Maui County · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Maui County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Kula (Waiakoa) gym damage and possible total loss
High winds blew off the gym's roof and rain soaked its wooden structure; a structural engineer is evaluating whether it's a total loss, with results in about 60 days. Officials reclassified it out of the parks exclusion so FEMA may help pay, and historic, archaeological and accessibility reviews complicate any rebuild.
Emergency evacuation routes for South Maui
Testifiers repeatedly called Kihei a one-way-in, one-way-out 'death trap,' citing four-hour gridlock during a tsunami warning and the Lahaina fire. Many demanded infrastructure and a second exit before any more homes are built.
Countywide disaster preparedness and evacuation planning
Councilmember Paltin asked whether evacuation transportation for elderly and disabled residents could be strengthened in the plan; Human Concerns described ongoing work with MEO and MIMA, including wheelchair-capable shelter buses used during Hurricane Lala.
Wildfire evacuation and infrastructure-first growth
The Lahaina fire hangs over this plan. A 4-1 vote failed to restore the old rule that infrastructure must exist before new development, but members kept citing evacuation access, cul-de-sac connectivity and grid hardening — and a noted single transmission line into Lahaina makes power shutoffs a regional risk.
West Maui Recovery Grants
SBA disaster loans cover homeowners, renters, businesses and nonprofits for losses from the March 10–24 storms. Late applications are accepted until August 13, 2026, and economic injury applications until January 2027 — many residents, especially on Molokai, still don't know homeowners and renters qualify.
Kona Low storm recovery and FEMA reimbursement
The March 2026 Kona Low storms damaged 92 county sites island-wide, adding over $100 million to recovery needs on top of $2.36 billion from the wildfire. FEMA is changing its reimbursement process, and the county is fronting money it wasn't budgeted for, with a FY 2027 budget amendment expected.