$20M workforce housing project and HERO Awards celebrate and support Lahaina educators

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​LAHAINA - State and local leaders are addressing critical needs and celebrating the resilience of Lahaina public school educators through two major initiatives. A $20 million workforce housing project and the Lahaina HERO Awards highlight a shared commitment to stabilizing the educational workforce and honoring their contributions to support students and the community after the Maui Wildfires.

The housing project represents a pivotal step in ensuring the stability and continuity of Lahaina's educational workforce. The project is funded by the state, including state support championed by Governor Josh Green, M.D., Capital Improvement Program (CIP) funds the Hawai'i State Department of Education sought through the legislative process and the Major Disaster Fund.

Governor Green and HIDOE Superintendent Keith Hayashi made the announcement Friday at Lahainaluna High School, where the 47-unit rental housing complex will be built by Maui-based Dowling Co. The housing effort is designed to alleviate the severe housing challenges faced by educators that were exacerbated by the August 2023 wildfires disaster. Priority will be given to displaced educators and new recruits, offering a resource for stabilizing the community and maintaining the quality of education for Lahaina's students.

"We're going to prioritize educators… and start building quickly through a rapid permitting process," Governor Green said. "To the teachers and staff in Lahaina, your strength has inspired us."

The need for affordable housing solutions is stark. Of the 305 HIDOE employees serving the area's schools, nearly one-third faced housing displacement due to the wildfires, with many losing homes or being forced out of rentals. Housing insecurity remains a pressing concern, threatening schools' ability to retain and attract qualified educators. Recent surveys revealed that 22% of Lahaina employees are likely to leave the state due to housing costs, and 69% of newer employees report housing availability as a primary factor affecting job retention.

The first units are anticipated to be available by July 2025, with full completion expected in spring 2026.

"The workforce housing project is a transformative investment that will address one of the greatest challenges our Lahaina educators face. By providing affordable and stable housing, we're ensuring that our teachers and staff can remain here, deeply rooted in the communities they serve," Superintendent Keith Hayashi said.

In addition to long-term investments, the Lahaina HERO Awards program has provided immediate financial recognition to educators who played a critical role in reopening schools. The program, launched in August, recently completed a first round of awards, distributing more than $723,000 to over 300 Lahaina educators who played a critical role in keeping Lahaina schools open following the wildfires.

The HERO - Honoring Employees' Resilience and Optimism - program rewards HIDOE employees who directly supported Lahaina students when schools reopened for the 2023-24 school year. Eligible salaried employees received $2,500, while eligible casual employees received $1,000.

"When the fire hit, over 3,000 families were displaced, many of them were teachers," Governor Green said. "I'm here today with a heart full of gratitude for what people have done and admiration for the ability to stand up and fight for our keiki… everyone that will benefit from the Lahaina HEROES award is a true hero."

This one-time initiative was made possible through a generous donation from Marc Benioff, Chair and CEO of Salesforce, and his wife, Lynne, longtime Hawai'i residents and philanthropists who were moved by the incredible challenges faced by these employees and the importance of maintaining educational continuity for Lahaina's students. The Maui Economic Development Board partnered with the Department to directly issue the payments.

Kaleka Manoha and Darice Garcia are among the HERO recipients who helped ensure Lahaina's two elementary schools could reopen after the fires to support students and their school communities.

"It's so awesome that we're getting a little bit extra. It's very helpful, especially because I have a child," said Manoha, a 17-year veteran educator at Princess Nāhiʻenaʻena Elementary, who added that many Lahaina teachers will appreciate the benefits.

"I was really pleasantly surprised. This is a blessing to a lot of people, so it was really exciting," said Garcia, an educational assistant at King Kamehameha III Elementary. "To my school community, as a parent of a student, I say, thank you."

A second round of HERO awards will be opening in late January, with payments expected to be distributed in April. The second round will cover the current school year for employees who worked between August 5 and December 20, 2024. Eligible salaried employees could again receive $2,500 for working a specified number of days, while eligible casual employees could receive $1,000. Application information and eligibility will be released and sent to employees in January.