Current:Home > FinanceMaui’s mayor prioritizes housing and vows to hire more firefighters after Lahaina wildfire -MoneyStream
Maui’s mayor prioritizes housing and vows to hire more firefighters after Lahaina wildfire
View
Date:2025-04-12 07:28:17
HONOLULU (AP) — Maui’s mayor says he is prioritizing housing, evaluating evacuation routes and hiring more firefighters as his Hawaii community recovers from the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century.
Mayor Richard Bissen outlined the steps in emotional remarks more than seven months after the Aug. 8 wildfire killed 101 people in the historic town of Lahaina.
He kicked off his address by saying “the state of the county is heartbroken” and then paused several times throughout his 45-minute speech to collect himself as he spoke of those who died and of the heroism and sacrifices of residents and county employees. He recounted stories of those who rescued people from the flames and opened evacuation centers and food distribution hubs for survivors.
“It will take strength, courage and faith to keep moving forward. But the foundations of that will be in how we care for one another, always leading with aloha,” Bissen said in his Friday night address, which was delivered in Wailuku and streamed online.
Maui had a housing shortage and some of the nation’s most expensive housing even before the fire. The island’s housing crisis only intensified after the blaze destroyed more than 2,000 buildings and displaced 4,500 residents. About 87% of those who lost their homes were renters.
Thousands of people are still staying in hotels while they look for places to rent and wait for longer-term housing options. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, the state and private charities have been paying for the hotel rooms.
To boost housing options, Bissen said his legal team would review an exemption to county laws that allows owners of selected properties to turn their condos into vacation rentals and lease them to visitors for less than 30 days at a time.
Activists say there are 2,500 such properties in West Maui alone that could be used to house displaced residents. Since November, activists have been camping on the beach facing waterfront hotels in a “Fishing for Housing” protest to demand that the county revoke the exemption.
Bissen said his administration would boost enforcement against illegal vacation rentals by investigating anonymous tips in addition to those submitted by a named source. He said it would also prepare for both interim and long-term housing development, but he didn’t mention specifics.
The mayor said he would submit rent-stabilization legislation to the county council with the aim of bringing relief to residents while fairly balancing the needs of property owners.
Some of those who died in the fire were caught in traffic jams trying to leave Lahaina. Like many Hawaii towns, it sits sandwiched between the ocean and the mountains and has limited roads in and out. Bissen said county planning, emergency management, fire and police departments were examining evacuation routes in Lahaina and elsewhere.
Bissen said he has approved the addition of 29 positions for the Department of Fire and Public Safety.
“These expansion positions will undoubtedly increase overall firefighting capability across our county and enhance the fire department’s capacity to respond to future large-scale emergencies,” Bissen said.
veryGood! (882)
Related
- Trump invites nearly all federal workers to quit now, get paid through September
- Floods threaten to shut down a quarter of U.S. roads and critical buildings
- NYC's Subway Flooding Isn't A Fluke. It's The Reality For Cities In A Warming World
- The MTV Movie & TV Awards 2023 Nominations Are Finally Here
- Arkansas State Police probe death of woman found after officer
- Let's Check In on The Ultimatum Couples: Find Out Who's Still Together
- New Orleans Levees Passed Hurricane Ida's Test, But Some Suburbs Flooded
- Biden Says 'America's Back.' The World Has Some Questions
- Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump
- Prince William launches Homewards initiative in a bid to finally end homelessness in the U.K.
Ranking
- Travis Hunter, the 2
- Congress Is Debating Its Biggest Climate Change Bill Ever. Here's What's At Stake
- Shop the Best Personalized Jewelry for Mother's Day
- Young People Are Anxious About Climate Change And Say Governments Are Failing Them
- Tarte Shape Tape Concealer Sells Once Every 4 Seconds: Get 50% Off Before It's Gone
- Why Kelly Ripa Says She and Mark Consuelos Are Taking a Vow of Chastity
- Save 50% On This Clinique Cleansing Bar, Simplify Your Routine, and Ditch the Single-Use Plastic
- Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, diagnosed with breast cancer, undergoes surgery
Recommendation
Nevada attorney general revives 2020 fake electors case
The Climate Change Link To More And Bigger Wildfires
Heat is killing workers in the U.S. — and there are no federal rules to protect them
22 Dead, Many Missing After 17 Inches Of Rain In Tennessee
Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump
Emily Ratajkowski Shares Insight on Horrifying Year After Sebastian Bear-McClard Breakup
Biden, Zelenskyy hold phone call about recent events in Russia, White House says
Water is scarce in California. But farmers have found ways to store it underground