Education Superintendent Keith Hayashi at a groundbreaking ceremony last week.
“We've all heard their stories — teachers living out of hotel rooms, commuting for hours to and from the other side of the island, or working second jobs to get by. These are the people showing up every day for our kids, and they deserve better solutions.”
Hayashi highlighted the challenges facing educators in staying in Lahaina.
“This project is a bold answer to a clear need,” he continued. “In a recent employee survey, nearly one-third of our Maui staff said they face housing displacement since the fires. Over 20% of Lahaina’s educators are thinking about leaving the state, not because they want to, but because they can't afford to stay.”
The 5-acre Lahaina location is above Princess Nāhiʻenaʻena Elementary and below Lahainaluna High School.
"This project responds directly to that need — the need for housing our school employees,” said Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen in a press release. “That will bring consistency to our classrooms that allows those who guide, who nourish, who transport and care for our students to remain close to the places they serve.”
Like many other Maui residents, West Maui educators struggled to find housing, even before the 2023 wildfires.
“It was hard before the fires to have people be able to commit and live and be full-time educators and staff members out here in Lahaina. The fires and the cost of living going up has just made it harder and harder,” Lahainaluna Principal Richard Carosso said.
“That just hurts us from the point of building our culture of our schools because they’re not here as readily for the kids in the afternoon, for kids in the evenings, to go to games, to be part of clubs. So bringing people back to our hill, to our place, is what this project is about.”
Maui-based Dowling Co. has been contracted for construction.
The project will include one- and two-bedroom units and is expected to be completed by December. Rental rates are still being finalized but will be income-based.
