Kahului Housing Project For Fire Survivors Finally Opens
After months of battling red tape, Ohana Hope Village has opened its doors and can house about 500 people.
Family Life Center, a Maui-based nonprofit, announced on Friday that a midterm housing solution for people displaced by the Aug. 8 wildfires is now open and is accepting up to 500 people who need a place to live.
is located on 10 acres owned by King’s Cathedral in Kahului and consists of 88 modular homes intended to house people for three to five years until they can find a permanent place to live. Family Life Center partnered with Hawaii Off Grid, a local architectural firm, along with dozens of companies across the island to build the site.
Priority is given to people who lived in large, multigenerational homes and the elderly, said Ashley Kelly, Family Life Center chief operating officer.
Kelly had expected to open Ohana Hope Village relatively soon after the fire but she quickly learned that would not be the case. The project got delayed by permitting obstacles over fire suppression and access-to-water issues that pushed the grand opening back by months.
The community is fully funded by donations and the tenants who live there will not be charged rent. They will also receive wraparound services and support with permanent housing navigation and other needs.
Kelly said by text on Friday that she has received more than 800 applications from households representing over 2,000 individuals. People in need are still encouraged to apply.
Large families will get moved to the top of the priority list and one-quarter of all the units are reserved for kupuna, Kelly added.
Information about the application process, making a donation or volunteering can be found on the Ohana Hope Village .
Civil Beat鈥檚 coverage of Maui County is supported in part by grants from the Nuestro Futuro Foundation.
