Senator Schatz secures $1.6 billion for Maui funding in new long-term housing

WASHINGTON (Island News) -- U.S. Senator Brian Schatz announced a long-term disaster recovery funding that will provide Maui with a $1.6 million new community development grant.

The new Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding is part of more than $12 billion focused on disaster-impacted communities across the nation. The $1.6 billion for Maui will cover economic development, small business loans, and water infrastructure in addition to other things.

This funding is included in a bipartisan government spending deal that was released today. A vote on the final passage of the package is expected to be made by both chambers of Congress this week.

“This money is for three things: housing, housing and housing,” said Senator Schatz. “For the past 16 months, the people of Lahaina have done everything in their power to recover as quickly as they can. But they were never meant to do it alone. As disaster response gives way to disaster recovery, building housing is the top priority. People can’t fully recover without permanent, stable housing, and that’s why getting this funding now is so important.”

In addition to the CDBG-DR funding for housing, hundreds of millions more dollars will also go to Maui to:

• Create new jobs and support job training programs
• Provide loans to impacted small businesses
• Help restore Maui’s economy
• Rebuild critical water infrastructure
• Restore buildings and key structures

Since the Maui fires in August 2023, Schatz has continually led efforts in Congress to deliver survivor relief such as securing $16 billion for the national Disaster Relief Fund last year. He was also co-sponsor for the Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act which passed the Senate unanimously last week. Through the bill, survivors are exempt from having to pay federal income tax on their settlement money or pay tax on attorney fees included in the settlement.