The rebuilding effort from the Maui wildfires of August 2023 continues to be a test for the devastated section of Hawaii, but Mayor Richard Bissen insists progress will be made.
Island News reports Bissen’s 2025 State of the County Address highlighted the resolve to push ahead with recovery efforts.
“While our community may be in different stages of healing, I stand before you tonight to say: The state of our County is determined. Determined to get our people home,” said Bissen in his Friday night speech at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center’s Castle Theater in Kahului, noting that housing continues to be the top focus of the recovery efforts.
“Housing remains one of the most pressing challenges across Maui Nui,” Bissen continued. “The County is on track to contribute to nearly 620 completed units last year, and over 1,200 new, permanent units coming online over the next two years. Additionally, the County’s draft CDBG-DR Action Plan, now undergoing community review and input, proposes to allocate over $1.2 billion over the next six years toward the reconstruction, rebuilding and development of housing and housing-related infrastructure for our people.”
Bissen added he will soon introduce legislation designed to benefit Native Hawaiian families in a resolution for long-standing real property tax delinquencies for the homestead lessees within the Department of Hawaiian Homeland Leases program.
Other highlights from Bissen’s speech included plans for a “Safe Parking” program providing a secure environment for residents living in their vehicles, a coordinated water management plan that takes a holistic approach to managing drinking water, wastewater and stormwater, and energy-saving initiatives designed to improve energy efficiency, facility management and critical infrastructure.
“Despite the significant challenges faced by Maui County, we have maintained good financial health, reflecting our commitment to transparency and accountability,” Bissen said. “This has resulted in strong bond ratings, which translate to large capital projects costing us less.”
Photo courtesy U.S. Department of Homeland Security
