Lahaina’s wildfire survivors struggle with rising poverty and housing costs

More than a year after Maui’s devastating wildfire, survivors face growing poverty, unemployment and skyrocketing housing costs.

Claire Wang reports for The Guardian.

In short:

• The poverty rate in Lahaina has more than doubled since the August 2023 wildfire, with unemployment rising from 2% to 14%.
• Displaced residents face soaring rents, long commutes and persistent inflation, making rebuilding homes unaffordable.
• Tourism decline has led to job losses, while emergency housing programs have enabled landlords to price gouge.

Key quote:

“There are many people who have multiple jobs but are barely making it. It’s very hard to make sound long term choices for yourself when you’re in survival mode.”

— Nicole Huguenin, director of Maui Rapid Response

Why this matters:

As Lahaina residents attempt to piece their lives back together, the broader picture reveals an island grappling not just with recovery, but with systemic vulnerabilities exacerbated by the fire. The wildfire has laid bare deep economic precarity that, for many, has now become an inescapable reality.