On this edition of Your Call, we discuss the recovery efforts taking place in Lahaina, Maui.
Six months after the devastating fires that destroyed Lahaina, many survivors are still struggling to find stable housing.
The grassroots organization Lahaina Strong is leading calls to transition short-term Airbnb properties into long-term housing for Maui residents and pause tourism to give people time to grieve.
As the recovery moves ahead, will Hawaiʻi lawmakers put people over profits?
Guests:
Jordan Ruidas, founder of Lahaina Strong
Elena Bryant, senior associate attorney with Earthjustice
Resources:
Honolulu Civil Beat: Lahaina Was Grappling With Rising Inequality Before The Fires
HPR: A Lahaina teacher's difficult search for long-term housing almost 6 months after the wildfires
AP: Maui wildfire survivors camp on the beach to push mayor to convert vacation rentals into housing
The New York Times: In 100 Victims of the Lahaina Fire, Legacies That Live On
The New York Times: 9 Key Revelations in Maui’s First Review of the Lahaina Inferno
NBC: ‘This is not a Lahaina problem’: Once unthinkable, frequent fires are Hawaii’s new normal.
