Media Contact
For all media inquiries, please contact media@hcf-hawaii.org.
In the Media
11/28/2023
Hawaii Governor Wants To Entice Maui Property Owners To Rent To Fire Victims
Gov. Josh Green is proposing using taxpayer and private funds to build new housing and to pay home owners well above market value if they rent long term. Short-term rentals would simply be banned.
Civil Beat
11/22/2023
Housing Shortage for Maui Fire Survivors Puts Focus On Short-Term Rentals
UPDATE: Mayor Richard Bissen called for “shared sacrifice” but said a moratorium on vacation rentals would likely bring costly legal challenges and unintended consequences.
Civil Beat
11/14/2023
Nascent Lahaina Land Trust Starts Building A Base Of Support
A panel discussion on opening day of the Native Hawaiian Convention on Maui explored ways to provide affordable housing by purchasing properties burned in the Aug. 8 wildfire.
Civil Beat
10/31/2023
DOH: Financial recovery, permanent housing identified as greatest needs for Lahaina
An assessment conducted by the Hawaiʻi Department of Health identified the greatest needs of Lahaina residents affected by the wildfires and evaluated the impact on their physical and mental health.
Maui Now
10/29/2023
Editorial: Build long-term housing strategy for Hawaii
The need for housing affordable to the bulk of Hawaii’s residents is truly a crisis — one decades in the making, but now looming large and degrading quality of life for many.
Star Advertiser
10/29/2023
Continued temporary housing assistance for Maui fire survivors available with FEMA
If you are a survivor of the Aug. 8 Maui wildfires and you received FEMA rental assistance, the federal agency said to stay in touch because you may be eligible for continued rental assistance for temporary housing in any U.S.-governed location.
Maui Now
10/26/2023
Editorial: As tourism grows, so must housing
In an unexpected but welcome announcement this week, Maui’s mayor moved to accelerate the reopening of tourism in West Maui, stating on Monday, just 10 days before the order would take effect, that tourism in the area can “fully reopen” on Nov. 1.
Star Advertiser
10/26/2023
Green plans to extend Maui renter protections
Tenants on island rally to back eviction moratorium, rent freeze
Maui News
10/23/2023
AG’s Office Investigating Illegal Rent Increases And Evictions On Maui
An emergency proclamation froze rents at their pre-fire levels.
Civil Beat
10/23/2023
Hawaiʻi Community Lending to receive $2.4 million loan from USDA to finance 10 homes
Hawai‘i Community Lending will receive a $2.4-million loan from the US Department of Agriculture to finance 10 homes.
Maui Now
10/18/2023
Site aims to match residents with housing they can afford
Maui Hale Match created by Valley Isle-born software developer
Maui News
10/17/2023
Editorial: Housing strategy needed for Maui
More than a week into the first phase of West Maui’s reopening, travel is now unrestricted, and hotels and short-term rental units from Kapalua to Kahana are cleared to let their properties out to tourists.
Star Advertiser
10/5/2023
State applies for $9.9M in federal grants for housing
The state Office of Planning and Sustainable Development is applying for a $9.9 million federal grant to help generate thousands of new affordable homes in Hawaii, Gov. Josh Green announced Wednesday.
Maui News
10/4/2023
State applies for $9.9M in HUD grants for affordable housing
Governor Josh Green, M.D., today announced that the state Office of Planning and Sustainable Development is applying for a $9.9 million grant with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing program, which is aimed at helping to generate thousands of new affordable homes in Hawaiʻi.
Maui Now
9/28/2023
Kaulana Mahina workforce housing to begin application and lottery process
With construction of the first phase on a path to be completed by the end of the year, Kaulana Mahina—the new workforce housing development in Wailuku—will soon be accepting applications for its lottery process.
Maui Now
9/19/2023
Updated housing proclamation now excludes fire-impacted areas of Lahaina
Gov. Josh Green has updated his emergency proclamation that aims to expedite housing but has drawn criticism from some residents and community groups who worry it will allow developers to bypass environmental and cultural protection safeguards.
Maui News
9/18/2023
MEO in search of rental units
Maui Economic Opportunity’s Maui Fires Relief Transitional Housing Program has an urgent need for available rental units for six months.
Maui News
9/17/2023
Rental units urgently needed for transitional housing program for residents displaced by Maui fires
Maui Economic Opportunity urgently needs available rental units for six months for individuals and families displaced by the wildfires.
Maui Now
9/15/2023
Governor Green updates Emergency Proclamation on housing
Governor Josh Green, M.D., today signed the second Emergency Proclamation relating to Affordable Housing, to tackle Hawaiʻi’s decades-long housing crisis and to build thousands of new affordable homes in Hawaiʻi.
Maui Now
8/19/2023
Concerns over ‘climate gentrification’ rise after devastating Maui fires
Kim Cuevas-Reyes, a 38-year-old cellphone store owner, snuck into Lahaina last Friday to see the remnants of her home with her own eyes. She took backroads and walked. What she saw stunned her.
Maui News
8/9/2023
Public Live Stream: Housing working group to meet on Friday, 8/11, at 9am
Chief Housing Officer Nani Medeiros and members of the Build Beyond Barriers Working Group will hold a kick-off meeting from 9 to 11 a.m. Friday.
Maui News
8/8/2023
Affordable housing on Maui, Hale O Piʻikea III, awarded funds for completion of final phase
Funding has been secured for the third and final phase of the Hale O Piʻikea affordable, mixed-use rental housing community in Kīhei.
Maui Now
8/5/2023
State hopes historic building won’t delay Kahului Civic Center
Lawmakers push agencies to iron out historic preservation, get started on housing
Maui News
8/3/2023
1st phase of Liloa extension could be ready in 2027
County recently received $25M in federal funding for project
Maui News
7/30/2023
Can An Emergency Proclamation Solve Hawaii’s Housing Crisis? ‘That’s The Million Dollar Question’
Most agree Gov. Josh Green’s emergency proclamation on housing was bold; whether it will achieve its intended goal is far from clear.
Civil Beat
7/27/2023
Schatz secures $85M grant program to address national housing crisis
A new federal grant program to reward state and local governments that reform land-use policies and other local barriers that constrain the supply of affordable housing is set to begin accepting applications in the fall.
Maui Now
7/27/2023
Housing to benefit from proposed wastewater project
Facility in the works amid concerns with current Kahului treatment plant’s capacity and location near shoreline
Maui News
7/23/2023
Editorial: Housing crisis demands action
This is the brave, new world of accelerating the pace of affordable housing development, with emphasis on both those terms.
Star Advertiser
7/23/2023
Column: Chance for sweeping and systemic change for housing
On Monday, Gov. Josh Green declared a housing emergency. Now it falls on journalists, advocates and concerned citizens to hold his administration accountable to produce housing that local families can afford.
Star Advertiser
7/23/2023
Column: Housing order is a leap in the wrong direction
Emotions ran high at the governor’s emergency proclamation news conference last week. Heartbreaking stories were shared about nurses and teachers leaving the islands, and interns dreaming of moving home — albeit with little details connecting these plights with the proclamation’s actual language.
Star Advertiser
7/23/2023
Column: Housing action needed now against worsening crisis
Housing is too expensive in Hawaii — and we all know it.
Star Advertiser
7/21/2023
Maui median home price down in June, but still more than $1M
Median Sales Price decreased 19.6% to $1,007,000 for single family homes but increased 21.9% to $984,450 for condominium homes, according to the latest report released by the Realtors Association of Maui for June 2023.
Maui Now
7/21/2023
Home prices cool slightly after hitting $1.27M high
Maui County home sales and inventory are down compared to last summer
Maui News
7/20/2023
2024 Housing Planning Study field work completed
Field work for the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corporation’s 2024 Housing Planning Study was completed recently.
Maui Now
7/20/2023
American Savings Bank launches first-time home buyer program to address housing crisis
American Savings Bank recently launched “This is HOME,” a new first-of-its-kind affordable financing solution for first-time home buyers designed to help hardworking kamaʻāina buy a home in Hawaiʻi, so they can stay in Hawaiʻi.
Maui Now
7/19/2023
Tax increase on goods and services gets final approval
County Council also approves tougher law on air and replica guns, completes East Maui water board
Maui News
7/18/2023
Emergency proclamation aims to speed up housing
Governor: Developments will be streamlined but not at the expense of the environment
Maui News
7/13/2023
Hawaiian Community Assets receives $903K for housing counseling, homebuyer program
Hawaiian Community Assets has been awarded $903,168 by American Savings Bank and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines to expand housing counseling and financial education support for its Kahua Waiwai Homebuyer Program.
Maui Now
7/12/2023
Nā‘iwa Homesteaders virtual workshop for DHHL agricultural lessees scheduled for 7/17/23
The Nā‘iwa Homesteaders Program announced its upcoming virtual workshop on the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Farm Plan for agricultural lessees.
Maui Now
7/11/2023
Rents Soar Across Hawai‘i, With No End in Sight
The average rent for a studio apartment on O‘ahu last year was up 25% from 2017 and larger rentals were up, too, by at least 17%.
Hawaii Business Magazine
7/11/2023
Open to the Public: Kīhei Association Meeting on Housing, 7/18/23
This month, Kihei Community Association general membership meeting will get some input on the housing situation in South Maui from Stand Up Maui, Hawaii Community Foundation and Share Your Mana at 6:30 p.m. July 18 at St. Theresa Hall on Lipoa Street in Kihei.
Maui News
7/8/2023
State project could expand Kahekili Terrace in future
More than 200 units could be added to Maui complex as state redevelops public housing
Maui News
7/8/2023
Maui County’s tax surcharge proposal passes first reading
Change to bill would end surcharge in 2030, allow council to reconsider
Maui News
7/5/2023
Newly signed education bills center on teacher housing, pre-K access
Gov. Josh Green signed four education bills into law on Monday that he said will help address the shortage of teachers and affordable housing as well as expand access to prekindergarten.
Maui News
7/1/2023
Maui County has highest share of ‘severely rent burdened’ households
New UH report highlights struggles of Hawaii’s housing market
Maui News
7/1/2023
UHERO releases new report on Hawaii housing
A new report from The Economic Research Organization at the University of Hawaii, or UHERO, that looks at the state of housing in the Islands, finds that Hawaii is leading the nation in housing costs.
Pacific Business News
6/30/2023
County lands $25M federal grant to extend Liloa Drive
Project part of North-South Collector Road providing alternate route in Kihei
Maui News
6/30/2023
Citing Hawaii’s high cost of living, Green signs bill boosting tax credits for many
Some tax credits for cash-strapped Hawaii residents will at least double next year under a new law signed today by Gov. Josh Green.
Hawaii Tribune-Herald
6/28/2023
County tax surcharge moves closer to reality
Revenues would go toward infrastructure for housing projects
Maui News
6/24/2023
General excise tax surcharge to be focus of evening meeting on 6/26/23
A Maui County Council committee will hold an evening meeting at 6 p.m. Monday to discuss and receive input on a bill that would add a 0.5 percent surcharge on the 4 percent state general excise tax.
Maui News
6/24/2023
Federal funds could boost initiatives for Maui County
From replacing bridges to fighting crime to providing services for youth and senior citizens, federal money funds a variety of initiatives that help residents of our islands.
Maui News
6/22/2023
Gov. Green signs bills that seek to increase affordable housing, reduce homelessness
Governor Josh Green, M.D., signed several bills that seek to expand access to affordable housing and provide much-needed assistance to families and individuals who might be at risk of becoming homeless.
Maui Now
6/17/2023
Council’s 3 Minutes: ‘Ohana Assistance Program holds promise for more affordable housing
Councilwoman Alice L. Lee (Wailuku-Waihe’e-Waikapū): On June 8, Bill 50 was signed into law to allow grants of up to $50,000 to be issued for the construction of small-sized housing units on properties with existing residences.
Maui News
6/10/2023
Tax could fund projects, but some worry about cost
Maui could become final county to add surcharge under new law
Maui News
6/9/2023
Maui County waitlist reopening for Section 8 rent subsidy program on 6/26/23, 8:30am
Maui County is reopening its waitlist for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program that provides rental assistance to eligible low-income households.
Maui News
6/9/2023
Mayor signs $1.07 billion budget into law; includes funds for affordable housing
Mayor Richard Bissen signed into law a $1.07 billion Fiscal Year 2024 budget that provides for a decrease in tax rates for owner-occupied homes assessed at $3 million or less, increased funding for affordable housing and $184 million in capital projects and infrastructure for Maui County.
Maui Now
6/9/2023
Bissen signs Maui County budget into law
Mayor Richard Bissen Jr. signed Maui County’s $1.07 billion fiscal year 2024 budget into law on Thursday, the final step for a plan that includes a decrease in tax rates for some homeowners and millions in funding for housing and county projects.
Maui News
6/8/2023
Committee to discuss GET surcharge to pay for projects at meeting on 6/9/23
A Maui County Council committee will meet at 9 a.m. Friday to discuss whether to add a surcharge onto the state general excise tax to fund housing infrastructure.
Maui News
6/7/2023
How Building More Backyard Homes And In-Law Suites Can Help Alleviate The Housing Crisis
Solutions will require rethinking existing policies and re-imagining what housing development and neighborhood cohesion looks like.
Civil Beat
6/7/2023
Council gives final approval to $1.07 billion budget
Budget chair says plan is ‘fiscally responsible,’ mayor expected to sign
Maui News
6/3/2023
Council’s 3 Minutes: Water, infrastructure and housing work in South Maui
Councilman Tom Cook (South Maui): As chair of the Maui County Council’s Water and Infrastructure Committee, I was energized by hosting a community town hall last month. Here are a few updates shared at the town hall that impact South Maui.
Maui News
6/2/2023
Maui Is Set To Join Other Counties In Raising Taxes To Pay For Roads And Housing
A pending law would expand how the counties can use a half-percent general excise tax surcharge.
Civil Beat
5/27/2023
American Savings Bank and Hawaiʻi Community Lending invest $4.3M in Native Hawaiian homeownership
American Savings Bank, in collaboration with Hawaiʻi Community Lending, made a $4.3 million investment in homeownership opportunities for Native Hawaiians eligible to reside on Hawaiian home lands.
Maui Now
5/26/2023
American Savings Bank invests more than $4.3M into Native Hawaiian homeownership opportunities
American Savings Bank, in collaboration with nonprofit Hawaii Community Lending, recently announced it has invested $4.3 million into homeownership opportunities for Native Hawaiians to live on Hawaiian home lands.
Pacific Business News
5/25/2023
161-lot homestead project in Waikapu breaks ground
Project is first to be funded through historic $600M allocation to DHHL
Maui News
5/24/2023
Groundbreaking of infrastructure for planned Puʻunani subdivision provides hope for Maui DHHL waitlist beneficiaries
The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands conducts a groundbreaking ceremony today, marking the start of a $17 million capital improvement project to install infrastructure for the planned Puʻunani subdivision in Waikapū.
Maui Now
5/22/2023
Maui’s Zoning Code Is More Than 60 Years Old. Where’s The Update?
Property owners and government officials are stuck in a continued state of “confusion, conflicting interpretations and complex layers of administration.”
Civil Beat
5/20/2023
Public investment for affordable housing needed to keep Maui residents on Maui
Decades ago, when Dream City” in Kahului was being built, homes were priced within reach for Maui’s working families. However, today’s costs of materials, labor and demand have created a market that’s unattainable.
Maui News
5/11/2023
80-unit housing project seeks funds to stay afloat
New plans also call for more single-family homes instead of planned duplexes
Maui News
5/5/2023
Grading work begins at Pulelehua project site
The Pulelehua housing project in West maui has received its grading permit for the first phase of Mahinahina Hills. The permit was issued to Maui Oceanview LP in April, according to County of Maui records.
Maui Now
5/1/2023
Building Homes and Hope in Maui County
In 2021, Maui County made big strides in jumpstarting efforts to create affordable housing opportunities for local families – and those efforts continue today.
Ka Wai Ola
4/20/2023
Can Maui’s New Mayor Finally Make A Dent In The Housing Crisis?
The County Council is vetting his $1 billion budget proposal that includes funds for new construction and trying to complete unfinished projects.
Civil Beat
4/18/2023
Critical funding for West and South Maui secured in Senate Budget draft
More than $107 million in funding for infrastructure was included in the Senate version of the state budget which passed last week.
Maui Now
4/10/2023
Bissen’s Spending Plan For Maui Targets Affordable Housing And A Rainy Day Fund
The public can weigh in this week on the mayor’s proposed $1.2 billion budget.
Civil Beat
4/4/2023
Micah Kāne on Affordable Housing
Micah Kāne, president and CEO of Hawaiʻi Community Foundation discusses affordable housing on Living 808.
Khon
3/8/2023
Maui County condo median sales price sets all-time record at $908,000
Spiked by luxury sales, the median sales price for Maui County condominiums last month set a record high at close to $1 million, a new report said.
Maui Now
3/7/2023
5 Tools To Disarm The Weaponization Of Affordable Housing
It’s critical to ask who exactly the housing is for, who will profit from it, and whether it’s actually affordable in Hawaii.
Civil Beat
3/4/2023
Maui County ‘behind eight-ball’ on plan to create 5,000 affordable homes in 5 years
Maui County is far behind its goal of creating 5,000 affordable homes for local people over five years, according to an update this week on the Maui County Comprehensive Affordable Housing Plan.
Maui Now
3/2/2023
Maui County Sat On $8 Million That Could Have Helped Struggling Homeowners
Housing advocates worry about the bandwidth of local government to get the program going before it’s too late.
Civil Beat
3/1/2023
Maui County’s 5,000-home goal could take much longer
Nonprofit director: County is ‘behind the eight ball’ in helping affordable housing advance
Maui News
2/24/2023
Absentee owners are crowding the housing market, data shows
The share of homes sold to absentee owners has increased since 2020 across nine major metro areas, an NBC News analysis of real estate data found.
NBC News
2/21/2023
Report: Housing market activity ‘uptick’ possible
Median sales prices for single-family home in Maui County was $1.16M
Maui News
2/6/2023
Hawaii’s Affordable Housing Law Sparks Battles At The Capitol
At a time when housing is a priority for the island state, some lawmakers are pushing back against a law that eases development.
Civil Beat
2/1/2023
Two Maui County lawmakers named to panel overseeing $600M in DHHL funds
House also creates working group to address Red Hill fuel storage issues
Maui News
1/30/2023
County council fails to override Victorino’s vetoes
With a new majority on the Maui County Council, members failed to override two vetoes by former Mayor Michael Victorino, who prior to the end of his term opposed a bill relating to deed restrictions and the resale of workforce housing and another measure to establish a cultural overlay map for the county.
Maui News
1/24/2023
$398,000 grant allows for launch of Native Hawaiian Owner-Builder project on Molokaʻi
Hawai‘i Community Lending announced grant awards totaling $1.5 million that aim to increase economic stability on Moloka‘i by helping the island’s native Hawaiian community to actualize affordable homeownership.
Maui Now
1/24/2023
Maui County officials ‘eager’ to work with Green on proposals
Governor wants to build tiny home villages, tackle homelessness
Maui News
1/23/2023
December home prices higher than November
Median sales price for single family homes hover around $1M for majority of 2022
Maui News
1/23/2023
Council to consider override of veto for Bill 103 relating to workforce housing
The Maui County Council will consider overriding former Mayor Victorino’s veto of Bill 103 (2022) relating to residential workforce housing deed restrictions and resale at the upcoming council meeting on Jan. 27, Councilmember Tamara Paltin announced.
Maui Now
1/22/2023
Native Hawaiians flock to Las Vegas for affordable living
Kona Purdy never wanted to live anywhere but Hawaii. As a Native Hawaiian, he wanted his children to grow up like he did: rooted in their culture, and nourished by the mountains and ocean. But raising a family in Hawaii meant squeezing nine people into a four-bedroom house — rented with extended family — in Waipahu, a Honolulu suburb.
AP News
1/13/2023
After pandemic buying frenzy, Maui home prices may ease — but not by much
Although Maui County’s real estate market is facing uncharted territory after the frenzied home buying of the pandemic, Realtors Association of Maui said signs point to slightly softer prices heading into the new year.
Maui Now
1/8/2023
Developer to present update on Pulelehua housing project
A special presentation updating the progress of the 310-acre Pulelehua housing development is among the topics being presented at the annual West Maui Taxpayers Association members meeting.
Maui Now
1/1/2023
DHHL plans new $75M Villages of Leialiʻi subdivision with up to 250 units in Lahaina
The state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is planning its second Villages of Leialiʻi subdivision that would develop up to 250 single- and multi-family units in Lahaina for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries.
Maui Now
1/1/2023
Maui Deputy directors named to Ag, Housing, Transportation, Environmental Management, Public Works and Finance
Mayor-elect Richard Bissen announced the appointments of the following individuals to deputy director posts.
Maui Now
12/27/2022
Takayesu, Arce, Minn and Tsuhako are the latest appointments to Bissen’s cabinet
Maui Mayor-elect Richard Bissen announced a new round of appointments to his cabinet.
Maui Now
12/20/2022
Here’s How The Green Administration Plans To Tackle Hawaii’s Housing Shortage
Converting vacation rentals into homes, targeting areas with infrastructure already in place for new construction, and collaborating with counties and private business are some of the options on the table.
Civil Beat
12/16/2022
County acquisition of Lahaina Crossroads Apartments is final
Mayor Michael Victorino announced today that the County of Maui’s acquisition of the Lahaina Crossroads Apartment Building on Luakini St. is final.
Maui Now
12/6/2022
DHHL Publishes $600 Million Act 279 Plan
The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) has published and submitted to the Hawaiʻi State Legislature its final plan to spend the $600 million allocation of funding from Act 279.
Department of Hawaiian Home Lands
12/6/2022
Grand Opening Held for Kaiāulu o Kupuohi Affordable Housing Project in Lahania, Maui
A grand opening celebration was held Monday for the Kaiāulu o Kupuohi affordable apartment project in Lahaina, Maui.
maui now
10/25/2022
New public-private partnership on Maui provides hope for affordable homes, but raises questions of fairness
A budget amendment that provides an $18 million appropriation to the Pulelehua affordable housing project in West Maui was approved unanimously by members of the Budget, Finance and Economic Development Committee on Wednesday in an 8-0 vote, with one member excused.
maui now
10/24/2022
Maui affordable housing project triggers land dispute
Dozens lined Kahekili Highway near Waiehu Beach Road on Monday holding signs and Hawaiian flags.
hawaii news now
10/23/2022
Mayoral Candidates Differ on How to Address Maui’s Housing Crisis
As we look to the General Election on November 8, let us consider the contrasting approaches of our Mayoral candidates, based on their responses to a number of questions asked, as printed in the September 15 issue of The Fil-Am Voice.
fil-am voice
10/23/2022
State to subsidize midpriced rental housing projects
Developers have blitzed a state agency to tap a special $150 million legislative appropriation for funding new rental housing aimed largely at middle-income Hawaii households.
star advertiser
10/19/2022
Maui mayor signs bill to change affordable housing guidelines
Maui County Mayor Michael Victorino has signed into law Bill 107, which changes the formula used to price affordable homes, the county announced this week.
pacific business news
10/15/2022
Maui County taxpayers can expect to benefit from $73M in energy cost-savings program
Maui County has a new 20-year contract to save taxpayer money by reducing energy, water and fuel usage.
hawaii news now
10/14/2022
This Is How The Candidates For Maui Mayor Want To Tackle The Housing Crisis
Both say the lack of housing for residents is the county’s top problem, but they’re proposing very different solutions.
civil beat
10/13/2022
Less commercial, more housing in project plans
Downtown Kihei project to have 223 affordable rentals in response to community requests
maui news
10/13/2022
Home sales continue to decline on Neighbor Islands
Home sales continued to cool across Neighbor Islands in September compared to the same month last year, according to recent statistics.
pacific business news
10/11/2022
Another Endangered Species in Hawai‘i: Starter Homes
Young people used to be able to buy a small single-family home or townhome as the first step on their homeownership ladder, but today they are priced out of that market.
hawaii business magazine
10/10/2022
Land Use Commission approves public-private partnership in Waikapū, Maui
The Land Use Commission unanimously approved Waikapū Properties’ petition to amend conditions now covered by a public-private partnership between the County of Maui and the developer.
Maui now
10/10/2022
Maui Voters Weigh A Ballot Proposal To Create A Separate Housing Department
The move to split up the county’s Department of Housing and Human Concerns comes as residents increasingly struggle to find affordable homes on the Valley Isle.
civil beat
10/7/2022
Lawsuits, resident pushback pause affordable housing project on Maui
Waiehu is zoned as agriculture land and critics say it should stay that way.
hawaii news now
10/6/2022
324 units planned as part of workforce affordable Kaulana Mahina Apartments in Central Maui
An estimated 324 units are planned as part of the Kaulana Mahina Apartments development in Central Maui.
maui now
10/5/2022
Maui median in September rises to $1,025,000, up 3% from same time
Maui’s median sales price for single family homes sold in September rose to $1,025,000, up 3.0% from the year prior, according to the latest data released by the Realtors Association of Maui.
maui now
10/5/2022
Maui Voters To Decide If Planning Commission Should Be More Representative
A proposed county charter amendment would require all six community planning districts on Maui to have a member on the commission.
civil beat
10/4/2022
Final EA published for water tank in Waikapū to serve DHHL Puʻunani Homestead
The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands has published a final Environmental Assessment with a Finding of No Significant Impact for a 500,000-gallon concrete water storage tank and related improvements in Waikapū, Maui.
maui now
10/4/2022
Fewer Mortgage Delinquencies Now than a Year Ago
Lenders have been stricter on loans since the Great Recession, which would likely limit the number of delinquencies in any new recession, one local expert says.
hawaii business magazine
9/30/2022
Koa Waena affordable housing project proposed in North Kīhei
A new affordable housing project is proposed for Kīhei, Maui that seeks to offer 500 homes on 5,000 square foot lots.
maui now
9/29/2022
Hotly debated Maui County affordable housing sales price guidelines approved
Despite objections from local for-sale affordable housing developers and Maui County’s administration, rules that establish new affordable housing sales price guidelines narrowly passed second and final reading Tuesday at Maui County Council.
maui now
9/29/2022
After months of hearings, Honua‘ula moves forward
Commissioners satisfied with changes made to 1,150-unit housing project
maui news
9/28/2022
Maui council a step closer to buying Lahaina apartments in bid to save workforce housing
Lahaina Crossroads renters Etina Hingano and her husband work three jobs to make ends meet.
maui now
9/22/2022
COUNTY OFFERS TO SWAP INFRASTRUCTURE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Waikapu developer would double low-cost housing in exchange for county-funded sewer plant, road extension
maui times
9/21/2022
Affordable housing drops as interest rises in Hawaii
The Federal Reserve raised its key interest rate for the third straight time in an effort to fight inflation on Wednesday, Sept. 21.
Khon
9/20/2022
Hawaii is the most expensive state in the country to buy a home, study finds
News that’s not really news to anyone: Hawaii is the most expensive state in the U.S. to buy a home.
KITV
9/20/2022
Rising Interest Rates Sideline First-Time Homebuyers
Bidding wars are now rare, but the highest mortgage rates since 2008 put homeownership out of reach for many who thought it was possible at the start of the year.
hawaii business magazine
9/16/2022
Neighbor Island home sales continued to decline in August
Neighbor Island home sales declined last month compared to August 2021, as the market continues to cool, according to recent sales statistics.
Pacific business news
9/15/2022
Maui County looks to purchase Lahaina apartment complex
Maui Mayor Michael Victorino has requested a budget amendment for the purchase the Lahaina Crossroads Apartment building, the county announced this week.
Pacific business news
9/15/2022
202-unit Kuikahi Village project gets initial green light
Workforce housing development would include ‘innovative’ mix of homes
Maui news
9/15/2022
Council aims to acquire 257 acres in Māʻalaea by eminent domain, but owners push back
A council committee voted unanimously Wednesday to recommend approval to acquire 257 acres in Māʻalaea for preservation.
Maui now
9/14/2022
Record-setting summer closes with decline in home prices
Report: Market may be heading in‘more buyer-friendly direction’
Maui news
9/14/2022
Kuikahi Village’s 202 homes planned for Wailuku gets nod from council committee
Calling it “innovative” and unique, a Maui County Council committee on Tuesday recommended approval for a 100% workforce neighborhood in Wailuku, which would include 202 diverse houses for sale — from tiny homes to live-work townhomes.
Maui now
9/13/2022
Hawaii housing experts worry inflation will throttle back development, buying power
As the stock market fell Tuesday due to inflation fears, local housing experts are watching another troubling financial development — rising interest rates.
Hawaii News Now
9/13/2022
Maui median home prices drop under $1 million for first time this year
The median sales price for single-family homes dropped below $1 million — to $983,575 — for the first time this year.
Maui now
9/8/2022
Long-term Mortgage Rates Now at Highest Point Since 2008
Average long-term U.S. mortgage rates jumped again this week, hitting the highest levels in almost 14 years and pushing even more would-be buyers out of the market.
Star Advertiser
9/8/2022
Lanai Housing Crisis Could be Alleviated by Bill 107 at County Council
A bill that would affect home prices in Maui County goes before the council for its second and final reading on Sept. 20, 2022.
KITV
9/8/2022
Bill to Lower Maui County Affordable Housing Sales Guidelines Narrowly Advances in Council
Despite opposition from developers, a plan that promises to make affordable homes more affordable moved one step closer to reality at Maui County Council recently.
Maui Now
9/7/2022
Hawaii Officials Lower Economic Growth Predictions for the State
The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism announced Thursday lower economic growth projections for Hawaii in 2022 and 2023, in its third quarter 2022 Statistical and Economic report.
Pacific Business News
9/4/2022
Affordable Housing in Hawaii: A Top Campaign Issue Where Results Are Hard to Assess
Many political candidates made statements about affordable housing leading up to Hawaii’s primary election last month.
Star Advertiser
9/2/2022
Traffic, Flooding Among Concerns With New Affordable Housing Project in Maui
Several residents are pushing to stop a new affordable housing development from going up in South Maui.
Hawaii News Now
9/2/2022
County Council Considering New Methods for Determining Sales Price of Affordable Housing
At its Friday meeting at 9 a.m., the Maui County Council will consider a bill to establish new methods for determining the sales price of an affordable dwelling unit.
Maui Now
8/30/2022
Letters to the Editor: Public Housing Not Best Solution to Housing Crisis
A recent letter advocated for public housing as the best solution to our housing crisis (“Government should build public housing,” Aug. 19). This is the wrong solution.
Maui News
8/26/2022
Editorial: Aim Higher for Teacher Housing
It sounds like a promising project to kill the proverbial two birds with one stone: $15 million to build teacher housing on Maui, that tackles both the need for affordable rentals and offers important incentive to recruit and retain teachers
Star Advertiser
8/25/2022
Blueprint For Hawai‘i Housing? UH Project For Students And Faculty Is Going Up At Relatively Little Cost
A Hawai‘i lawmaker says the public private housing partnership could be a model for state-owned affordable rentals.
Civil Beat
8/24/2022
Land in Lahaina slated for future teacher housing
Timeline to be discussed; state says it’s the first time in a decade that DOE will put up educator housing.
Maui News
8/23/2022
Higher Mortgage Rates and Fewer Sales May Finally Be Affecting Prices
In half of the 12 real estate regions on O‘ahu, asking prices have been reduced on at least 30% of the current listings.
Hawaii Business Magazine
8/22/2022
West Maui Community Corridor Transit-oriented Development Action plan announced
Mayor Michael Victorino announced that Maui County has launched the West Maui Community Corridor Transit-Oriented Development Action Plan to advance strategies for a transit-oriented community in West Maui.
County of Maui
8/19/2022
Report finds ‘no evidence’ that outside buyers drive Hawai‘i’s high housing prices
Persistent beliefs that out-of-state homebuyers are driving up home prices in the Islands is not supported by data, according to a new report from Grassroot Institute of Hawai‘i.
Pacific Business News
8/12/2022
Affordable lottery held today at Ikaika Ohana’s Kaiwahine village for their second rental project in R&T park to open at end of year
At 11:30 am at the Kaiwahine Village center, the lottery for the new housing project from Ikaika Ohana, Kaiaulu o Halele‘a Affordable Housing Project at the R&T park, was held.
Kihei Community Association
8/12/2022
Financing approved to help build Kihei senior rental project
Affordable housing developer and owner Highridge Costa will receive funding to help build Liloa Hale, a $58.4 million, 117-unit affordable rental project for seniors in Kihei.
Maui News
8/9/2022
Records Broken as the Rich Buy Hawai‘i Homes
During the first half of this year, 424 homes, condos and vacant land parcels sold for $3 million or more. The top price: $36.1 million for an oceanfront estate on Kaua‘i.
Hawaii Business Magazine
8/9/2022
Maui County to receive $25M for Waiale Road extension
Maui County will receive $25 million in federal funds to help construct the Waiale Road extension, Hawai‘i U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and Mayor Michael Victorino announced Monday.
Maui News
8/9/2022
Neighbor Island home sales cool in July
Neighbor Island home sales continued to cool in July, while median sale prices largely continued to increase over the same month last year, according to recent sales statistics.
Pacific Business News
8/9/2022
Blessing held for 324 unit Kaulana Mahina workforce apartments in Wailuku, Maui
An official blessing was held on Monday for the new Kaulana Mahina development in Central Maui.
Maui Now
8/4/2022
County sees dip in sales as home prices hover over $1M
New listings and closed sales for homes and condos took a dive in July while inventory improved — all signs that the housing market is continuing to cool.
Maui News
8/4/2022
Maui County home sales cool in June; single-family home median sales price at $1.1 million
Maui County home sales fell by more than 50% for condos and 20% for single-family houses last month, as rising mortgage rates and record-high sales prices pushed out buyers.
Maui Now
7/29/2022
Gov. Ige joins ceremonies for two Maui affordable housing projects
Gov. David Ige participated Tuesday, July 19, in ceremonies marking milestones for two Maui affordable housing projects.
Lahaina News
7/27/2022
NIMBY worsening Hawai‘i’s housing crisis
Tens of thousands of homes, maybe more. That’s what some experts are targeting to help ease Hawai‘i’s housing crisis.
KHON2
7/27/2022
It’s Gotten Both Worse and Better for Struggling Working Families
The good news is that seventeen Hawai‘i nonprofits are helping working families become more financially stable, find affordable housing, and get involved in policy.
Hawaii Business Magazine
7/5/2022
Maui Now Survey: 71% affected by residential rental prices spiking, 93% concerned with increase in violent and property crimes
Maui Now released a survey on Thursday, June 16, asking its readers to share their opinions and attitudes toward current issues affecting Maui County.
Maui Now
7/5/2022
Column: Overcoming regulatory barriers for Maui housing solutions
It’s impossible to walk down the street and find someone who doesn’t know Maui has a housing problem for its residents.
Star Advertiser
7/1/2022
Despite pushback, new affordable sales price guides for Maui County advance
Despite some who said the plan could actually hurt housing development, a Maui County Council committee on Thursday recommended approval of a measure that aims to make affordable housing more affordable.
Maui Now
6/27/2022
Owners give Lahaina tenants more time; rally highlights Maui’s housing woes
New owners of one of the last Lahaina apartments with workforce rents reversed course Friday, announcing that no immediate evictions or rent increases will occur at Lahaina Crossroads.
Maui Now
6/24/2022
Hawaiʻi vacation rentals continued to see drops in supply, demand last month
Hawaiʻi vacation rentals reported an occupancy rate of 69.4% in May, according to data released Friday by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority and the state Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism.
Pacific Business News
6/21/2022
A Massive Maui Ranch Next Door to Oprah’s Property Asks $75 Million
Hana Ranch, which is one of the largest pieces of land for sale in Hawaiʻi, sits next to roughly 100 undeveloped acres owned by the media mogul.
Wall Street Journal
6/18/2022
Promoting affordable housing in the apartment districts
Affordable housing is at the top of the list of what our residents and communities need and demand.
Maui News
6/17/2022
South Maui Residents Want A Community Plan With Sharper Teeth
An update to South Maui’s community plan has been a long time coming. Residents charting the region’s future complain that past plans have been too flimsy.
Civil Beat
6/13/2022
100% affordable project Hale Waipuʻilani in Kīhei advances
Saying the decision is between affordable housing or speculator homes, Maui County Council in committee today voted to recommend approval for a hotly-debated 28-unit affordable housing project slated for Kīhei.
Maui Now
6/13/2022
Why Rent Relief in Hawai‘i Became a National Model
The government program helped over 13,000 households. One reason it succeeded may have been that people who had experienced housing instability had a seat at the decision-making table.
Hawaii Business Magazine
6/11/2022
Tenants forced out of Lahaina Crossroads Apartments; rent nearly doubling
Katherine Kamaunu, 71, has lived at Lahaina Crossroads Apartments for more than 35 years. Now, she and her husband, Aaron Kamaunu, 60, are being forced out of the complex, along with nearly 20 other families — a handful of whom are kūpuna on fixed incomes.
Maui Now
6/10/2022
Hawaiʻi is most expensive state for household bills
Feeling like you can’t catch up on bills month after month? Well, you are not the only one. A new study ranked the states with the highest to lowest monthly expenses and Hawaiʻi came out on top.
KHON2
6/5/2022
Maui median home sales price stays near record at $1.21M; sales slow
Maui County’s single-family home median sales price at $1.21 million in May hovered just below the record high while sales showed signs of slowing, according to a new report by the Realtors Association of Maui.
Maui Now
6/3/2022
Queen Kaʻahumanu Center pitched as future site for apartments; council shuts it down
Maui County council and administration are at odds over whether vacant spaces in industrial areas, such as Queen Ka’ahumanu Center, should be able to convert into apartments as a way to combat the housing crisis.
Maui Now
6/2/2022
Itʻs National Homeownership Month; what federal programs are available for rural areas?
Itʻs National Home Ownership month. There are several federal programs available to help people buy, repair and build affordable homes.
Maui Now
6/1/2022
Rental prices are soaring in Hawai‘i as economy rebounds
Rents are rising to record-breaking numbers across the country. On Maui, residents also see their rent soar.
Hawaii News Now
6/1/2022
Would You Want The Government To Be Your Landlord?
As residents across the U.S. struggle with rising housing prices, policymakers are increasingly looking at models for “social housing” including in Vienna, Austria, as a way to improve the situation.
Civil Beat
5/26/2022
Maui council may adjust metrics to make affordable housing actually affordable
With soaring housing prices in Maui County, council members are looking at ways to update the county’s sales price guidelines so affordable housing can actually be affordable.
Maui Now
5/25/2022
Maui Is Reconsidering What Constitutes ‘Affordable’ When It Comes To Housing
Even if families qualify for loans, monthly costs can be so high that they struggle to hold on to their homes in the long term.
Civil Beat
5/24/2022
Panel probes for answers to soaring home prices
New housing plan recommends updating county’s rent and sales price guidelines.
Maui News
5/24/2022
Kuʻikahi Village’s plans for 202 workforce homes in Wailuku moves ahead
Kuʻikahi Village Project, which aims to build 202 workforce housing units on about 15 acres in Wailuku, cleared a significant hurdle recently.
Maui Now
5/12/2022
How Fast Can Government Agencies Turn The Legislature’s $1 Billion Into New Housing?
Lawmakers just appropriated approximately $1 billion to help build homes for residents. Now it’s up to the executive branch to make things happen.
Civil Beat
5/10/2022
State’s $192M housing, civic center project in Kahului advances
A $192 million Kahului plan to develop 300 affordable and market-rate units, along with a civic center for state office space, cleared a hurdle in the approval process.
Maui Now
5/10/2022
Developer wants to turn proposed hotel site into apartment complex
Six-story Hotel Wailuku on pause, landowner supportive of new plans for site.
Maui News
5/10/2022
This Is How The Government Decides What Housing Is ‘Affordable’
On Maui, “affordable” can range from rentals as low as $600 per month to for-sale homes as high as $700,000.
Civil Beat
5/5/2022
Legislature Closes Historic Session For Housing And Hawaiians
Hawaiʻi lawmakers passed almost every proposal they said they would in a rare session bolstered by billions of dollars in extra revenue.
Civil Beat
4/26/2022
Thousands of Houses Are Empty On Maui. Would Higher Taxes Change That?
An estimated 15,000 housing units — about 1 in 5 throughout all of Maui County — are vacant, according to 2020 census estimates.
Civil Beat
4/19/2022
Maui County launched online planning and permitting system; no more paper applications
Maui County launched a new automated planning and permitting software called MAPPS. Paper applications no longer are accepted.
Maui Now
4/18/2022
NIMBY Vs YIMBY: Should Hawaii Make It Easier To Build Affordable Housing?
A bill dubbed the “Yes In My Backyard Act” would create a working group to develop a plan to reduce regulatory barriers and improve community outreach.
Civil Beat
4/14/2022
How Hawaiʻi’s Land-Use Regulations Are Helping Drive Up Housing Prices
A UHERO report quantifies what homebuilders have long said: Hawaiʻi’s robust land-use regulations contribute to housing costs
Civil Beat
4/14/2022
New report: Hawaiʻi’s high home prices tied to stiff regulations; Maui 2nd strictest in state
A new survey released today by University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization shows that Hawaiʻi has some of the most restrictive housing regulations in the nation, with Maui as the second most restrictive county in the state
Maui Now
4/8/2022
Lots poised for affordable housing, health care workers
County has long struggled to find a use for the property
Maui News
4/7/2022
Maui home prices push the needle to new record highs
Median sales price in March nearly $1.18M for homes and $820K for condos
Maui News
3/18/2022
Advocates, officials hope deal won’t delay housing project
Public-private partnership would provide wastewater in exchange for more housing
Maui News
3/16/2022
BlackSand Capital commits to affordable housing initiative
Hawaii real estate firm BlackSand Capital has made a three-year commitment of $300,000 to House Maui
Star Advertiser
3/16/2022
BlackSand Capital makes $300,000 commitment to affordable housing initiative on Maui
BlackSand Capital has made a three-year, $300,000 commitment to House Maui
Pacific Business News
3/15/2022
Maui council urged to raise tax on second homes, short-term rentals to raise money for affordables
Leaving property taxes at the lowest in the nation could actually spur investment home buys in Maui County, according to a presentation Monday afternoon at council’s Affordable Housing Committee
Maui Now
3/15/2022
BlackSand Capital makes three-year commitment to affordable housing on Maui
BlackSand Capital has entered into a three-year commitment of $300,000 to House Maui
Maui Now
2/23/2022
1,150-Unit Honuaʻula Project Heads to Mediation
Revamped development, years in the making, is seeking one of its final approvals
Maui News
2/22/2022
Major 670-Acre Housing Project at Honuaʻula Aims to Move Ahead; Groups Intervene
A long-debated master planned community proposed for 670 acres in South Maui called Honuaʻula sought the next phase of county approval today — but two groups are challenging it.
Maui Now
2/22/2022
Final Assessment for Honokowai Project Released
Plan calls for residential homesteads, multifamily residential units
Maui News
2/21/2022
This Maui Housing Project is Hugely Popular and Sorely Needed. Will it Finally Get Built?
It’s been nearly 18 years since the developer began planning Waikapu Country Town. With the final bureaucratic hurdles now cleared, a new deal with the county could spur construction.
Civil Beat
2/16/2022
752-Unit Affordable Housing Project Proposed in Waiehu
Planning commission suggests roundabouts, designing project to fit the area.
Maui News
1/26/2022
State Pitches $192M Housing, Civic Center Project for Kahului
About 5 acres of state land in Kahului would be transformed into affordable and market-rate housing, along with a civic center for state office space.
Maui Now
1/25/2022
Here’s How Affordable Housing Policies Have Impacted
Hawaiʻi’s Housing Supply
An in-depth look at how county and state affordable housing policies have helped or hurt Hawaiʻi’s housing supply – and what might work better.
Hawaiʻi Business Magazine
1/21/2022
Work to Support Affordable Housing Continues
Maui County Councilman Gabe Johnson, who also chairs the County’s Affordable Housing Committee, recaps the Committee’s accomplishments in 2021 and shares what still needs to be done in the year ahead.
Lahaina News
1/21/2022
Hawaiʻi Lawmakers Propose $600M to Fix Native Hawaiian Housing Program
Lawmakers in the State House are proposing a “historic” piece of legislation to commit $600 million to help house Native Hawaiians.
Star Advertiser
1/6/2022
‘Priority projects’ Aim to Reach 5,000-Unit Goal
The Maui County Council is hoping a series of housing projects in the works will help the county reach its goal of building 5,000 affordable for-rent and for-sale units over the next five years.
Maui News
12/27/2021
Over 1,000 Maui Families Are in a Better Financial Position to Qualify for Affordable Housing
Over 1,000 Maui families are in a better financial position to qualify for affordable housing this year — thanks to the program House Maui.
Hawaii Public Radio
12/17/2021
Center Helps More Than 1,000 Families Improve Financial Footing
The Maui Financial Opportunity Center, launched as a public-private partnership between Maui County, Hawaiʻi Community Foundation and Hawaiian Community Assets, announced Tuesday that it has reached its first-year goal of working with more than 1,000 local families to improve financial stability in order to qualify for affordable housing.
Maui News
12/5/2021
Hawaiʻi Housing Crisis has Maui Pushing to Phase out 3,000 Short-Term Rentals
As Hawaiʻi’s high housing costs and rising property taxes continue to price out struggling residents seeking to find and keep their homes, Maui is examining how to create long-term housing opportunities to make sure local residents remain local.
SF GATE
12/3/2021
Aloha Friday Conversation: Seizing Affordable Housing Opportunities in Hawaiʻi
Hear from dedicated people from across the islands who are working on affordable housing.
Hawaiʻi Public Radio
9/24/2021
Civil Beat: Hawaiʻi’s High Cost of Living Just Keeps Getting Higher
Rising gasoline and housing prices are driving up living costs for isle families, offsetting wage gains that had appeared to offer a bright spot in a tepid economic recovery.
Civil Beat
7/18/2021
Star Advertiser, Island Voices: Maui road leads to affordable housing
An opportunity awaits us that could begin the journey of elevating Hawaiʻi’s people and place. It’s the building of a simple road.
Star Advertiser
7/14/2021
FONSI Filed for Proposed Hale Pilina
A Final Environmental Assessment with a Finding of No Significant Impact determination was made for the Hale Pilina Family Affordable Rental Housing Project proposed for development in Kahului, Maui.
Maui Now
7/12/2021
Maui median home prices top state
A month after breaching a historic high of $1 million, Maui County median sales prices for single-family homes topped the state in June and set a new county record at $1,117,500.
Maui News
5/4/2021
For Maui families to stay on Maui, we need a new affordable housing system
Our affordable housing system is broken and Maui residents are in a crisis within a crisis.
Maui News
4/21/2021
Mayor vetoes affordable housing bill
Saying a new affordable housing bill will only intensify housing scarcity for Maui County, Mayor Michael Victorino vetoed the measure on Monday.
Maui News
9/16/2020
6 Things to Know About How Development Works
Depending on the circles you travel in, the word “developer” may elicit a strong reaction in you.
Strong Towns
6/15/2020
Maui Launches Financial Opportunity Center to Help Residents Into Housing
$250,000 for a total of $500,000 to launch and operate the FOC.
Maui Now
Op-Eds & Press Releases
8/1/2023
Column: Emergency proclamation necessary to house Hawaii’s people
Hawaii is stuck in a trough of dysfunction after decades of being unable to address critical needs in education, housing and food. Forget trying to diversify our economy, enhance natural and cultural resources, and become energy self-sufficient, if we can’t educate, house and feed our community in an affordable and reasonable way. These issues are basic necessities of survival.
Star Advertiser
1/27/2022
HCF Welcomes Keoni Kuoha as Director of its House Maui Initiative
The Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, one of the state’s leading philanthropic institutions, is pleased to announce that Keoni Kuoha has joined the organization as director of the House Maui Initiative.
Read More
12/14/2021
Maui Financial Opportunity Center Achieves First-Year Goal of Working With 1,000 Families
The Maui Financial Opportunity Center (FOC), launched as a public-private partnership between Maui County, Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF) and Hawaiian Community Assets (HCA), today announced that it has reached its first-year goal of working with over 1,000 local families to improve financial stability in order to qualify for affordable housing.
Read More
12/2/2020
Maui Financial Opportunity Center now open in Wailuku
Now open in Wailuku, a Financial Opportunity Center (FOC) has launched as a public-private partnership by Maui County, Hawaiʻi Community Foundation (HCF) and Hawaiian Community Assets (HCA) to help thousands of residents qualify for permanent affordable housing.
Read More
In the Media
6/22/2023
Green signs bills on affordable housing, reducing homelessness
Gov. Josh Green signed multiple bills on Wednesday aimed at expanding access to housing and providing assistance to people at risk of becoming homeless in what one Maui lawmaker called “a monumental year” in addressing the state’s affordable housing crisis.
Maui News
6/22/2023
Gov. Green signs bills that seek to increase affordable housing, reduce homelessness
Governor Josh Green, M.D., signed several bills that seek to expand access to affordable housing and provide much-needed assistance to families and individuals who might be at risk of becoming homeless.
Maui Now
6/17/2023
Council’s 3 Minutes: ‘Ohana Assistance Program holds promise for more affordable housing
Councilwoman Alice L. Lee (Wailuku-Waihe’e-Waikapū): On June 8, Bill 50 was signed into law to allow grants of up to $50,000 to be issued for the construction of small-sized housing units on properties with existing residences.
Maui News
6/10/2023
Tax could fund projects, but some worry about cost
Maui could become final county to add surcharge under new law
Maui News
6/9/2023
Maui County waitlist reopening for Section 8 rent subsidy program on 6/26/23, 8:30am
Maui County is reopening its waitlist for the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program that provides rental assistance to eligible low-income households.
Maui News
6/9/2023
Mayor signs $1.07 billion budget into law; includes funds for affordable housing
Mayor Richard Bissen signed into law a $1.07 billion Fiscal Year 2024 budget that provides for a decrease in tax rates for owner-occupied homes assessed at $3 million or less, increased funding for affordable housing and $184 million in capital projects and infrastructure for Maui County.
Maui Now
6/9/2023
Bissen signs Maui County budget into law
Mayor Richard Bissen Jr. signed Maui County’s $1.07 billion fiscal year 2024 budget into law on Thursday, the final step for a plan that includes a decrease in tax rates for some homeowners and millions in funding for housing and county projects.
Maui News
6/8/2023
Committee to discuss GET surcharge to pay for projects at meeting on 6/9/23
A Maui County Council committee will meet at 9 a.m. Friday to discuss whether to add a surcharge onto the state general excise tax to fund housing infrastructure.
Maui News
6/7/2023
How Building More Backyard Homes And In-Law Suites Can Help Alleviate The Housing Crisis
Solutions will require rethinking existing policies and re-imagining what housing development and neighborhood cohesion looks like.
Civil Beat
6/7/2023
Council gives final approval to $1.07 billion budget
Budget chair says plan is ‘fiscally responsible,’ mayor expected to sign
Maui News
6/3/2023
Council’s 3 Minutes: Water, infrastructure and housing work in South Maui
Councilman Tom Cook (South Maui): As chair of the Maui County Council’s Water and Infrastructure Committee, I was energized by hosting a community town hall last month. Here are a few updates shared at the town hall that impact South Maui.
Maui News
6/2/2023
Maui Is Set To Join Other Counties In Raising Taxes To Pay For Roads And Housing
A pending law would expand how the counties can use a half-percent general excise tax surcharge.
Civil Beat
5/27/2023
American Savings Bank and Hawaiʻi Community Lending invest $4.3M in Native Hawaiian homeownership
American Savings Bank, in collaboration with Hawaiʻi Community Lending, made a $4.3 million investment in homeownership opportunities for Native Hawaiians eligible to reside on Hawaiian home lands.
Maui Now
5/26/2023
American Savings Bank invests more than $4.3M into Native Hawaiian homeownership opportunities
American Savings Bank, in collaboration with nonprofit Hawaii Community Lending, recently announced it has invested $4.3 million into homeownership opportunities for Native Hawaiians to live on Hawaiian home lands.
Pacific Business News
5/25/2023
161-lot homestead project in Waikapu breaks ground
Project is first to be funded through historic $600M allocation to DHHL
Maui News
5/24/2023
Groundbreaking of infrastructure for planned Puʻunani subdivision provides hope for Maui DHHL waitlist beneficiaries
The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands conducts a groundbreaking ceremony today, marking the start of a $17 million capital improvement project to install infrastructure for the planned Puʻunani subdivision in Waikapū.
Maui Now
5/22/2023
Maui’s Zoning Code Is More Than 60 Years Old. Where’s The Update?
Property owners and government officials are stuck in a continued state of “confusion, conflicting interpretations and complex layers of administration.”
Civil Beat
5/20/2023
Public investment for affordable housing needed to keep Maui residents on Maui
Decades ago, when Dream City” in Kahului was being built, homes were priced within reach for Maui’s working families. However, today’s costs of materials, labor and demand have created a market that’s unattainable.
Maui News
5/11/2023
80-unit housing project seeks funds to stay afloat
New plans also call for more single-family homes instead of planned duplexes
Maui News
5/5/2023
Grading work begins at Pulelehua project site
The Pulelehua housing project in West maui has received its grading permit for the first phase of Mahinahina Hills. The permit was issued to Maui Oceanview LP in April, according to County of Maui records.
Maui Now
5/1/2023
Building Homes and Hope in Maui County
In 2021, Maui County made big strides in jumpstarting efforts to create affordable housing opportunities for local families – and those efforts continue today.
Ka Wai Ola
4/20/2023
Can Maui’s New Mayor Finally Make A Dent In The Housing Crisis?
The County Council is vetting his $1 billion budget proposal that includes funds for new construction and trying to complete unfinished projects.
Civil Beat
4/18/2023
Critical funding for West and South Maui secured in Senate Budget draft
More than $107 million in funding for infrastructure was included in the Senate version of the state budget which passed last week.
Maui Now
4/10/2023
Bissen’s Spending Plan For Maui Targets Affordable Housing And A Rainy Day Fund
The public can weigh in this week on the mayor’s proposed $1.2 billion budget.
Civil Beat
4/4/2023
Micah Kāne on Affordable Housing
Micah Kāne, president and CEO of Hawaiʻi Community Foundation discusses affordable housing on Living 808.
Khon
3/8/2023
Maui County condo median sales price sets all-time record at $908,000
Spiked by luxury sales, the median sales price for Maui County condominiums last month set a record high at close to $1 million, a new report said.
Maui Now
3/7/2023
5 Tools To Disarm The Weaponization Of Affordable Housing
It’s critical to ask who exactly the housing is for, who will profit from it, and whether it’s actually affordable in Hawaii.
Civil Beat
3/4/2023
Maui County ‘behind eight-ball’ on plan to create 5,000 affordable homes in 5 years
Maui County is far behind its goal of creating 5,000 affordable homes for local people over five years, according to an update this week on the Maui County Comprehensive Affordable Housing Plan.
Maui Now
3/2/2023
Maui County Sat On $8 Million That Could Have Helped Struggling Homeowners
Housing advocates worry about the bandwidth of local government to get the program going before it’s too late.
Civil Beat
3/1/2023
Maui County’s 5,000-home goal could take much longer
Nonprofit director: County is ‘behind the eight ball’ in helping affordable housing advance
Maui News
2/24/2023
Absentee owners are crowding the housing market, data shows
The share of homes sold to absentee owners has increased since 2020 across nine major metro areas, an NBC News analysis of real estate data found.
NBC News
2/21/2023
Report: Housing market activity ‘uptick’ possible
Median sales prices for single-family home in Maui County was $1.16M
Maui News
2/6/2023
Hawaii’s Affordable Housing Law Sparks Battles At The Capitol
At a time when housing is a priority for the island state, some lawmakers are pushing back against a law that eases development.
Civil Beat
2/1/2023
Two Maui County lawmakers named to panel overseeing $600M in DHHL funds
House also creates working group to address Red Hill fuel storage issues
Maui News
1/30/2023
County council fails to override Victorino’s vetoes
With a new majority on the Maui County Council, members failed to override two vetoes by former Mayor Michael Victorino, who prior to the end of his term opposed a bill relating to deed restrictions and the resale of workforce housing and another measure to establish a cultural overlay map for the county.
Maui News
1/24/2023
$398,000 grant allows for launch of Native Hawaiian Owner-Builder project on Molokaʻi
Hawai‘i Community Lending announced grant awards totaling $1.5 million that aim to increase economic stability on Moloka‘i by helping the island’s native Hawaiian community to actualize affordable homeownership.
Maui Now
1/24/2023
Maui County officials ‘eager’ to work with Green on proposals
Governor wants to build tiny home villages, tackle homelessness
Maui News
1/23/2023
December home prices higher than November
Median sales price for single family homes hover around $1M for majority of 2022
Maui News
1/23/2023
Council to consider override of veto for Bill 103 relating to workforce housing
The Maui County Council will consider overriding former Mayor Victorino’s veto of Bill 103 (2022) relating to residential workforce housing deed restrictions and resale at the upcoming council meeting on Jan. 27, Councilmember Tamara Paltin announced.
Maui Now
1/22/2023
Native Hawaiians flock to Las Vegas for affordable living
Kona Purdy never wanted to live anywhere but Hawaii. As a Native Hawaiian, he wanted his children to grow up like he did: rooted in their culture, and nourished by the mountains and ocean. But raising a family in Hawaii meant squeezing nine people into a four-bedroom house — rented with extended family — in Waipahu, a Honolulu suburb.
AP News
1/13/2023
After pandemic buying frenzy, Maui home prices may ease — but not by much
Although Maui County’s real estate market is facing uncharted territory after the frenzied home buying of the pandemic, Realtors Association of Maui said signs point to slightly softer prices heading into the new year.
Maui Now
1/8/2023
Developer to present update on Pulelehua housing project
A special presentation updating the progress of the 310-acre Pulelehua housing development is among the topics being presented at the annual West Maui Taxpayers Association members meeting.
Maui Now
1/1/2023
DHHL plans new $75M Villages of Leialiʻi subdivision with up to 250 units in Lahaina
The state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is planning its second Villages of Leialiʻi subdivision that would develop up to 250 single- and multi-family units in Lahaina for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries.
Maui Now
1/1/2023
Maui Deputy directors named to Ag, Housing, Transportation, Environmental Management, Public Works and Finance
Mayor-elect Richard Bissen announced the appointments of the following individuals to deputy director posts.
Maui Now
12/27/2022
Takayesu, Arce, Minn and Tsuhako are the latest appointments to Bissen’s cabinet
Maui Mayor-elect Richard Bissen announced a new round of appointments to his cabinet.
Maui Now
12/20/2022
Here’s How The Green Administration Plans To Tackle Hawaii’s Housing Shortage
Converting vacation rentals into homes, targeting areas with infrastructure already in place for new construction, and collaborating with counties and private business are some of the options on the table.
Civil Beat
12/16/2022
County acquisition of Lahaina Crossroads Apartments is final
Mayor Michael Victorino announced today that the County of Maui’s acquisition of the Lahaina Crossroads Apartment Building on Luakini St. is final.
Maui Now
12/6/2022
DHHL Publishes $600 Million Act 279 Plan
The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) has published and submitted to the Hawaiʻi State Legislature its final plan to spend the $600 million allocation of funding from Act 279.
Department of Hawaiian Home Lands
12/6/2022
Grand Opening Held for Kaiāulu o Kupuohi Affordable Housing Project in Lahania, Maui
A grand opening celebration was held Monday for the Kaiāulu o Kupuohi affordable apartment project in Lahaina, Maui.
maui now
10/25/2022
New public-private partnership on Maui provides hope for affordable homes, but raises questions of fairness
A budget amendment that provides an $18 million appropriation to the Pulelehua affordable housing project in West Maui was approved unanimously by members of the Budget, Finance and Economic Development Committee on Wednesday in an 8-0 vote, with one member excused.
maui now
10/24/2022
Maui affordable housing project triggers land dispute
Dozens lined Kahekili Highway near Waiehu Beach Road on Monday holding signs and Hawaiian flags.
hawaii news now
10/23/2022
Mayoral Candidates Differ on How to Address Maui’s Housing Crisis
As we look to the General Election on November 8, let us consider the contrasting approaches of our Mayoral candidates, based on their responses to a number of questions asked, as printed in the September 15 issue of The Fil-Am Voice.
fil-am voice
10/23/2022
State to subsidize midpriced rental housing projects
Developers have blitzed a state agency to tap a special $150 million legislative appropriation for funding new rental housing aimed largely at middle-income Hawaii households.
star advertiser
10/19/2022
Maui mayor signs bill to change affordable housing guidelines
Maui County Mayor Michael Victorino has signed into law Bill 107, which changes the formula used to price affordable homes, the county announced this week.
pacific business news
10/15/2022
Maui County taxpayers can expect to benefit from $73M in energy cost-savings program
Maui County has a new 20-year contract to save taxpayer money by reducing energy, water and fuel usage.
hawaii news now
10/14/2022
This Is How The Candidates For Maui Mayor Want To Tackle The Housing Crisis
Both say the lack of housing for residents is the county’s top problem, but they’re proposing very different solutions.
civil beat
10/13/2022
Less commercial, more housing in project plans
Downtown Kihei project to have 223 affordable rentals in response to community requests
maui news
10/13/2022
Home sales continue to decline on Neighbor Islands
Home sales continued to cool across Neighbor Islands in September compared to the same month last year, according to recent statistics.
pacific business news
10/11/2022
Another Endangered Species in Hawai‘i: Starter Homes
Young people used to be able to buy a small single-family home or townhome as the first step on their homeownership ladder, but today they are priced out of that market.
hawaii business magazine
10/10/2022
Land Use Commission approves public-private partnership in Waikapū, Maui
The Land Use Commission unanimously approved Waikapū Properties’ petition to amend conditions now covered by a public-private partnership between the County of Maui and the developer.
Maui now
10/10/2022
Maui Voters Weigh A Ballot Proposal To Create A Separate Housing Department
The move to split up the county’s Department of Housing and Human Concerns comes as residents increasingly struggle to find affordable homes on the Valley Isle.
civil beat
10/7/2022
Lawsuits, resident pushback pause affordable housing project on Maui
Waiehu is zoned as agriculture land and critics say it should stay that way.
hawaii news now
10/6/2022
324 units planned as part of workforce affordable Kaulana Mahina Apartments in Central Maui
An estimated 324 units are planned as part of the Kaulana Mahina Apartments development in Central Maui.
maui now
10/5/2022
Maui median in September rises to $1,025,000, up 3% from same time
Maui’s median sales price for single family homes sold in September rose to $1,025,000, up 3.0% from the year prior, according to the latest data released by the Realtors Association of Maui.
maui now
10/5/2022
Maui Voters To Decide If Planning Commission Should Be More Representative
A proposed county charter amendment would require all six community planning districts on Maui to have a member on the commission.
civil beat
10/4/2022
Final EA published for water tank in Waikapū to serve DHHL Puʻunani Homestead
The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands has published a final Environmental Assessment with a Finding of No Significant Impact for a 500,000-gallon concrete water storage tank and related improvements in Waikapū, Maui.
maui now
10/4/2022
Fewer Mortgage Delinquencies Now than a Year Ago
Lenders have been stricter on loans since the Great Recession, which would likely limit the number of delinquencies in any new recession, one local expert says.
hawaii business magazine
9/30/2022
Koa Waena affordable housing project proposed in North Kīhei
A new affordable housing project is proposed for Kīhei, Maui that seeks to offer 500 homes on 5,000 square foot lots.
maui now
9/29/2022
Hotly debated Maui County affordable housing sales price guidelines approved
Despite objections from local for-sale affordable housing developers and Maui County’s administration, rules that establish new affordable housing sales price guidelines narrowly passed second and final reading Tuesday at Maui County Council.
maui now
9/29/2022
After months of hearings, Honua‘ula moves forward
Commissioners satisfied with changes made to 1,150-unit housing project
maui news
9/28/2022
Maui council a step closer to buying Lahaina apartments in bid to save workforce housing
Lahaina Crossroads renters Etina Hingano and her husband work three jobs to make ends meet.
maui now
9/22/2022
COUNTY OFFERS TO SWAP INFRASTRUCTURE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Waikapu developer would double low-cost housing in exchange for county-funded sewer plant, road extension
maui times
9/21/2022
Affordable housing drops as interest rises in Hawaii
The Federal Reserve raised its key interest rate for the third straight time in an effort to fight inflation on Wednesday, Sept. 21.
Khon
9/20/2022
Hawaii is the most expensive state in the country to buy a home, study finds
News that’s not really news to anyone: Hawaii is the most expensive state in the U.S. to buy a home.
KITV
9/20/2022
Rising Interest Rates Sideline First-Time Homebuyers
Bidding wars are now rare, but the highest mortgage rates since 2008 put homeownership out of reach for many who thought it was possible at the start of the year.
hawaii business magazine
9/16/2022
Neighbor Island home sales continued to decline in August
Neighbor Island home sales declined last month compared to August 2021, as the market continues to cool, according to recent sales statistics.
Pacific business news
9/15/2022
Maui County looks to purchase Lahaina apartment complex
Maui Mayor Michael Victorino has requested a budget amendment for the purchase the Lahaina Crossroads Apartment building, the county announced this week.
Pacific business news
9/15/2022
202-unit Kuikahi Village project gets initial green light
Workforce housing development would include ‘innovative’ mix of homes
Maui news
9/15/2022
Council aims to acquire 257 acres in Māʻalaea by eminent domain, but owners push back
A council committee voted unanimously Wednesday to recommend approval to acquire 257 acres in Māʻalaea for preservation.
Maui now
9/14/2022
Record-setting summer closes with decline in home prices
Report: Market may be heading in‘more buyer-friendly direction’
Maui news
9/14/2022
Kuikahi Village’s 202 homes planned for Wailuku gets nod from council committee
Calling it “innovative” and unique, a Maui County Council committee on Tuesday recommended approval for a 100% workforce neighborhood in Wailuku, which would include 202 diverse houses for sale — from tiny homes to live-work townhomes.
Maui now
9/13/2022
Hawaii housing experts worry inflation will throttle back development, buying power
As the stock market fell Tuesday due to inflation fears, local housing experts are watching another troubling financial development — rising interest rates.
Hawaii News Now
9/13/2022
Maui median home prices drop under $1 million for first time this year
The median sales price for single-family homes dropped below $1 million — to $983,575 — for the first time this year.
Maui now
9/8/2022
Long-term Mortgage Rates Now at Highest Point Since 2008
Average long-term U.S. mortgage rates jumped again this week, hitting the highest levels in almost 14 years and pushing even more would-be buyers out of the market.
Star Advertiser
9/8/2022
Lanai Housing Crisis Could be Alleviated by Bill 107 at County Council
A bill that would affect home prices in Maui County goes before the council for its second and final reading on Sept. 20, 2022.
KITV
9/8/2022
Bill to Lower Maui County Affordable Housing Sales Guidelines Narrowly Advances in Council
Despite opposition from developers, a plan that promises to make affordable homes more affordable moved one step closer to reality at Maui County Council recently.
Maui Now
9/7/2022
Hawaii Officials Lower Economic Growth Predictions for the State
The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism announced Thursday lower economic growth projections for Hawaii in 2022 and 2023, in its third quarter 2022 Statistical and Economic report.
Pacific Business News
9/4/2022
Affordable Housing in Hawaii: A Top Campaign Issue Where Results Are Hard to Assess
Many political candidates made statements about affordable housing leading up to Hawaii’s primary election last month.
Star Advertiser
9/2/2022
Traffic, Flooding Among Concerns With New Affordable Housing Project in Maui
Several residents are pushing to stop a new affordable housing development from going up in South Maui.
Hawaii News Now
9/2/2022
County Council Considering New Methods for Determining Sales Price of Affordable Housing
At its Friday meeting at 9 a.m., the Maui County Council will consider a bill to establish new methods for determining the sales price of an affordable dwelling unit.
Maui Now
8/30/2022
Letters to the Editor: Public Housing Not Best Solution to Housing Crisis
A recent letter advocated for public housing as the best solution to our housing crisis (“Government should build public housing,” Aug. 19). This is the wrong solution.
Maui News
8/26/2022
Editorial: Aim Higher for Teacher Housing
It sounds like a promising project to kill the proverbial two birds with one stone: $15 million to build teacher housing on Maui, that tackles both the need for affordable rentals and offers important incentive to recruit and retain teachers
Star Advertiser
8/25/2022
Blueprint For Hawai‘i Housing? UH Project For Students And Faculty Is Going Up At Relatively Little Cost
A Hawai‘i lawmaker says the public private housing partnership could be a model for state-owned affordable rentals.
Civil Beat
8/24/2022
Land in Lahaina slated for future teacher housing
Timeline to be discussed; state says it’s the first time in a decade that DOE will put up educator housing.
Maui News
8/23/2022
Higher Mortgage Rates and Fewer Sales May Finally Be Affecting Prices
In half of the 12 real estate regions on O‘ahu, asking prices have been reduced on at least 30% of the current listings.
Hawaii Business Magazine
8/22/2022
West Maui Community Corridor Transit-oriented Development Action plan announced
Mayor Michael Victorino announced that Maui County has launched the West Maui Community Corridor Transit-Oriented Development Action Plan to advance strategies for a transit-oriented community in West Maui.
County of Maui
8/19/2022
Report finds ‘no evidence’ that outside buyers drive Hawai‘i’s high housing prices
Persistent beliefs that out-of-state homebuyers are driving up home prices in the Islands is not supported by data, according to a new report from Grassroot Institute of Hawai‘i.
Pacific Business News
8/12/2022
Affordable lottery held today at Ikaika Ohana’s Kaiwahine village for their second rental project in R&T park to open at end of year
At 11:30 am at the Kaiwahine Village center, the lottery for the new housing project from Ikaika Ohana, Kaiaulu o Halele‘a Affordable Housing Project at the R&T park, was held.
Kihei Community Association
8/12/2022
Financing approved to help build Kihei senior rental project
Affordable housing developer and owner Highridge Costa will receive funding to help build Liloa Hale, a $58.4 million, 117-unit affordable rental project for seniors in Kihei.
Maui News
8/9/2022
Records Broken as the Rich Buy Hawai‘i Homes
During the first half of this year, 424 homes, condos and vacant land parcels sold for $3 million or more. The top price: $36.1 million for an oceanfront estate on Kaua‘i.
Hawaii Business Magazine
8/9/2022
Maui County to receive $25M for Waiale Road extension
Maui County will receive $25 million in federal funds to help construct the Waiale Road extension, Hawai‘i U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and Mayor Michael Victorino announced Monday.
Maui News
8/9/2022
Neighbor Island home sales cool in July
Neighbor Island home sales continued to cool in July, while median sale prices largely continued to increase over the same month last year, according to recent sales statistics.
Pacific Business News
8/9/2022
Blessing held for 324 unit Kaulana Mahina workforce apartments in Wailuku, Maui
An official blessing was held on Monday for the new Kaulana Mahina development in Central Maui.
Maui Now
8/4/2022
County sees dip in sales as home prices hover over $1M
New listings and closed sales for homes and condos took a dive in July while inventory improved — all signs that the housing market is continuing to cool.
Maui News
8/4/2022
Maui County home sales cool in June; single-family home median sales price at $1.1 million
Maui County home sales fell by more than 50% for condos and 20% for single-family houses last month, as rising mortgage rates and record-high sales prices pushed out buyers.
Maui Now
7/29/2022
Gov. Ige joins ceremonies for two Maui affordable housing projects
Gov. David Ige participated Tuesday, July 19, in ceremonies marking milestones for two Maui affordable housing projects.
Lahaina News
7/27/2022
NIMBY worsening Hawai‘i’s housing crisis
Tens of thousands of homes, maybe more. That’s what some experts are targeting to help ease Hawai‘i’s housing crisis.
KHON2
7/27/2022
It’s Gotten Both Worse and Better for Struggling Working Families
The good news is that seventeen Hawai‘i nonprofits are helping working families become more financially stable, find affordable housing, and get involved in policy.
Hawaii Business Magazine
7/5/2022
Maui Now Survey: 71% affected by residential rental prices spiking, 93% concerned with increase in violent and property crimes
Maui Now released a survey on Thursday, June 16, asking its readers to share their opinions and attitudes toward current issues affecting Maui County.
Maui Now
7/5/2022
Column: Overcoming regulatory barriers for Maui housing solutions
It’s impossible to walk down the street and find someone who doesn’t know Maui has a housing problem for its residents.
Star Advertiser
7/1/2022
Despite pushback, new affordable sales price guides for Maui County advance
Despite some who said the plan could actually hurt housing development, a Maui County Council committee on Thursday recommended approval of a measure that aims to make affordable housing more affordable.
Maui Now
6/27/2022
Owners give Lahaina tenants more time; rally highlights Maui’s housing woes
New owners of one of the last Lahaina apartments with workforce rents reversed course Friday, announcing that no immediate evictions or rent increases will occur at Lahaina Crossroads.
Maui Now
6/24/2022
Hawaiʻi vacation rentals continued to see drops in supply, demand last month
Hawaiʻi vacation rentals reported an occupancy rate of 69.4% in May, according to data released Friday by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority and the state Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism.
Pacific Business News
6/21/2022
A Massive Maui Ranch Next Door to Oprah’s Property Asks $75 Million
Hana Ranch, which is one of the largest pieces of land for sale in Hawaiʻi, sits next to roughly 100 undeveloped acres owned by the media mogul.
Wall Street Journal
6/18/2022
Promoting affordable housing in the apartment districts
Affordable housing is at the top of the list of what our residents and communities need and demand.
Maui News
6/17/2022
South Maui Residents Want A Community Plan With Sharper Teeth
An update to South Maui’s community plan has been a long time coming. Residents charting the region’s future complain that past plans have been too flimsy.
Civil Beat
6/13/2022
100% affordable project Hale Waipuʻilani in Kīhei advances
Saying the decision is between affordable housing or speculator homes, Maui County Council in committee today voted to recommend approval for a hotly-debated 28-unit affordable housing project slated for Kīhei.
Maui Now
6/13/2022
Why Rent Relief in Hawai‘i Became a National Model
The government program helped over 13,000 households. One reason it succeeded may have been that people who had experienced housing instability had a seat at the decision-making table.
Hawaii Business Magazine
6/11/2022
Tenants forced out of Lahaina Crossroads Apartments; rent nearly doubling
Katherine Kamaunu, 71, has lived at Lahaina Crossroads Apartments for more than 35 years. Now, she and her husband, Aaron Kamaunu, 60, are being forced out of the complex, along with nearly 20 other families — a handful of whom are kūpuna on fixed incomes.
Maui Now
6/10/2022
Hawaiʻi is most expensive state for household bills
Feeling like you can’t catch up on bills month after month? Well, you are not the only one. A new study ranked the states with the highest to lowest monthly expenses and Hawaiʻi came out on top.
KHON2
6/5/2022
Maui median home sales price stays near record at $1.21M; sales slow
Maui County’s single-family home median sales price at $1.21 million in May hovered just below the record high while sales showed signs of slowing, according to a new report by the Realtors Association of Maui.
Maui Now
6/3/2022
Queen Kaʻahumanu Center pitched as future site for apartments; council shuts it down
Maui County council and administration are at odds over whether vacant spaces in industrial areas, such as Queen Ka’ahumanu Center, should be able to convert into apartments as a way to combat the housing crisis.
Maui Now
6/2/2022
Itʻs National Homeownership Month; what federal programs are available for rural areas?
Itʻs National Home Ownership month. There are several federal programs available to help people buy, repair and build affordable homes.
Maui Now
6/1/2022
Rental prices are soaring in Hawai‘i as economy rebounds
Rents are rising to record-breaking numbers across the country. On Maui, residents also see their rent soar.
Hawaii News Now
6/1/2022
Would You Want The Government To Be Your Landlord?
As residents across the U.S. struggle with rising housing prices, policymakers are increasingly looking at models for “social housing” including in Vienna, Austria, as a way to improve the situation.
Civil Beat
5/26/2022
Maui council may adjust metrics to make affordable housing actually affordable
With soaring housing prices in Maui County, council members are looking at ways to update the county’s sales price guidelines so affordable housing can actually be affordable.
Maui Now
5/25/2022
Maui Is Reconsidering What Constitutes ‘Affordable’ When It Comes To Housing
Even if families qualify for loans, monthly costs can be so high that they struggle to hold on to their homes in the long term.
Civil Beat
5/24/2022
Panel probes for answers to soaring home prices
New housing plan recommends updating county’s rent and sales price guidelines.
Maui News
5/24/2022
Kuʻikahi Village’s plans for 202 workforce homes in Wailuku moves ahead
Kuʻikahi Village Project, which aims to build 202 workforce housing units on about 15 acres in Wailuku, cleared a significant hurdle recently.
Maui Now
5/12/2022
How Fast Can Government Agencies Turn The Legislature’s $1 Billion Into New Housing?
Lawmakers just appropriated approximately $1 billion to help build homes for residents. Now it’s up to the executive branch to make things happen.
Civil Beat
5/10/2022
State’s $192M housing, civic center project in Kahului advances
A $192 million Kahului plan to develop 300 affordable and market-rate units, along with a civic center for state office space, cleared a hurdle in the approval process.
Maui Now
5/10/2022
Developer wants to turn proposed hotel site into apartment complex
Six-story Hotel Wailuku on pause, landowner supportive of new plans for site.
Maui News
5/10/2022
This Is How The Government Decides What Housing Is ‘Affordable’
On Maui, “affordable” can range from rentals as low as $600 per month to for-sale homes as high as $700,000.
Civil Beat
5/5/2022
Legislature Closes Historic Session For Housing And Hawaiians
Hawaiʻi lawmakers passed almost every proposal they said they would in a rare session bolstered by billions of dollars in extra revenue.
Civil Beat
4/26/2022
Thousands of Houses Are Empty On Maui. Would Higher Taxes Change That?
An estimated 15,000 housing units — about 1 in 5 throughout all of Maui County — are vacant, according to 2020 census estimates.
Civil Beat
4/19/2022
Maui County launched online planning and permitting system; no more paper applications
Maui County launched a new automated planning and permitting software called MAPPS. Paper applications no longer are accepted.
Maui Now
4/18/2022
NIMBY Vs YIMBY: Should Hawaii Make It Easier To Build Affordable Housing?
A bill dubbed the “Yes In My Backyard Act” would create a working group to develop a plan to reduce regulatory barriers and improve community outreach.
Civil Beat
4/14/2022
How Hawaiʻi’s Land-Use Regulations Are Helping Drive Up Housing Prices
A UHERO report quantifies what homebuilders have long said: Hawaiʻi’s robust land-use regulations contribute to housing costs
Civil Beat
4/14/2022
New report: Hawaiʻi’s high home prices tied to stiff regulations; Maui 2nd strictest in state
A new survey released today by University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization shows that Hawaiʻi has some of the most restrictive housing regulations in the nation, with Maui as the second most restrictive county in the state
Maui Now
4/8/2022
Lots poised for affordable housing, health care workers
County has long struggled to find a use for the property
Maui News
4/7/2022
Maui home prices push the needle to new record highs
Median sales price in March nearly $1.18M for homes and $820K for condos
Maui News
3/18/2022
Advocates, officials hope deal won’t delay housing project
Public-private partnership would provide wastewater in exchange for more housing
Maui News
3/16/2022
BlackSand Capital commits to affordable housing initiative
Hawaii real estate firm BlackSand Capital has made a three-year commitment of $300,000 to House Maui
Star Advertiser
3/16/2022
BlackSand Capital makes $300,000 commitment to affordable housing initiative on Maui
BlackSand Capital has made a three-year, $300,000 commitment to House Maui
Pacific Business News
3/15/2022
Maui council urged to raise tax on second homes, short-term rentals to raise money for affordables
Leaving property taxes at the lowest in the nation could actually spur investment home buys in Maui County, according to a presentation Monday afternoon at council’s Affordable Housing Committee
Maui Now
3/15/2022
BlackSand Capital makes three-year commitment to affordable housing on Maui
BlackSand Capital has entered into a three-year commitment of $300,000 to House Maui
Maui Now
2/23/2022
1,150-Unit Honuaʻula Project Heads to Mediation
Revamped development, years in the making, is seeking one of its final approvals
Maui News
2/22/2022
Major 670-Acre Housing Project at Honuaʻula Aims to Move Ahead; Groups Intervene
A long-debated master planned community proposed for 670 acres in South Maui called Honuaʻula sought the next phase of county approval today — but two groups are challenging it.
Maui Now
2/22/2022
Final Assessment for Honokowai Project Released
Plan calls for residential homesteads, multifamily residential units
Maui News
2/21/2022
This Maui Housing Project is Hugely Popular and Sorely Needed. Will it Finally Get Built?
It’s been nearly 18 years since the developer began planning Waikapu Country Town. With the final bureaucratic hurdles now cleared, a new deal with the county could spur construction.
Civil Beat
2/16/2022
752-Unit Affordable Housing Project Proposed in Waiehu
Planning commission suggests roundabouts, designing project to fit the area.
Maui News
1/26/2022
State Pitches $192M Housing, Civic Center Project for Kahului
About 5 acres of state land in Kahului would be transformed into affordable and market-rate housing, along with a civic center for state office space.
Maui Now
1/25/2022
Here’s How Affordable Housing Policies Have Impacted
Hawaiʻi’s Housing Supply
An in-depth look at how county and state affordable housing policies have helped or hurt Hawaiʻi’s housing supply – and what might work better.
Hawaiʻi Business Magazine
1/21/2022
Work to Support Affordable Housing Continues
Maui County Councilman Gabe Johnson, who also chairs the County’s Affordable Housing Committee, recaps the Committee’s accomplishments in 2021 and shares what still needs to be done in the year ahead.
Lahaina News
1/21/2022
Hawaiʻi Lawmakers Propose $600M to Fix Native Hawaiian Housing Program
Lawmakers in the State House are proposing a “historic” piece of legislation to commit $600 million to help house Native Hawaiians.
Star Advertiser
1/6/2022
‘Priority projects’ Aim to Reach 5,000-Unit Goal
The Maui County Council is hoping a series of housing projects in the works will help the county reach its goal of building 5,000 affordable for-rent and for-sale units over the next five years.
Maui News
12/27/2021
Over 1,000 Maui Families Are in a Better Financial Position to Qualify for Affordable Housing
Over 1,000 Maui families are in a better financial position to qualify for affordable housing this year — thanks to the program House Maui.
Hawaii Public Radio
12/17/2021
Center Helps More Than 1,000 Families Improve Financial Footing
The Maui Financial Opportunity Center, launched as a public-private partnership between Maui County, Hawaiʻi Community Foundation and Hawaiian Community Assets, announced Tuesday that it has reached its first-year goal of working with more than 1,000 local families to improve financial stability in order to qualify for affordable housing.
Maui News
12/5/2021
Hawaiʻi Housing Crisis has Maui Pushing to Phase out 3,000 Short-Term Rentals
As Hawaiʻi’s high housing costs and rising property taxes continue to price out struggling residents seeking to find and keep their homes, Maui is examining how to create long-term housing opportunities to make sure local residents remain local.
SF GATE
12/3/2021
Aloha Friday Conversation: Seizing Affordable Housing Opportunities in Hawaiʻi
Hear from dedicated people from across the islands who are working on affordable housing.
Hawaiʻi Public Radio
9/24/2021
Civil Beat: Hawaiʻi’s High Cost of Living Just Keeps Getting Higher
Rising gasoline and housing prices are driving up living costs for isle families, offsetting wage gains that had appeared to offer a bright spot in a tepid economic recovery.
Civil Beat
7/18/2021
Star Advertiser, Island Voices: Maui road leads to affordable housing
An opportunity awaits us that could begin the journey of elevating Hawaiʻi’s people and place. It’s the building of a simple road.
Star Advertiser
7/14/2021
FONSI Filed for Proposed Hale Pilina
A Final Environmental Assessment with a Finding of No Significant Impact determination was made for the Hale Pilina Family Affordable Rental Housing Project proposed for development in Kahului, Maui.
Maui Now
7/12/2021
Maui median home prices top state
A month after breaching a historic high of $1 million, Maui County median sales prices for single-family homes topped the state in June and set a new county record at $1,117,500.
Maui News
5/4/2021
For Maui families to stay on Maui, we need a new affordable housing system
Our affordable housing system is broken and Maui residents are in a crisis within a crisis.
Maui News
4/21/2021
Mayor vetoes affordable housing bill
Saying a new affordable housing bill will only intensify housing scarcity for Maui County, Mayor Michael Victorino vetoed the measure on Monday.
Maui News
9/16/2020
6 Things to Know About How Development Works
Depending on the circles you travel in, the word “developer” may elicit a strong reaction in you.
Strong Towns
6/15/2020
Maui Launches Financial Opportunity Center to Help Residents Into Housing
$250,000 for a total of $500,000 to launch and operate the FOC.
Maui Now
Press Releases
1/27/2022
HCF Welcomes Keoni Kuoha as Director of its House Maui Initiative
The Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, one of the state’s leading philanthropic institutions, is pleased to announce that Keoni Kuoha has joined the organization as director of the House Maui Initiative.
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12/14/2021
Maui Financial Opportunity Center Achieves First-Year Goal of Working With 1,000 Families
The Maui Financial Opportunity Center (FOC), launched as a public-private partnership between Maui County, Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF) and Hawaiian Community Assets (HCA), today announced that it has reached its first-year goal of working with over 1,000 local families to improve financial stability in order to qualify for affordable housing.
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12/2/2020
Maui Financial Opportunity Center now open in Wailuku
Now open in Wailuku, a Financial Opportunity Center (FOC) has launched as a public-private partnership by Maui County, Hawaiʻi Community Foundation (HCF) and Hawaiian Community Assets (HCA) to help thousands of residents qualify for permanent affordable housing.
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