The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education (HIDOE) and Maui leaders broke ground on a new $20 million educator workforce development housing project. Maui-based Dowling Co. will start construction on the 47-unit rental complex, representing a significant step toward supporting the rebuilding and educational stability of West Maui.

Superintendent Keith Hayashi expressed gratitude to supporters for the HIDOE-led project, including Gov. Josh Green, legislators, Mayor Richard Bissen and Maui County.

Lahainaluna students from Papa Hula o Lahainaluna opened the program with an oli and hula honoring the area, and Kahu Wilmont Kamanu Kahaialiʻi performed a blessing. Centrally located near three of HIDOE’s Lahaina schools, the development represents an investment in the community serving Lahaina’s students. The approximately 5-acre site sits above Princess Nāhiʻenaʻena Elementary and below Lahainaluna High.

“This development is pivotal to the retention and recruitment of our West Maui staff. We cannot afford to lose our educators. Their presence, their stability, their relationships with students is what helps our students learn, heal and move forward,” Hayashi said. “When teachers have secure housing, students have stable classrooms.”

The 2023 wildfires exacerbated an already severe housing crisis in Lahaina.

“This project responds directly to that need – the need for housing our school employees,” Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said. “That will bring consistency to our classrooms that allows those who guide, who nourish, who transport and care for our students to remain close to the places they serve.”

In an employee survey, nearly one-third of HIDOE Maui employees surveyed said they’ve faced housing displacement since the fires. More than 20% of Lahaina educators surveyed said they are thinking about leaving the state due to housing affordability, while newer hires said housing is the No. 1 reason they will remain in or leave the state.

“It was hard before the fires to have people be able to commit and live and be full-time educators and staff members out here in Lahaina. The fires and the cost of living going up has just made it harder and harder,” Lahainaluna Principal Richard Carosso said. “And that just hurts us from the point of building our culture of our schools–because they’re not here as readily for the kids in the afternoon, for kids in the evenings, to go to games, to be part of clubs. So bringing people back to our hill, to our place, is what this project is about.”

The Department is finalizing the eligibility criteria and application process for the housing project. HIDOE employees displaced by the Aug. 2023 wildfires who work within West Maui will have consideration as well as employees who were displaced by the fires and work outside of West Maui.

The project will include one- and two-bedroom configurations, with units expected to be completed by Dec. 2025. Rental rates, which are still being finalized, will be income based.

“It’s an honor to work on this project. We’re very anxious to get started. We have a tight timetable and we’ll make that, I’m sure,” Everett Dowling, founder and president of Dowling Co., said. “Home ownership equity is the largest creator of wealth in the country. But in order to buy a home, you have to save some money. Hopefully this project will enable employees of the DOE here on the west side to put some money aside as the community rebuilds.”