Corps' latest mission to provide 169 temporary housing units for Maui wildfire survivors

LAHAINA (HawaiiNewsNow) – The federal agency that helped build a temporary school for Maui wildfire evacuees is now starting to build temporary housing.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) new mission is the Kilohana Temporary Housing Project, a 34-acre site located adjacent to a sugarcane haul road off Wahikuli Road in Lahaina.

“These 169 units will not solve the larger housing problems here on the island of Maui. This is to support families who have difficulty finding other housing options due to the presence of pets or access needs. So this is about helping to reduce just part of that problem,” said Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon, USACE commanding general.

USACE officials said the project would cost no more than $45 million, funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Additionally, Maui Wildfire Recovery Field Office Commander Col. Eric Swenson said they are ahead of schedule for debris removal.

He said of the 1,399 residential lots that need to be cleared, USACE has currently cleared 1,218. Of the 159 commercial lots that have been cleared, he said USACE has completed 47.

Swenson said they plan to complete debris removal between January and February 2025. But he said it should be done within the next few months.

“There will always be a few properties that get stuck in litigation or probate court, and we are desperately trying to include all of those properties in our program,” he said.

“So we won't be complete until the county says we have all the ROEs (right of entry) that we're going to get. But we are working to get 100% of properties into our program so we can properly store this debris and keep this community safe for residents to return to their new homes.

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