Overview

The board members and volunteers of Stand Up Maui (SUM) have consistently advocated with the County Administration and the Maui County Council to build affordable, decent homes for Maui’s people.

SUM has advocated for Maui County to develop a Comprehensive Affordable Housing Plan to serve as a roadmap for building homes our people need at the prices they can afford. The plan created by Hawaiian Community Assets can be found at:  https://sites.google.com/view/mauihousingplan

In 2022, SUM launched an Affordable Housing Resource Directory on Facebook.  To explore an evolving list of affordable housing resources online, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/standupmaui4housing

In 2017, SUM (formerly FACE Maui) asked the Maui County Council to establish a Comprehensive Affordable Housing Plan (CAHP). Unfortunately, this was not done. SUM requested a second time and the Council has approved.   

Why is a comprehensive plan so important at this time? Hawaii is in a housing crisis and affordable housing is necessary to prevent displacement of the local population. Currently, the County of Maui is dependent on developers to propose, develop and facilitate affordable housing opportunities. Local residents cannot access affordable housing due to barriers related to the affordable housing development process. Stand Up Maui stood up for a plan to identify strategies to overcome these barriers.

On August 28, 2020, the Maui County Council awarded the bid to create a comprehensive plan to a local nonprofit, Hawaiian Community Assets, Inc., to develop the CAHP.  On November 9, 2020 the Office of Council Services contracted Hawaiian Community Assets to assemble a team that engaged approximately 1,600 community members to identify recommendations and solutions for affordable housing for the County of Maui. The final plan was presented to the Maui County Council July 19, 2021. 

Purpose: 

Affordable homes can and will be built on Maui as we respond to the housing crisis, however, if local residents are unaware or ineligible for affordable home opportunities at the time they become available, affordable homes can be sold at affordable rates to non-residents or eventually sold at market rates if there are no low-income applicants that meet the qualifications necessary to secure a home.

Stand Up Maui is developing a solution that will support the residents of Maui with receiving the communication they need to become aware and eligible for the affordable home opportunities that develop over the next five years as the public and private sectors come together like never before to produce more homes for Maui County residents.

Facebook Pilot Directory: 

At this time, Stand Up Maui is presenting affordable housing resources through a Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/standupmaui4housing.  

How to use the directory: 

We encourage residents and local organizations interested in affordable housing opportunities to follow and engage with this page.  Click the blue button to "Like" the page and receive notifications about affordable housing.  Local housing organizations, developers and residents are welcome to post affordable housing opportunities to the page as well to reach subscribers.

Housing Choice Voucher Program / Section 8 (not accepting applications at this time):

The Housing Choice Voucher Program provides tenant-based assistance in the form of a voucher to low-income families, seniors, and persons with disabilities for rental units chosen by the tenant in the private market. The Housing Authority provides payments directly to participating property owners to offset the cost difference between tenant payments and unit rent. Program applicants choose from a variety of housing options ranging from apartments, duplexes, single-family homes, or individual rooms.

Due to limited funding availability, applications will be selected and ordered using a random lottery system. Not all applicants will be placed on the waiting list. By randomly selecting the applications received for placement on the waiting list, the process is equitable. 

For additional information, please click HERE or call (808) 270-7751.

Emergency Rental Assistance Program (not accepting applications at this time):

o  It’s a County of Maui program to help low-income households that have been hit harrdest financially by the COVID-19 pandemic pay their rent, utility bills, or both.

o  For qualified households, the program pays up to:

1. Past rent and utility bills: $2,500 a month. The program can pay bills going back to March 13, 2020.
2. Current and future bills: $2,000 a month for rent and up to $500 a month for utilities.

o  Up to 12 months of total support is available.

o  Payments are made directly to the landlord or utility.

However, the county website today says: 

All applicants are required to submit an online pre-screening application. Once the pre-screening application is received and reviewed, applicants will be contacted with further guidance on next steps. Please read the information on this page and the FAQs prior to submitting an online pre-screening application. After reviewing this information, if you have questions about the program or difficulties submitting the online pre-screening application, please contact the Catholic Charities help line for Maui County at: (808) 873-4673. 

The purpose of the program is to assist low to above moderate income (80% to 140% of Area Median Income) first time buyers with a down payment and/or closing cost assistance for a home to be purchased in Maui County.

Who can qualify? You need to be a resident of Maui County, a US citizen or resident alien, and be over 18 years old.

If you are qualified, you can receive a grant for up to $30,000 or up to 5% of the home purchase price. The grant will be awarded only to those who will make the home purchased their principal residence.

The County of Maui will determine when the next application period will be for this program.  To prepare for the next application period, call Hale Mahaolu at 242-7027 or Hawaiian Community Assets at 587-7886 for their housing and financial programs to be educated on what families need to do to be approved for a mortgage loan.

If you have any questions about the program, call Maelisa at (808) 270-7351.