Hawaiʻi Interim Housing Program (HIHP) – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
(Updated 1/24/25)
Q: What is the Hawaiʻi Interim Housing Program (HIHP)?
A: The Hawaiʻi Interim Housing Program (HIHP) assists those displaced by the 2023 Maui wildfires by placing survivor households in temporary state-sponsored housing. The program is administered by the Hawaiʻi Office of Recovery and Resiliency (HI-ORR) in collaboration with the State of Hawaiʻi’s Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corporation (HHFDC). HIHP includes all State of Hawaiʻi interim housing sites related to DR-4724-HI Maui Wildfires recovery, including Hale ʻO Lāʻie (formerly the Haggai Institute in Kīhei), Ka Laʻi Ola in West Maui, and the Hawaiʻi Disaster Rental Assistance Program (RAP), which places survivors in temporary rental units.
Q: Can I still apply for HIHP?
A: As of January 16, 2025, HIHP is no longer accepting applications. If you have a disaster-related housing need, please contact the Disaster Case Management Program (DCMP) at 211 or 808-275-2000 for recovery support.
Q: Will I be required to sign up for the Disaster Case Management Program (DCMP) to be in HIHP?
A: Yes. Applicants to HIHP are required to sign up for and remain active in the Disaster Case Management Program (DCMP) to be eligible for HIHP. The DCMP is a FEMA-funded effort that connects trained case managers with disaster survivors to develop a disaster recovery plan. Applicants who have applied to DCMP but have not yet been assigned a case manager may still be eligible for HIHP.
Q: How do I sign up for the Disaster Case Management Program (DCMP)?
A: Survivors should contact 211 or 808-275-2000 to begin the process of enrolling in the DCMP.
Q: Can I choose to go into HIHP even if I am eligible for FEMA housing support?
A: As there is limited availability for HIHP housing units, HIHP is for survivors who are not eligible for other forms of disaster housing assistance including FEMA housing benefits. Do not leave your FEMA housing solution to try to receive HIHP assistance. If a survivor is eligible for FEMA housing support and voluntarily turns it down, they will not be referred for placement in a HIHP temporary housing unit. Likewise, any survivor who is removed or evicted from another disaster housing program (including FEMA housing) for occupancy violations or for behavior-based reasons will not be placed in a HIHP housing unit that has the same or similar rules of conduct. If the survivor family has been offered a FEMA housing benefit but is unable to make use of the benefit (so the FEMA benefit is unapplied or unused) the survivor may still apply for HIHP and eligibility will be determined based on the verified FEMA status and verification that the benefit provided by FEMA does not provide benefit to the survivor.
Q: If I leave my FEMA housing solution will I be eligible for HIHP?
A: No. Leaving your FEMA housing solution will not make you eligible for HIHP. Anyone who voluntarily leaves a FEMA housing solution is not eligible for HIHP. Do not leave a FEMA housing solution to try and join HIHP; this would only result in you losing your FEMA housing solution.
Q: When is the last day I can start an application?
A: The last day to start a new application for HIHP was December 15, 2024. New applications cannot be created after this deadline. Applications started by December 15, will be available to survivors to complete so long as they are completed by January 15, 2025. Please note that applying for HIHP does not guarantee placement in a unit.
Q: Is there a date by which I must complete my application?
A: Yes. The last day to complete an application to HIHP was January 15, 2025. No application submissions will be accepted after this deadline. Applications submitted before January 15 will be reviewed for eligibility. Please note that applying for HIHP does not guarantee placement in a unit.
Q: Is it possible to submit an application after the deadline?
A: In the event of an unforeseen and verifiable circumstance outside of the applicant’s control, the applicant may contact the program and request to submit a late application. The applicant must submit this request no later than March 17, 2025.
The applicant should reach out to the Contact Center and request to submit a Late Application Request Letter, which includes at a minimum:
- Applicant’s name, contact information, and any FEMA registration number or numbers assigned to any members of the pre-disaster household.
- A statement explaining why the application could not be submitted within the deadline.
- Supporting documentation verifying the claimed event (e.g., hospital records, obituary).
Q: How do I know whether I completed my HIHP application?
A: When you completed the full application online, you should have received an automatically generated email to the registered email address you for your account. The email will state: “You have successfully completed your application for the Hawai‘i Interim Housing Program (HIHP).” You are also welcome to call the Contact Center at (808) 727-1550 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday to Friday to confirm receipt of your application. Note: When you initiate an application, the application system will automatically generate an email to you that states: “An account has been created for you with this email address.” This email means that you have created an account. It does not mean that you have completed your application.
Q: Am I eligible for HIHP?
A: You may be eligible for HIHP if:
- You are not eligible for other forms of disaster housing assistance including FEMA housing support, you lived in Maui County at the time of the disaster and:
- You are displaced from your residence due to the Maui wildfires, or
- You faced disaster-related income loss that resulted in the loss of your home.
Q: Are there income, demographic, or citizenship requirements for this program?
A: Initial eligibility for HIHP is not assessed based on income, demographic makeup, or citizenship of household members.
Q: I received a message that my application was administratively closed. Why was my application administratively closed?
A: Your application may be administratively closed in the following circumstances:
- You do not have an unmet interim housing need because you are currently receiving temporary assistance from another program, such as a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) program, or you have access to another housing solution.
- The HIHP team attempted to contact you for thirty (30) days for more information about your application and did not receive a response.
Please note that an administrative closure is not a determination of your eligibility for the Program. If you think you application was closed in error, please contact the HIHP Contact Center at 808-727-1550 to request a reconsideration of this decision.
Q: I have already received assistance related to the Maui wildfires. How can I still request housing assistance?
A: Households who received other assistance but still need housing assistance may still be eligible for HIHP. Please note, households eligible for FEMA housing support will not be referred for placement in a HIHP temporary housing unit.
Q: I was unhoused before the wildfires, am I eligible for HIHP?
A: This program is for those displaced from their homes by the 2023 Maui wildfires. Survivors who were experiencing homelessness prior to the wildfire can visit homelessness.hawaii.gov/help to get help or call 211 or 808-275-2000.
Q: If I am found eligible for HIHP, am I guaranteed a housing unit?
A: Eligibility does not guarantee placement in a HIHP interim housing unit. Eligible applicants will be matched with interim housing units based on availability of units that meet the needs of your household. Additionally due to limited availability, applications submitted after November 15th, 2024, are not assured of being reviewed for possible placement in a HIHP unit.
Q: Do I need to pass a background check to be eligible?
A: Everyone in your household aged 18 and older must complete a background check to qualify for HIHP. Background check results will be assessed on an individual and household basis.
Q: What documentation do I need to provide?
A: Applicants to HIHP may be asked to provide documentation. Some common examples are:
- Proof of identity. This documentation does NOT have to indicate citizenship status.
- Proof of pre-disaster residency within Maui County and that the address was your primary residence
- Proof of disaster related income loss and inability to pay rent or mortgage that resulted in the loss of your primary residence.
Documentation of any other assistance you may have received related to the Maui wildfires.
Q: Can I talk to someone in-person to complete my application?
In-person support is available on Maui in Lahaina and Kahului Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. All in-person support is by appointment only. To make an appointment call the HIHP Contact Center at 808-727-1550. Please note, in-person appointments are only for applicants who are providing documentation for their HIHP application. Any other needs or questions can be directed to the HIHP Contact Center.
| Office | Address |
| Kahului Resource Center | 153 E Kamehameha Avenue
Suite 101 Kahului, HI 96732 |
| Lahaina Resource Center | Lahaina Gateway, Unit 102-B
325 Keawe Street Lahaina, HI 96761 |
Q: Which members of my household will be housed in HIHP?
A: HIHP is designed to house families as they were at the time of the 2023 Maui wildfires. Your application should reflect who lived in your household at the time of the wildfires. Special considerations may be made for life events that result in changes to your household composition since the time of the wildfires.
Q: What are my housing options if I am approved?
A: HIHP has three housing pathways: Hale ‘O Lāʻie (formerly the Haggai Institute) in Kīhei, Ka Laʻi Ola in West Maui, and the Hawaiʻi Disaster Rental Assistance Program (RAP), which places survivors in temporary rental units. More housing pathways may be added to HIHP in the future. If approved for placement, a HIHP team member will work with you to match your household to an available housing solution that best meets your needs as units become available. The timeline for placement is dependent on unit availability.
Q: Will the program ask me for money?
A: Applicants placed in an interim housing unit will not be asked to contribute to rent or utility payments through August 2025.
Q: Will I be paid directly from this program?
A: No, HIHP does not make direct payments to survivor households.
Q: What will the program do with the personal information I provide?
A: The information you provide will be used to evaluate your needs and eligibility. Your household data will not be sold. Applicant information may be shared with State and Federal agencies, their contractors, nonprofit organizations, and other partner agencies for the purpose of providing assistance related to the 2023 Maui wildfires.
Q: How long can I remain in the interim housing provided to me?
A: The length of your stay in an interim housing unit depends on several factors and will be assessed on an ongoing basis. Announcements relating to program extensions or recertification requirements will be made publicly and also transmitted directly to applicants who are both eligible and participating using texts, emails, phone calls, or in some cases letters. It is important to keep your contact information updated to receive timely notifications.
Q: Are there housing units available for those with access and functional needs?
A: Some interim housing units can accommodate access and functional needs. HIHP will attempt to match you to the interim housing unit that best meets your needs. A physician’s assessment letter may be required to support access and functional needs requests. We do not collect or request information about underlying medical conditions, we only need information to understand what accommodation may be required in order for a housing unit to meet your need for access or functionality.
Q: Can I bring my pet(s)?
A: HIHP interim housing sites may be able to accommodate pets. HIHP will attempt to match you to the interim housing unit that may be able to meet your needs.