Hoʻōla iā Mauiakama Disaster Long Term Recovery Group launched to support Maui’s recovery post-wildfire
Hoʻōla iā Mauiakama Disaster Long Term Recovery Group launched to support Maui’s recovery post-wildfire

A coalition of dedicated community leaders has announced the formation of the Hoʻōla iā Mauiakama Disaster Long Term Recovery Group, aimed at delivering ongoing recovery assistance to residents impacted by the August 2023 wildfire disaster. Established with support from the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, Maui United…
Disaster Recovery Community Update set for Wednesday at Lahaina Civic Center
Disaster Recovery Community Update set for Wednesday at Lahaina Civic Center

A status update on wildfire debris cleanup will be provided by the US Army Corps of Engineers on Wednesday, Oct. 9, during a Maui County Disaster Recovery Community Update meeting at the Lahaina Civic Center. The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. in the social hall.…
County’s Office of Recovery announces partnership with Kako’o Maui at West Maui center
County’s Office of Recovery announces partnership with Kako’o Maui at West Maui center

The County of Maui’s Office of Recovery and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA) are proud to announce a partnership that brings CNHA’s Kākoʻo Maui Resource Center to the Office of Recovery-West Maui at Lahaina Gateway. Under the partnership, which began earlier this week,…
Keep insurers’ fingers out of Maui wildfire survivors’ pockets
Keep insurers’ fingers out of Maui wildfire survivors’ pockets

For Maui wildfire survivors, the global settlement of lawsuits provides a degree of certainty and closure. With lawsuits behind them, survivors can begin the long process of rebuilding and recovering without the specter of long legal battles. Under the proposed settlement, many wildfire survivors reached…
Hawaii governor signs emergency proclamation to stabilize insurance market
Hawaii governor signs emergency proclamation to stabilize insurance market

Rates surged by up to 1,000% in some cases Hawaii’s volatile condo insurance market saw its rates surge by up to 1,000% in some cases, according to a statement from the governor’s office. As a response, Governor Josh Green has signed an emergency proclamation. The…
Maui Remembers: West Maui to close Aug. 8 in observation of one-year mark since wildfires
Maui Remembers: West Maui to close Aug. 8 in observation of one-year mark since wildfires

In observance of the one-year mark since the Aug. 8, 2023, Maui wildfires, the Office of Recovery-West Maui in Lahaina Gateway will be closed on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. The office will open Friday, Aug. 9, for a condensed schedule from 8 to 11 a.m.…
Office of Recovery-West Maui will close Aug. 8; other agencies provide schedules
Office of Recovery-West Maui will close Aug. 8; other agencies provide schedules

n observance of the one-year mark since the Aug. 8, 2023, Maui wildfires, the Office of Recovery-West Maui in Lahaina Gateway will be closed on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. The office will open Friday, Aug. 9, for a condensed schedule from 8 to 11 a.m.…
New County of Maui Office of Recovery-West Maui opens in Lahaina Gateway
New County of Maui Office of Recovery-West Maui opens in Lahaina Gateway

The new County of Maui Office of Recovery-West Maui officially opened Friday with a normal operating schedule of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at Lahaina Gateway Unit 102-B, 325 Keawe St., Lahaina, near Ace Hardware. The center will serve as a centralized…
New County Office of Recovery-West Maui opens today
New County Office of Recovery-West Maui opens today

The new County of Maui Office of Recovery-West Maui officially opened today with a normal operating schedule of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at Lahaina Gateway Unit 102-B, 325 Keawe St., Lahaina, near Ace Hardware. The center will serve as a centralized…
County Office of Recovery to hold open house of West Maui office on July 3
County Office of Recovery to hold open house of West Maui office on July 3

The County of Maui Office of Recovery-West Maui will host an open house at its new office at Lahaina Gateway on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, from 5 to 7 p.m. The office is in Suite B102, near Ace Hardware, at the shopping center at 325…
County Office of Recovery to hold open house of West Maui office on July 3
County Office of Recovery to hold open house of West Maui office on July 3

The County of Maui Office of Recovery-West Maui will host an open house at its new office at Lahaina Gateway on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, from 5 to 7 p.m. The office is in Suite B102, near Ace Hardware, at the shopping center at 325…
Insured Hawaii wildfire survivors may qualify for FEMA’s Direct Lease Program
Insured Hawaii wildfire survivors may qualify for FEMA’s Direct Lease Program

Insured Hawaii wildfire survivors may qualify for FEMA’s Direct Lease Program even if they have not used up all their ALE/Loss of Use benefits. Generally, if you have homeowner or rental insurance, FEMA requires you to use all your insurance benefits before FEMA is able…
As Home Insurance Bills Go Up, Owners’ Coverage Is Going Down
As Home Insurance Bills Go Up, Owners’ Coverage Is Going Down

Frequent natural disasters and high inflation have led insurers to raise premiums, and forced many customers to pare back their policies. Robert Shiver’s bill for his homeowner insurance jumped from $3,800 in 2022 to $8,000 in July. “I remember opening the bill and, honestly, laughing,…
Advice From A Fire Survivor: ‘I Learned A Lot’
Advice From A Fire Survivor: ‘I Learned A Lot’

Don’t rush into things, especially major decisions. You have plenty of time. I was a board member for Coffey Strong which was formed after our fire to help our neighborhood, Coffey Park, recover. I now work for United Policyholders, which is a nonprofit that has…
Mighty Thankful
Mighty Thankful

We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, wherever and however you celebrated. This month’s tip is a message of gratitude for the many volunteers and donors that help our nonprofit make a BIG, positive impact on people’s lives and financial health all across the nation.…
Hawaii Supreme Court Rules Insurers Can’t Recoup Defense Costs from Insureds
Hawaii Supreme Court Rules Insurers Can’t Recoup Defense Costs from Insureds

An insurer cannot seek reimbursement from its insured for the cost of defending a lawsuit after learning that no coverage was owed unless the policy says it can, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled. “Hawaii’s stout duty to defend clashes with repayment,” the court said in…
Survivors Speak: Ten Days in Lahaina
Survivors Speak: Ten Days in Lahaina

Driving along the idyllic West Maui coast on a characteristically stunning day in early September, all looked as beautiful as ever. As I crested the hill on the south of end of Lahaina, John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ was playing on the radio. And I began to…
Maui’s Fire Victims Are Frustrated By Insurance Hassles, Financial Delays
Maui’s Fire Victims Are Frustrated By Insurance Hassles, Financial Delays

Numerous people showed up at a state Senate hearing on Maui where lawmakers urged state agencies to do more to protect consumers. As Lahaina fire victims recited a long litany of insurance problems they are facing after the Aug. 8 conflagration, Hawaii state senators pressed…