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Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen delivered an emotional speech on Friday that thanked all the people and organizations that have helped in the response to the Aug. 8 wildfires, reeled off the progress made in the past seven months, and outlined the course for the island’s continued recovery that focuses on dealing with the housing crisis.

“I am here to report that the state of our county is heartbroken,” Bissen said at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center in his State of the County address.

The mostly packed auditorium was silent as a montage of the 101 people who died in the country’s most deadly wildfire in more than a century were shown on a screen.

Bissen said the county is also heartbroken for the more than 12,000 people who lost everything, including 72 county employees.

“Our people and our historic Lahaina will never be the same,” he said. “But with this heartbreak, comes healing. Out of this tragedy, we will rise together, stronger, more resilient, and committed as a community united in not only our rebuilding, but our regrowth.”

It starts with dealing with the housing crisis that only got worse with the loss of more than 2,000 structures in the fires, most of them homes.

Since the fires and influx of state and federal money to house fire survivors, rents have skyrocketed. Bissen said he is prioritizing actions to stabilize rent and increase housing units by supporting accessory dwellings on properties.

“Short-term rental units, now classified as exempt under a ruling known as the Minatoya exemption, will be undergoing a policy and legal review from my corporation counsel as we seek more options through our island’s existing inventory of housing,” Bissen said to loud applause. 

Bissen also announced he will reverse a 2011 county policy of not taking anonymous complaints regarding illegal short-term rentals. Soon, new Planning Director Kate Blystone and her team will begin taking all complaints over illegal short-term rentals and pursuing them to the fullest extent.

The address was attended by Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda, the mayors of the other counties, two former Maui mayors, the top federal leaders of the Maui fire response, the entire Maui County Council and many of the heroes of Aug. 8.

Bissen said Gov. Josh Green was not in attendance because he was “traveling to Japan to seek additional housing solutions.”

Bissen discussed accomplishments in 2023 that included breaking ground on the long-awaited Kahana well to enhance the county’s water system in West Maui, the opening of Kulanihakoi High School in Kihei and the the beginning of the renovation project to upgrade the 62-year-old War Memorial Gym to a Category 3 hurricane shelter.

But most of the focus was on the county’s response to the fires and its short- and long-term recovery.

“Countless heroic acts took place during the wildfires, resulting in many lives being saved,” Bissen said.

He recognized police officers Kameryn Pupunu and Calvin Dawn for helping 15 people trapped in a coffee shop escape to safety.

“It saddened me deeply to learn that Officer Pupunu himself lost four family members in the wildfire,” Bissen said, pausing to regain his composure.

He also recognized firefighter Tanner Mosher who cleared an escape path and retrieved a vehicle to rescue seven fellow firefighters, the Coast Guard who recovered many people from the ocean despite vessels exploding in the water, and the 911 dispatchers who handled 4,500 calls and recently were honored in Washington, D.C. 

It was just the start of a long list of people and organizations he thanked.

“Everything changed on that day, and overnight,” Bissen said. “Life as we knew it was no more. It was a day that challenged our fortitude and shook our foundation in the face of unimaginable devastation and disbelief. The only thing that was certain, is that we would not stop until our people, and our island, were made whole once again.” 

Since the fires, Bissen established a six-person volunteer advisory committee of community members with deep roots to Lahaina to help the government quickly navigate through the myriad of needs, challenges and community issues.

In 29 weeks since the fires, Bissen rattled off the recovery progress on Maui:

• Specialized search teams with 46 dogs sent by five states helped locate almost all the deceased individuals in the rubble. 
• Completed the clearing of all 26 Kula properties that were impacted by the wildfire, and the county already is working to review and approve submitted permit applications for Kula landowners.
• Several key housing projects in West Maui are moving forward, including FEMA’s Kilohana project of 169 modular homes in Lahaina, the state’s Kalaiola project of 450 temporary housing units, Kaiaulu o Kupuohi and Kaiaulu o Kukuia.
• Conducted a complicated re-entry process for thousands of residents and business owners.
• Army Corps is currently in the process of clearing debris for more than 2,000 parcels in Lahaina, using 21 teams, working seven days a week. In about two months, 311 parcels have been cleared so far. 
• Keeping the public informed by creating the MauiRecovers.org website, which now contains more than 400 pages, and conducting 34 community meetings in Kula and Lahaina and 14 intimate talk-story sessions.
• With the support of the EPA, the Department of Environmental Management cleared debris from 90,000 linear feet of wastewater lines in Lahaina to assist in prioritizing needed repairs.

Bissen said he has directed his Cabinet to focus on the return of residents to their properties by prioritizing the restoration of critical infrastructure in Lahaina. Recognizing the need for assistance, Bissen has asked Green and the Legislature for an appropriation of approximately $150 million for fiscal year 2025, which starts July 1. 

He also created the Office of Recovery that is in full activation, forming six teams to focus on key areas of recovery: housing, infrastructure, community planning, health and safety, natural and cultural resources, and economic development.

The Office of Recovery has created an expedited permitting office that will begin operations in April.

On March 25, Bissen said he will deliver the fiscal year 2025 budget to the Maui County Council, requesting $75 million to provide housing and other prioritized needs for wildfire survivors. 

“Our budget staff and department teams have been working hard to balance the needs of our current crisis with the needs of countywide operations,” Bissen said. “While we are seeking an appropriation of $150 million from the state and anticipate federal reimbursements for disaster response costs, our proposed budget seeks to provide vital and reliable services to our residents, and is also focused on recovery and averting future disasters.” 

Bissen said he’ll also be asking the council to pass legislation for rent stabilization that balances the needs of rental property owners.

He reported good news that the county has managed to retain its excellent bond ratings, even after the fires, which means the county can continue to qualify for lower interest rates when it needs to issue bonds for large capital projects.

In the next fiscal year, the newly formed East Maui Water Authority is expected to begin operating as a department. And two additional departments established as a result of charter amendments passed by voters in 2022 will be established in July: the Department of Oiwi  Resources and a Department of Housing.

Bissen said the county is in the process of rebuilding the Maui Emergency Management Agency with the renewed leadership of retired Maui Fire Department Battalion Chief Amos Lonokailua-Hewett, who replaced Herman Andaya who resigned amid criticism of his handling of the fires. Bissen also said he has approved the addition of six positions in Molokai, Lanai and Hana for increased response. 

The county also is building its Citizen Emergency Response Team program, examining existing evacuation routes and planning to add 29 positions in the Department of Fire and Public Safety.  

But the county continues to face a serious shortage of workers with 700 positions vacant throughout all departments. To help address this issue, Bissen announced a new initiative called “County as a Campus” that will provide teens with the opportunity to experience the different career opportunities “right here in their hometown.”

“As mayor, I have witnessed firsthand the incredible efforts of our county ohana — the silent heroes, who have dedicated themselves to the betterment of their community, recovery efforts, protecting our people, keeping the water flowing, protecting our precious resources, and tackling extremely complex issues,” he said.

He got choked up singling out Lahaina-based Public Works Supervisor Mike Tihada, who took charge of setting up the Lahaina Civic Center as an emergency shelter even as the homes of his family were being  destroyed.

“While we know we will rebuild our structures, our ultimate goal is to restore the heart of our community,” Bissen said.

Civil Beat’s coverage of Maui County is supported in part by a grant from the Nuestro Futuro Foundation.