Jill Tokuda: “Even before the fires destroyed over 2,000 homes on Maui, our entire State faced a dire housing crisis. Three months…”

“Even before the fires destroyed over 2,000 homes on Maui, our entire State faced a dire housing crisis. Three months later, over 6,500 people find themselves living temporarily in hotels. While many have had to move multiple times, these hotels have served as respite from an uncertain future. Yet, hundreds of survivors will be moved again today as some hotels opt against renewing their contracts. In the coming months, hundreds more will be moved, too. At the same time, efforts to secure long-term housing through existing short-term rentals on Maui have stalled. In both cases, the underlying motivation is the same--to accommodate the return of tourists to Maui. This isn't ``pono,'' ``right.'' This also isn't about choosing one over the other. Rather, it is a challenge to us to prioritize what is the most important: taking care of our people. That includes giving them stability and security when it comes to having roofs over their heads. For everyone in our Maui ``'ohana,'' ``family,'' this is a time of shared sacrifice, but it is also a call to live aloha. For too many, August 7 will be the day they lost their house to fire. Let's work together to make sure they know that they still have a place to call home. ____________________”