GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY MARKS LAUNCH OF $20 MILLION WORKFORCE HOUSING PROJECT FOR LĀHAINĀ EDUCATORS
- Hawaiʻi State Senate
- May 29
- 2 min read
LĀHAINĀ, HAWAIʻI – In a pivotal step toward community recovery and educator retention, State Senator Angus L.K. McKelvey (District 6 - West Maui, Mā‘alaea, Waikapū, South Maui) gathered with state and county officials, to celebrate the groundbreaking of a $20 million workforce housing project at Lahainaluna High School. Joined by students and community members, the project will provide urgently needed housing for teachers and school staff in the fire-affected West Maui area.
The initiative, funded through a combination of Capital Improvement Project (CIP) funds and the Major Disaster Fund, will deliver 47 modular housing units in one- and two-bedroom configurations. The Maui-based Dowling Company has been selected to lead the development, with initial occupancy projected for July 2025 and full completion by spring 2026.
“This project is a showcase of how State-County partnerships, along with the community and private sector, can create much-needed solutions for critical problems,” said Senator McKelvey, who represents West Maui. “It paves the way for community rebuilding and future growth centered around our keiki – the most valuable asset of any community, particularly Lāhainā.”
The housing is intended to stabilize Lāhainā’s educational workforce, nearly one-third of whom were displaced by the August 2023 wildfires, which destroyed approximately 2,200 structures across West Maui.
“By providing affordable and stable housing, we ensure that our teachers and staff can remain here, deeply rooted in the communities they serve,” said Hawai‘i State Department of Education (HIDOE) Superintendent Keith Hayashi.
Lahainaluna High School Principal Richard Carosso echoed the urgency of the project’s mission.
“We know that it’s hard to commute and we know that traffic is getting worse,” Carosso said. “Even rents in Central Maui have risen since the fire, so I don’t think it’s outlandish to say that this project kind of saved public education for the West Side schools.”
McKelvey also recognized key figures who supported the effort behind the scenes.
“I want to thank Principal Carosso and echo his praise for Caz Winky and the other DOE and County employees who worked countless hours to drive this project forward,” McKelvey said.
He also acknowledged the role of his legislative colleagues and executive leadership.
“I’m especially grateful to Senators Lynn DeCoite, Troy Hashimoto and Donovan Dela Cruz, along with my Maui House colleagues, for ensuring the funding remained intact during the past session,” McKelvey said. “I want to thank Governor Josh Green and Mayor Richard Bissen, along with their directors, for keeping this project on the front burner and securing the necessary allocations for infrastructure and water.”
“This project can serve as a model for other communities across the neighbor islands,” he added. “It addresses a dire situation in a positive way that builds better communities.”
