Schatz: Maui Receives Federal Disaster Funding To Support People Experiencing Homelessness

HONOLULU – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced it has allocated $1.3 million in Rapid Unsheltered Survivor Housing (RUSH) funding to assist people experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness after the Maui fires. The disaster response and recovery funding will provide emergency shelter, rapid re-housing support and other forms of assistance to both individuals who were experiencing homelessness before the fires – and therefore have limited eligibility for housing assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) – as well as individuals at risk of experiencing homelessness without long-term aid.

“The fires have totally devastated people who were already experiencing homelessness and have left many more people at risk of being unhoused. This new funding will help make sure those in need will have access to housing and help,” said Senator Schatz.

RUSH funds can be used to provide emergency shelter operations; up to 24 months of rapid re-housing assistance and supportive services; and outreach and urgent needs assistance for people who were experiencing homelessness prior to the wildfire disaster that destroyed local shelter services. Additional funding may be made available once the total extent of housing displacement as a result of the fires is assessed.

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