Governor Josh Green, M.D.

Kīpūola Kauhale. Photo courtesy: HomeAid Hawai‘i.

After the Maui wildfires, Governor Green launched the largest non-congregate shelter program in U.S. history, partnering with hotels, the Red Cross and FEMA to quickly house survivors in private rooms instead of mass shelters. Within two weeks, every survivor seeking shelter was relocated — and about 80% were housed in hotels, forming a national model for disaster response.

Governor Green and Maui Mayor Richard Bissen, along with leaders of Ka La‘i Ola and UFC.

To further support recovery, the state established Ka La‘i Ola, “A Place of Peaceful Recovery,” Maui’s largest interim housing community for wildfire survivors. This 57-acre village includes 450 homes where roughly 900 survivors currently live, with the capacity to serve up to 1,500 individuals.

In addition, the state built Kīpūola Kauhale, the first kauhale village on a neighbor island and largest overall. This project marks a major step forward in Hawai‘i’s innovative approach to deeply affordable housing and expands the successful kauhale model statewide. Built from the ground up on Maui, Kīpūola, meaning “to enfold oneself with life, health and well-being,” will provide 64 tiny homes and a pathway to stability and economic mobility for wildfire survivors and individuals experiencing homelessness.

This achievement was made possible only through the collective effort of many partners united by a shared mission. Department of Business and Economic Development and Tourism Director Jimmy Tokioka led hotel partnerships, Department of Human Services (DHS) Deputy Director Joseph Campos advanced Ka La‘i Ola, and DHS Deputy Director Trista Speer supported resiliency counseling for survivors. Together with HomeAid, Family Life Center and Bridging the Gap, the Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions helped make Kīpūola a reality.

As Governor Green stated, “The kauhale initiative has proven to be one of Hawai‘i’s most innovative and effective solutions to homelessness. Kīpūola Kauhale not only provides homes, it provides dignity, stability and opportunity. It is how we honor Maui’s resilience and commitment to rebuilding stronger, together.”