FEMA housing efforts led to evictions and higher rents on Maui

Federal housing aid for Maui wildfire survivors unintentionally displaced long-term tenants and drove up rental costs as landlords sought FEMA contracts paying above-market rates.

Nick Grube reports for Honolulu Civil Beat in partnership with ProPublica.

In short:

• FEMA's housing program for wildfire survivors lacked safeguards to prevent landlords from evicting tenants for higher government rental payments.
• Some landlords increased rents or evicted long-term residents, exacerbating Maui’s housing crisis, with median rent rising 44% in the year following the fires.
• A local nonprofit applied stricter policies, requiring landlords to confirm no evictions occurred, contrasting with FEMA contractors’ minimal oversight.

Key quote:

"It seemed pretty clear they were setting up a bounty system for removing long-term residents."

— Justin Tyndall, associate professor, University of Hawaii

Why this matters:

Emergency relief programs must balance survivor support with protecting vulnerable communities. Poorly structured initiatives can deepen housing crises, as seen in Maui, where already limited housing became even scarcer and costlier.

Read more: Maui residents doubt settlement will restore community