KEY MESSAGES:

• Direct Housing households have begun to pay monthly rent to FEMA. Recertification advisors are available for continued support with this process.
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  • All Direct Housing participants must pay their full rental amount by the deadline in their rental bill. Payments made beyond the 1^st of each month will be considered late and will be subject to a late fee equal to the HUD Fair Market Rent of the unit they are occupying as well as associated penalty fees related to the monthly cost for the unit, i.e., Property Management Company fees, Performance Maintenance Inspection fees, furnishing fees and utilities.
  • If the household does not pay the HUD Fair Market Rent and all associated fees in full, they will be removed from their current unit and from FEMA’s Direct Housing Program entirely.
  • Payments may be made on Pay.gov, over the phone or by mailing a check. Cash is not accepted. For details on how to pay rent survivors should refer to FAQ: Direct Housing Rental Payment Process | FEMA.gov.

• Survivors in FEMA’s Direct Lease Program that are currently placed in long-term rental properties have been notified via letter that FEMA will support their relocation to a short-term rental property. This process will allow FEMA to return long-term rental properties to the Maui housing market while continuing to house wildfire survivors.
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  • Once survivors are informed of their new address, they have 14 days to initiate the move. Once they have the keys to their new unit, they will have 48 hours to completely vacate the old unit.
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HOUSING:

• As wildfire survivors continue to work towards rebuilding, there are currently 383 permits that have been issued and 301 permits that are being processed. Permits are processed by 4LEAF, a Maui County contractor.
  • To contact 4LEAF, survivors may visit in-person at the County of Maui Service Center at 110 Alaihi St., Suite 207, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or may call 808-270-5724.

Direct Housing:

• FEMA Direct Housing assistance currently includes homes FEMA leases for survivors and modular housing (also known as Alternative Transportable Temporary Housing Units) at the Kilohana Temporary Group Housing Site, primary and secondary sites. This program is no longer accepting new participants. However, it will continue to support households already participating in Direct Housing.

• Households in Direct Housing have begun to pay monthly rent to FEMA for their units.
  • Households will receive their rent statements at their current mailing address, and the applicant can obtain their billing statements by signing into their FEMA account online and looking under current communications.
  • The billing statement specifies the rental amount, how to send in payment, and when the payment is due.
  • Rent is to be paid within 30 days of the due date. After 30 days, the debt is considered delinquent and is subject to collection action and penalty fees as required by law.

• For questions about Direct Housing billing, to inquire on whether a rental payment has been received, or to pay rent, contact FEMA Finance at 866-804-2469, Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST (six hours ahead of Hawaiʻi time). Survivors can also email FEMA-Finance-AccountsReceivable-Deposits@FEMA.dhs.gov for assistance.
  • Households may also obtain their billing statements by signing into their FEMA account online and looking under current communications.

Kilohana Temporary Group Housing Site

• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and its contractors continue to work on the sewer project for the Kilohana Temporary Group Housing Site in Lahaina on Fleming Road and Malo Street. The completion date is currently set for April 19, 2025.
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• Primary Sites
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  • Six Lahaina homeowners in the Direct Housing Program will have FEMA temporary housing units placed on their private property while they rebuild their home.
  • The property must meet lot size requirements and be outside of the high hazard coastal floodplain.

• Secondary Sites
  
  • FEMA is in the process of placing approximately 40 temporary manufactured housing units on three privately owned properties in Lahaina.

• Rental Assistance
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  • Survivors who locate temporary housing on their own may get help from the Rental Assistance Program.
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  • Survivors who received initial Rental Assistance from FEMA may be eligible for continued rental assistance depending on their need. To request an application for Continued Temporary Housing Assistance or to get help completing the form, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Operators that speak many languages are available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. HST, seven days a week. Hours may be longer during high disaster activity. For language services press 2 for Spanish and 3 for other languages.
• Contact Information for Individual Assistance
   
  • For general questions call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Helpline operators can assist in many languages. If a survivor uses Video Relay Service, captioned telephone service or other communication services, they should provide FEMA with the specific number for that service.
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  • For questions specific to a specific case, survivors are encouraged to contact their FEMA recertification advisor.

KEEP IN TOUCH WITH FEMA:

• Survivors are encouraged to keep their information current because missing or wrong information could delay the delivery of FEMA assistance. When contacting FEMA, survivors should be prepared to give the specialist the nine-digit number assigned to them when they applied for disaster assistance.
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• Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, Kākoʻo Maui Relief & Aid Services Center located at 153 E Kamehameha Ave., Suite 101 in Kahului is open with a FEMA representative. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.
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• Maui County’s Office of Recovery at the Lahaina Gateway located at 325 Keawe St. in Lahaina, next to the Ace Hardware Store, is open with FEMA representatives. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday.
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• Visit DisasterAssistance.gov Click on the green ‘Check Status’ button to create an online account. Use the same email provided when applying for assistance. If the survivor applied for assistance online or using the FEMA app, they already have a disaster assistance account.
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• Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. If the survivor uses a video relay service, captioned telephone service or other communication services, they should remember to give FEMA their specific number assigned for that service. Helpline operators speak many languages and lines are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. HST, seven days a week. Press 2 for Spanish. Press 3 for an interpreter who speaks another language.

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DEBRIS REMOVAL:

• If issues arise or debris is found after a survivor’s property was cleared, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will review the survivor’s case to confirm qualification and determine next steps. For questions or assistance, contact the Debris Call Center at
  877-214-9117.

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DISASTER CASE MANAGEMENT:

• The Disaster Case Management Program helps assess and address needs through a disaster recovery plan which includes resources, decision making priorities, and providing guidance to help survivors navigate their recovery.
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• Disaster Case Management services are available at no cost to Maui wildfire survivors. Any survivor who was affected by the wildfires, regardless of FEMA eligibility or other federal assistance, may request help from specially trained disaster case managers. They will help assist to develop a unique and comprehensive recovery plan.

·       To access the DCMP, call 211 and press '4' to get started and enroll today. DCMP enrollment from the mainland, call 808-ASK-2000.

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CONFIDENTIAL CRISIS COUNSELING SERVICES AVAILABLE:

• The National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline can be reached by calling 988. The lifeline connects individuals with local crisis centers based on their area code. In Hawaiʻi, callers will be directed to Hawaiʻi Cares. If you have a number with an area code outside of Hawaiʻi and wish to be connected with a local crisis counselor, use the direct number 808-832-3100.
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• The Lahaina Community Health Center’s Kokua Maui line provides emotional support and resource guidance to survivors of the Lahaina and Kula wildfires. For support, call 808-658-9769 Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Disaster Distress Helpline offers 24/7 crisis counseling for emotional distress related to a disaster at 800-985-5990.
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• Women Helping Women is available to support women experiencing domestic violence. Their hotline is available 24/7 at 808-579-9581.

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STATE BENEFITS FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES:

• ‍Maui Relief TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) Program, managed by the state Department of Human Services and Maui Economic Opportunity, offers cash assistance to families affected by the wildfires. Eligible families must have at least one child under age 18 and must have experienced property loss or damage, and a reduction of earnings or employment as a direct result of the fires. The program also offers four months of support for long-term rentals. To apply, call 808-243-4404; email NRST@meoinc.org or visit www.meoinc.org.  

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U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION:

• SBA has two offices open in Maui County to provide a wide range of services to businesses and individuals impacted by the wildfires, including high winds. No appointment is necessary. All services are provided free of charge.
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  • Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement located at 70 E Kaʻahumanu, Unit D-1 in Kahului. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. HST Monday to Friday.
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  • Maui County Office of Recovery at the Lahaina Gateway, Unit 102-B (near Ace Hardware) located at 325 Keawe St. in Lahaina. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. HST Monday – Tuesday and Thursday – Friday and 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. & 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. HST Wednesday.
• SBA will accept late applications if delays were caused by circumstances beyond the applicant’s control.
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  • For assistance with late applications, visit any of the three SBA Centers on Maui or contact the SBA Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or visit www.sba.gov/disaster or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.
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  • For people who are deaf, hard-of-hearing or have a speech disability, dial
    7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

• For the latest information on the Maui wildfire recovery efforts, visit mauicounty.gov, mauirecovers.org, fema.gov/disaster/4724 and Hawaii Wildfires - YouTube. Follow FEMA on social media: @FEMARegion9 and facebook.com/fema.