MAUI NUI PRIORITIES

Committed to Maui Nui’s Future, People, and Place

Proven Leadership That Delivers for Maui Nui

Under Mayor Richard Bissen’s leadership, the County of Maui has delivered significant progress in housing, wildfire recovery, public safety, infrastructure, and community well-being — with clear results for residents across Maui Nui. 

Maui Nui Priorities

  • Kamaʻāina Housing

    Prioritizing Housing Solutions That Benefit Local Residents.

  • Recovery & Well-being

    Healing Our Community with Care, Collaboration, and Support.

  • Cultural & Natural Resources

    Honoring Our Past, Sustaining Our ʻĀina, and Protecting Our Future.

Prioritizing Housing Solutions That Benefit Local Residents

Kamaʻāina Housing

Housing is more than shelter — it’s the foundation of community life. The Bissen Administration is focused on keeping Maui families rooted in the places they love through balanced, long-term housing solutions. Each project reflects a commitment to kuleana — to ensure homes remain for residents, not speculation. 

By working alongside community partners, nonprofits, and local builders, this effort prioritizes affordable, sustainable, and culturally respectful development across the islands. From workforce housing in progress to recently completed projects and future initiatives now taking shape, every step forward is designed to make Maui a place where kamaʻāina can continue to live, work, and raise their families. 

These are not just housing projects — they are investments in belonging, dignity, and the future of our home.

Bissen Administration Accomplishments

    • 289 affordable units completed in West Maui

      • Expedited permitting and support for Kaiaulu O Kukuia

      • $40M investment, expedited permitting and debris support for Kaiaulu O Kupuohi

    • 223 affordable units underway in Kīhei

      • Hale O Piʻikea — completion by end of 2025

    • 353 units started construction in 2025
      (Līpoa Apartments — 175 units; Hale Pilina — 178 units)

    • 145 units continuing construction
      (Kilohana Makai — 28 units; Līloa Hale — 117 senior units)

    • $1.3 billion in proposed HUD CDBG-DR investments for housing + infrastructure

    • Introduced Bill 9 to transition thousands of vacation rentals to long-term housing for local families

    • $17M invested in the Lānaʻi Affordable Housing Project
      (infrastructure + vertical construction) 

    • RFP released to redevelop the former Haggai Institute (Kīhei)
      (workforce housing, teacher housing, early childhood center) 

    • Reactivated Experimental & Demonstration Housing Fund
      RFP anticipated early 2026 to pilot scalable housing solutions 

    • County-owned sites moving toward entitlement
      in partnership with Department of Planning 

    • Site planning initiated to redevelop Komohana Hale
      (lost in the 2023 Lahaina wildfires) 

    • $6 million to Lahaina Community Land Trust for future community housing 

    • Kaiaulu O Napili has two Affordable Housing Fund appropriations: 

      • FY 2025 Grant- $650,000 for predevelopment (for land use entitlements and environmental studies) 

      • FY 2026 Grant- $2 million for new construction, planning, and design

    • $3M rental assistance in FY25 supporting 500+ families 

    • Funding increased to $4.35M in FY26 to expand support

    • $61M in FY25 supporting 600+ units through the Affordable Housing Fund 

    • $57M in FY26 supporting 1,047 units
      (development, acquisition & rehabilitation)

    • $28M in subsidies administered in FY25–FY26
      supporting 1,500 families through the Housing Choice Voucher Program

    • $1M in down payment support for 13 homeowners 

    • 300+ families assisted through the Homeowner Assistance Fund

    • Disaster Recovery Building Permit system accelerating Lahaina rebuilding 

    • SMA permit suspension mauka of Front Street — up to 1 year saved for 600+ homes 

    • Property tax exemption bill introduced for DHHL homestead leases 

    • $24 million Homeowner Assistance Fund supporting mortgage relief

  • Wastewater & Sewer

    • Central Maui Regional Wastewater Facility modernization — $10.5 million; groundbreaking 2027 

    • Lahaina Wastewater Reclamation Facility upgrades — $10 million

    • Lānaʻi wastewater reclamation planning — $1 million

    • Upgrades in Makawao, Hāna & Upcountry; 7 large-capacity cesspools closing 

    • Pāʻia Pump Station upgrades — $300,000

    • Keʻanae septic improvements — $1 million

    Solid Waste Improvements

    • Coming soon! 

    Water System Improvements

    • $16 million Kahana Well Project; adding 1 MGD by 2025 

    • $4.5 million Upper Kula transmission reliability upgrades 

    • $2.65 million Upcountry capacity improvements 

    $600,000 Kamaole WTP reservoir upgrades

    • Waiʻale Road Extension includes — $87 million 

    • North-South Collector Road / Līloa Drive — $25 million federal 

    • Community safety access upgrades: 

      • Vevau Street — $200,000

    • 1,100 temporary units delivered via State/County/FEMA/CNHA partnership 

    • Sites: Ka Laʻi Ola, Kilohana, Ke Ao Maluhia & Kīhei/Haggai 

    • Permanent utilities installed to support sustained redevelopment

Healing Our Community with Care, Collaboration, and Support

Recovery & Well-Being

The Lahaina fire changed Maui forever. In its wake, our community continues to grieve, rebuild, and find strength in one another. The Bissen Administration’s focus remains clear: to restore what was lost with compassion, integrity, and care. Recovery is not just about structures — it’s about people, families, and the deep sense of belonging that defines who we are.

Guided by lessons learned, this administration is improving how Maui responds to crisis — creating systems that are faster, more transparent, and more community-driven. From immediate relief and housing support to long-term planning for mental health, infrastructure, and economic stability, every action is grounded in kuleana: the responsibility to serve with heart.

As we move forward, recovery becomes more than response — it becomes renewal, built on aloha, resilience, and the shared promise of a stronger Maui.

Bissen Administration Accomplishments

    • 100% of 1,538 impacted properties cleared 

    • More than 400,000 tons of wildfire debris removed safely 

    • Acquired neighboring land to increase capacity at Central Maui Landfill to enable future growth and air space, and accommodate fire debris

    • Secured All debris transferred to permanent site; temporary site restoration on track for 2025 completion 

    • Water and sewer fully restored ahead of schedule — serving 3,890 lots 

    • Removal of 3,200+ burned vehicles completed 

    • Most road access restored, with additional reopening in phases as conditions allow

    • Lahaina Long-Term Recovery Plan co-created with 3,800 residents 

    • 100+ listening sessions in Lahaina and Kula 

    • More than $1.6 billion in federal disaster recovery secured 

    • Office of Recovery and Lahaina Recovery Resource Center established

    • After-Action Reports completed for Police, Fire & MEMA 

    • MEMA staffing expanded from 9 → 25, including on Molokaʻi, Lana‘i and Hāna 

    • Genasys Protect evacuation app & advanced weather sensors deployed 

    • Maui Fire: 29 new positions; Haʻikū Station — $18.58M; Kula apparatus bay — $3.08M 

    • AI early-fire detection sensors installed 

    • MPD: State’s first nighttime public safety helicopter; new patrol K-9 unit 

    • $5 million Molokaʻi Police Station 

    • $150,000 — Hāna police cottages; $1.5 million — Kīhei server room upgrades

    • Expanded trauma-informed counseling & cultural healing services 

    • Early Childhood capacity restoring 275 childcare seats 

    • Support for community health and well-being: 

      • $410,000 — Maui Family Support Services, Feed My Sheep, Hale Mahaolu 

      • $400,000 — MACC, MAPA, Nisei Veterans Memorial Center 

      • $1.43 M — Boys & Girls Clubs of Maui 

      • $450,000 — Pāʻia Clean & Safe program 

      • $330,000 — Molokaʻi Community Health Center 

      • $570,000 — Molokaʻi Rural Health Community Association 

      • Suicide prevention & child protection on Molokaʻi — $150,596 

    • Tropic Care providing medical, dental, and optometry in 2027, coming to Molokaʻi & Lānaʻi 

    • Workforce upskilling for recovery-impacted residents

    • Maui County Fair returned after a 6 year absence with record breaking attendance of over 120,000 attendees. 

    • Kahului Transit Center opened; 4 electric buses added 

    • Upgrades improving parks & recreation across Maui Nui: 

      • $4 million — Keōpūolani & Wells Parks (lighting & safety) 

      • $1 million — Kanahā Beach Park restrooms 

      • $250,000 — Kahului Community Center roof 

      • $1 million — Flako Boteilho Gym upgrades 

      • $1 million — One Aliʻi Park shade structure (Molokaʻi) 

      • $225,000 — Hāna Youth Center 

      • $600,000 — Hāna–Keʻanae–Kailua parks 

      • $500,000 — Hāna Park tennis & baseball courts 

      • $1 M — Lānaʻi Youth Center & Skate Park 

      • $28.5 M — War Memorial Gymnasium is undergoing a complete overhaul. 

      • $7.2 M — War Memorial Stadium track is slated for rehabilitation

    • Strategic Refocusing of the Office of Economic Development (OED)

    • Evolving Beyond Grant-Making:
      OED’s historic role as a grant-funding body is being strategically refocused toward proactive, countywide economic development and diversification. 

    • Grounded in Recovery and Resilience:
      The department’s renewed direction responds to recent challenges — including COVID-19 and the Maui wildfires — emphasizing innovative, community-based recovery and long-term resilience. 

    • New Strategic Framework:
      A comprehensive framework was established to strengthen OED’s capacity to lead broad-based, sustainable economic growth throughout Maui County. 

    • Proactive, Industry-Focused Approach:
      OED is shifting from transactional grant distribution to strategic, sector-driven initiatives that build local capacity and encourage private-sector investment. 

    • Kamaʻāina Economy Lens:
      The department’s strategies prioritize a “Kamaʻāina economy” — elevating locally rooted industries and community resilience while maintaining balance within the visitor industry. 

    • Target Industries for Growth:

      • Construction and infrastructure development 

      • Healthcare and wellness services 

      • Technology and aerospace innovation 

      • Creative industries, including music, culture, film, and the arts — supported by a dedicated Film Commissioner 

    • Workforce Development Partnerships:
      Workforce readiness and training are central priorities, developed in collaboration with state, federal, and private-sector partners to align local talent with emerging industries.

Honoring Our Past, Sustaining Our ʻĀina, and Protecting Our Future

Cultural & Natural Resources

Maui’s strength begins with its ʻāina — the land, water, and heritage that sustain us. The Bissen Administration is committed to protecting these foundations through community-driven stewardship, grounded in aloha ʻāina and guided by local knowledge. This work brings together cultural practitioners, environmental experts, and residents who share one purpose: to care for the resources that care for us.

From native ecosystem restoration to stream management and traditional land use planning, every initiative reflects the belief that conservation and culture are inseparable. These projects are not only about protection — they are about reconnection, ensuring future generations inherit a Maui that is healthy, vibrant, and true to its roots.

Bissen Administration Accomplishments

    • Advancing restoration of Mokuʻula and Loko o Mokuhinia 

    • Hālau of ʻŌiwi Art — completion 2027 

    • Von Tempsky Kula Community Center preserved

    • One Water Strategy exploration underway to advance long-term water security 

    • R-1 recycled water expansion — federally funded 

    • 257 acres acquired at Pōhākea for fire protection & access; pursuing 423 more acres 

    • East Maui watershed protection — $857,746 

    • Auwahi Forest restoration — $155,844 

    • Kula Community Watershed Alliance — $75,000 

    • $7.27 million for Molokaʻi water capacity upgrades

    • Maui County Food & Nutrition Security Plan launched — first in county history 

    • $7+ million in grants supporting farmers + local food production 

    • Kula Agriculture Park infrastructure improvements

    • West Maui Greenway — $15 million federal; multi-use corridor + firebreak 

    • 685 abandoned vehicles removed from ʻUkumehame Valley 

    • $5 million in Green Grants supporting marine life & clean energy 

    • Invasive species and weed eradication — $285,000

Efficient, Responsible, and Transparent Government

Operational Excellence & Fiscal Stewardship

Maui County continues to strengthen the foundation of responsible, transparent government under the Bissen Administration. Despite the challenges of wildfire recovery, the County has maintained strong bond ratings and expanded its commitment to energy efficiency—saving taxpayers hundreds of thousands each year. The FY26 budget reflects a focused investment in housing, recovery, infrastructure, sustainability, and cultural stewardship. Through increased federal grant success and careful fiscal management, the County is reducing local costs while advancing long-term community resilience.

Bissen Administration Accomplishments

  • Strong bond ratings maintained throughout wildfire recovery 

  • Energy upgrades saving $639,000 annually today; $1.63 million projected future savings 

  • FY26 Budget focuses on housing, recovery, infrastructure, sustainability & cultural stewardship 

  • Increased federal grant success — lowering costs for local taxpayers