Schatz: Hawai‘i To Receive Nearly $10 Million in Federal Funding To Restore Historic Waiola Church, Hale Aloha Museum in Lāhainā

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) announced that Hawai‘i will receive nearly $9.8 million in new federal funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support the ongoing recovery effort on Maui following the devastating fires. The funding, which Schatz helped secure, will help the community of Lahaina rebuild the Waiola Church, Hale Aloha Museum, the Old Lahaina Courthouse Building, and the Master’s Reading Room.

“Waiola Church is an important part of Lahaina’s history, heritage, and community,” said Senator Schatz, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This new funding will help us restore some of Lahaina’s historic buildings and help bring this community back.”

In December 2024, Schatz secured an estimated $1.6 billion in new funding for Maui’s continued recovery, aimed at building permanent housing for survivors, in addition to almost $500 million to support economic development, small business needs, water infrastructure, and more. The funding was approved following efforts led by Schatz for more than a year to press the need for long-term disaster aid both in Congress and with the Biden administration.

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