Economists in Hawaii warn that residents who survived the wildfire that destroyed much of the Maui community of Lahaina might not be able to afford to live there after it is rebuilt unless officials alter the zoning laws and make other changes.
that he won’t let it get too expensive for locals. Green previously indicated that he was considering having the state acquire land for workforce housing, but he later said that wouldn’t happen unless the community requested it.
Some Lahaina residents have said that Green should have imposed an outright ban on purchasing property. Bonham said policy changes and a concerted effort are needed to prevent a rebuilt Lahaina from becoming a haven exclusively for the wealthy, for example by changing zoning to allow smaller and more affordable housing units like duplexes and apartments.
Currently, only about 1% of the land in Lahaina’s burn area is zoned for multifamily housing, Bonham said.
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