Hale Pilina Breaks Ground on Maui Prioritizing Wildfire Survivors

Kahului, Maui – May 9, 2025

A major step toward addressing Maui’s growing housing crisis took place on Friday, as local leaders and community partners gathered to break ground on Hale Pilina, a new affordable housing complex in Kahului. The $114 million project, located on South Puunene Avenue, will add 178 much-needed apartment units to the island — and will prioritize survivors of the 2023 wildfires.

“This project represents progress, partnership, and a shared commitment to one of the most pressing needs facing our island — housing for local families,” said Mahina Martin, spokesperson for the Maui County Mayor’s Office. “Hale Pilina is a reminder of what is possible when we work together with purpose to keep our families rooted on our island of Maui.”

Serving Families in Need

The project is designed to serve households earning between 30% and 60% of the area median income (AMI), offering deeply affordable rental options at a time when housing costs have soared. For the first two years, priority will be given to families who were displaced by the devastating Lahaina wildfires, which destroyed thousands of homes in 2023.

According to Dean Minakami, executive director of the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, the state currently faces a shortage of more than 64,000 housing units — 15,000 of which are needed in Maui County alone. “And that number doesn’t even reflect the homes lost in the wildfires,” he added.

Designed for Community and Connection

Hale Pilina will be built across a nearly five-acre site and will feature four residential buildings with one- and two-bedroom units. The complex will also include a playground, offering families not just a roof over their heads, but a place to grow and thrive.

“Hale means ‘house’ or ‘home’ in Hawaiian, and Pilina speaks to the values of relationship, association, and connection,” said Denise Iseri-Matsubara, executive director of Catholic Charities Housing Development Corporation. “These values guided every step of the planning process.”

Iseri-Matsubara also acknowledged the many hurdles that nearly derailed the project, including rising insurance costs and sudden tariff increases. “It’s easy to say ‘collaboration,’ but much harder to achieve it under pressure. Yet here we are — breaking ground.”

A New Beginning by 2027

Construction is expected to take roughly two years, with families projected to begin moving in by the end of 2027.

As Maui continues to recover from disaster and address long-term challenges of affordability and displacement, Hale Pilina stands as a symbol of resilience and hope — a collaborative investment in the future of local families and the island they call home.

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