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Progress Made Toward Rebuilding, as 90 Lahaina Homeowners Complete No-Cost Property Surveys.

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Lahaina families have been through incredible trauma in the past two years since fire destroyed lives, homes and livelihoods. But hope is on the horizon. Through the Lahaina Homeowner Recovery Program funded by the Maui Strong Fund of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation (HCF), 90 homeowners in Lahaina and Kula have been able to complete property surveys at no cost. By the end of this month, another 66 surveys will be completed. That means 156 homeowners can now apply for permits to begin their rebuilds—with funds still available for another 544 applicants.

At every step of the way, these families have the help and guidance of Hawai‘i Community Lending (HCL), the state’s premier nonprofit mortgage lender, designated by HCF to administer the program. This initiative is the first of its kind in the nation, and HCL has retained a survey advisor out of California who is developing a playbook based on results. The playbook will focus on how to establish similar types of programs in disaster areas nationwide to help speed up the redrawing of property boundaries so families can get to construction faster.

“We are honored to work with families on their journey back home,” said Jeff Gilbreath, HCL executive director. “We understand the hardship and emotion that is tied up in this process, especially since many of our HCL team in Lahaina have lost homes themselves. Our staff are ‘navigation specialists,’ because they are here for the purpose of guiding families and using every possible tool to help them rebuild.”

Gilbreath encourages homeowners to enroll immediately in the Lahaina Homeowner Recovery Program. “We are getting the word out that families do not have to pay for a property survey—HCL will shoulder that cost,” he said. “We want people to know that there is hope; that more funds are available to complete these surveys, so our Lahaina families can begin to rebuild and get back to the land.”

Property owners who occupied their homes in Lahaina and Kula before the August 8, 2023 wildfires are eligible to enroll. HCL still has funds to assist an additional 544 homeowners, either through reimbursement or to complete their survey with HCL paying the costs.

The next steps for families who have completed a property survey is to choose house plans and a contractor, obtain their permits, and secure funding for any gaps. Once those steps are completed, they can start on construction. Gilbreath said homeowners have options on how to rebuild. The limitations of what they can build in terms of size depends on which funding sources, such as grants, they use to pay for construction. HCL’s navigation specialists can guide homeowners through the many resources and funds available—but it all starts with getting an accurate property survey.

“This is such an important step in rebuilding, and we want to be sure the awareness is there for all Lahaina families: the no-cost property survey program is open, active and ready to serve those who need it,” said Maria Linz, HCL program manager and Lahaina resident. “With so many expenses piling up, this is one expense that homeowners don’t have to bear.”

Funding for no-cost property surveys was received in October 2024 through a $3-million grant to HCL from the Maui Strong Fund of HCF. Since then, HCL has met with subject matter experts to establish the program, address potential risks and barriers, and contracted with three firms that are completing surveys for families. “We mahalo our partners for their support and their commitment to these families,” Gilbreath said. “It’s essential that we work together toward a common goal of preventing the devastating displacement of our local and Native Hawaiian people from Maui and the islands.”

As a trusted financial community partner, HCL was created to fund the affordable housing ecosystem from homebuyer to homebuilder to homeowner. Working to help solve the statewide housing crisis, HCL offers products and services for local families and native Hawaiians to build, buy and save homes from foreclosure.

To receive a no-cost property survey, enroll in the Lahaina Homeowner Recovery Program at www.HawaiiCommunityLending.com/MauiRelief/.

See full article and video at HI Now Daily.

About Chanel Josiah

Chanel was born and raised on Oʻahu and now resides on Kaua’i with her husband and seven children. As a 5th-generation Hawaiian Home Lands lessee and homeowner, she has firsthand knowledge of the challenges families face in accessing housing, financial opportunities and resources both on and off homesteads. Her lived experiences and professional expertise inspire her passion for supporting others and strengthen her commitment to helping local and native Hawaiian families secure and sustain homes on their ancestral ‘āina, building lasting stability for themselves and generations to come.

Chanel also serves as the Board President of Pa‘a Lima, a nonprofit organization that offers support services and education to address houselessness, mental health challenges, financial literacy, and income instability. The organization is committed to breaking generational cycles and changing lives, with a special emphasis on supporting youth aging out of foster care.

As Operations Director, Chanel oversees marketing, community engagement, technical assistance, and operations. A key aspect of her role is connecting directly with communities to understand their needs and challenges. Drawing on her personal and professional experiences, Chanel approaches these challenges holistically, blending diverse perspectives to create innovative strategies that drive meaningful and lasting change for the communities she serves. “I’m grateful to be able to share our organization’s moʻomeheu (culture), moʻolelo (story) and kaunu (passion) with communities across Hawaiʻi, partners and investors who believe in the work we do.”

Chanel is inspired by her keiki, motivating her dedication to ensuring they can build their futures here in Hawai’i. She is also inspired by her tūtū kāne, Robert William Kalanihiapo Wilcox. “He was a fearless kānaka ‘ōiwi champion who encompassed the spirit of aloha ‘āina – the love of his land, and home just as we do now.” Outside of work, Chanel enjoys reading, practicing hula, and spending time at the beach with her ʻohana.

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About Aikū’ē Kalima

Aikū’ē Kalima, former Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Fund Manager for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, joins Hawaiʻi Community Lending as its lending director.
Kalima comes to HCL with more than 25 years of experience in community development and mortgage lending. In his new position, Kalima will direct HCL’s consumer, construction, mortgage and small business lending.
“As a native Hawaiian and Hawaiian Home Lands beneficiary, I understand the financial needs for economic development and quality housing for kānaka is great,” said Kalima, who led OHA’s deployment of $9.8 million in loans to 286 native Hawaiians statewide over the last five years. “For over 25 years, I have worked tirelessly at the grassroots level, educating kānaka on the skills necessary to achieve the dream of homeownership and providing resources to achieve financial sustainability. I plan to continue serving the lāhui empowering ‘ohana and communities as the lending director for Hawai‘i Community Lending.”
Kalima takes the reins of HCL’s $16-million revolving loan fund and will oversee a team of seven staff members statewide. “HCL is honored to have Aikū’ē join us in our mission to help tackle our housing crisis by funding native Hawaiian and local families to build, buy and save homes from foreclosure,” said HCL Executive Director Jeff Gilbreath. “He has proven leadership in both the public and private sectors and has the passion to get families on the land through homeownership.”

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About Sean

Sean Perez loves hearing about the great things Hawai‘i Community Lending is doing for the Hawaiian community. And now as HCL’s new director of finance, he is excited to be part of the team making it happen.

“I enjoy hearing the success stories of new homes that we will soon be building and finding for these families,” he says. “HCL’s mission resonates well with me and my passion to help others and assist our community.”

To this end, Sean will manage HCL’s finances, accounting, compliance, and information technology matters; working with HCL Executive Director Jeff Gilbreath and supervising three division managers. He comes to HCL with over eight years of experience in financial management in the nonprofit and private, for-profit sectors having worked in the legal, social service, health, and telecommunications industries as well as with the US Attorney’s Office of Guam and CNMI. In his previous job as director of operations for the Hawai‘i State Bar Association where he was responsible for directing the organization’s finances, Sean grew his experience in nonprofit financial management and gained extensive background in accounting, grants management, IT and human resources. These skills, in conjunction with his drive to work with the Hawai‘i community through nonprofit assistance, led Sean to HCL.

Currently living in Honolulu, Sean was born in Tamuning, Guam. When he was 10 years old, he moved to Oxnard, Calif., where he attended school and eventually community college. The Air Force Reserves beckoned him after graduation, leading him to serve three and a half years as an aircrew flight equipment technician at March Air Reserve Base. After his military service, Sean returned to his childhood home of Guam, where he went to college to obtain a degree in finance and economics, and then to pursue an MBA.

On O‘ahu, Sean enjoys family life with his fiancée and toddler son; fishing and surfing in his time off. “I look forward to accomplishing great things with HCL and creating new success stories,” he says.

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About Nikki

Nikki Hollern is a mother of five, born and raised in Upcountry Maui, but she spent the last 15 years in the beautiful town of Lahaina. Lahaina stole her heart, with the people and the town being unlike any other. After the fire, her family had to relocate to Kahului.

Her heart remains in Lahaina, and her goal is to help this amazing community get back to where they belong. She feels blessed to have the opportunity to be part of the HCL ‘ohana, helping navigate this incredibly hard time and hopefully serving as a guiding light to assist the community in returning home and coming back even stronger.

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