Access to water is still in flux, but the Maui modular home housing project now has county approval to open 16 of 88 units.

Emboldened by state lawmakers’ action this session, Bissen has proposed county legislation to phase out certain vacation units to open up more long-term housing.

FEMA plans to stop reimbursing the state for emergency housing in hotels after May 10 but the governor expects several hundred likely will be staying there through at least July 1.

Although Hawaii has been picking up the tab since FEMA stopped reimbursing for food on Feb. 10, the state says saving money was not the reason for the cuts.

An estimated $16 million of revenue could come from these higher taxes, city officials said.

The developer of the 89-unit project is the first to obtain building permits in the burn zone. Now the county and state are being asked to pick up the cost of what insurance didn’t cover.

After months of battling red tape, Ohana Hope Village has opened its doors and can house about 500 people.

Controlling demand and formulating housing prices based on local wages is how some locals say Hawaii can move forward.

The county manager said the “visioning process” for the new department was put on hold when response and recovery efforts for the Aug. 8 fires took priority.

Randy Dadez says the agency moved his family into a house that Maui County’s map clearly shows lacks clean water.