GOVERNOR GREEN CELEBRATES COMPLETION OF KA LA‘I OLA, DELIVERING HOMES FOR MAUI WILDFIRE SURVIVORS

News Release from Office of the Governor, September 24, 2025  

HONOLULU — Governor Josh Green today joined state leaders, community partners and families to celebrate the completion of Ka La‘i Ola, Maui’s largest interim housing development for wildfire survivors.

The 57-acre community now stands as a symbol of resilience and healing for those who lost their homes from the August 2023 Maui wildfires. More than 320 families — nearly 900 people — have already moved into safe, stable homes, with more on the way.

Built for survivors who were not eligible for federal FEMA assistance, Ka La‘i Ola places Hawai‘i as the first state to deliver interim housing for this population. The project reached substantial completion in less than 18 months, compared to the four to six years such developments typically require. Families were able to move in just months after groundbreaking, made possible through emergency proclamations that streamlined permitting and ensured construction advanced quickly and safely. This record-breaking timeline sets a new standard for how quickly Hawai‘i can respond to disaster recovery housing needs.

This project was brought to fruition through the partnership of the state of Hawai‘i and the Department of Human Services (DHS), working with nonprofit developer HomeAid Hawai‘i and the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF), alongside many community organizations, to bring Ka La‘i Ola to life.

“Ka La‘i Ola represents the very best of Hawai‘i. It symbolizes our resilience, compassion and determination as a community,” said Governor Green. “In less than 18 months, we turned a vision into a thriving community where nearly 900 people, who lost so much in the Maui wildfires, now have safe and stable homes. Every key we hand to a family is a promise that they are not forgotten, that Hawai‘i stands with them as they rebuild their lives. This project proves that when government, nonprofits and community work hand in hand, we can overcome extraordinary challenges and deliver hope and healing for our families.”

“Under the direction of Governor Green, DHS is honored to lead the state’s efforts at Ka La‘i Ola. This community was created to ensure that survivors who did not qualify for federal assistance still had options to find a safe place to call home,” said DHS Deputy Director Joseph Campos. “Each family who moves in is a reminder of the resilience of Maui and the aloha spirit that defines Hawai‘i.”

“By bridging modular innovation with Hawaiʻi trade industries, we achieved the speed, scale and cost-effectiveness that made Ka La‘i Ola the largest and most innovative disaster recovery development in the nation,” said Kimo Carvalho, chief executive officer of HomeAid Hawai‘i. “Through public and private partnerships, we reduced costs by 42 percent, ensuring families can focus on earning, saving and rebuilding their futures. Ka La‘i Ola demonstrates that when Hawai‘i comes together, we can deliver on impactful housing solutions with dignity, stability and hope.”

The project also accelerates future housing opportunities for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries. Originally slated for eventual transfer to the Department of Hawaiian Homelands, the site has now been fully prepared with infrastructure and homes, advancing DHHL’s timeline by 17 years. By 2029, DHHL will take full ownership of the land, infrastructure and homes.

Ka La‘i Ola is Hawai‘i’s largest modular housing community and is the second largest in the nation. It now stands as a potential model for disaster recovery housing, showing what is possible when communities unify to build not only for safety and stability, but for dignity and healing.

About HomeAid Hawaiʻi
HomeAid Hawaiʻi (HomeAid) is a local nonprofit community builder dedicated to creating deeply affordable housing solutions by lowering construction costs through strategic partnerships and donated labor and resources. Since 2015, HomeAid has completed 18 projects, saving more than $100 million while transforming underutilized land into dignified housing designed to support healing and foster community care. As the state’s lead kauhale developer, HomeAid’s model has accelerated housing for Hawaiʻi’s most vulnerable residents, including families and individuals displaced by the 2023 Maui wildfires.

To learn more about Ka La‘i Ola, click here.

Video and photo assets courtesy of HomeAid Hawaiʻi are available here. 

SN: Housing development for Maui wildfire survivors now complete

MN: State-run Ka Laʻi Ola temporary housing for Lahaina fire survivors is finished; 450 units soon-to-be full : Maui Now

NYT: Hawaiian Village Rebuilds With Modular Tiny Homes After Maui Wildfire Destruction - The New York Times