On August 8, 2023, the Dadez family in Lahaina, Maui, found themselves abruptly displaced by a wildfire that would become the deadliest in the United States in over a century. Early that morning, the family noticed smoke on a nearby hill but did not anticipate the fire would spread rapidly downhill toward their oceanfront home. By nightfall, intense winds and dry conditions propelled flames through the town, forcing Marilou Dadez and her four children to flee in their vehicle under harrowing conditions, with embers flying past their windshield and explosions echoing around them.
The fire devastated Lahaina’s historic district, burning approximately 2,170 acres, destroying more than 2,700 structures, and claiming at least 102 lives. It rendered about 12,000 residents homeless almost overnight. Nearly a year later, the housing crisis stemming from the wildfire continues to worsen, with nearly 11,637 residents recorded as homeless—a rise of 87 percent compared to pre-fire levels—and a tripling of those living in emergency shelters or temporary accommodations, including FEMA-funded housing and makeshift arrangements in friends’ homes.
Maui’s struggle to rebuild has been compounded by preexisting housing challenges. The island’s rising vacancy rates in vacation rentals and second homes, driven by affluent mainland buyers and influenced by the surge in remote work, had already restricted affordable housing. Experts point to the wildfire as a convergence of climate-driven disasters and an ongoing housing crisis, exacerbating vulnerability and displacement among residents.
The discontinuation of federal assistance for temporary housing scheduled for February has intensified concerns for survivors. Many are rushing to rebuild or relocate, but there is apprehension that redevelopment may prioritize short-term rentals or properties owned by mainland investors, potentially altering Lahaina’s character and affordability.
For the Dadez family, the years following the fire have been marked by instability. They moved eight times and endured cramped accommodations—at one point sharing two hotel rooms among seven family members. This summer, they finally returned to a rebuilt home just north of Front Street, Lahaina’s historical hub. While the street now features new infrastructure improvements, commercial recovery lags behind, with only a handful of projects officially underway and a single food truck operating as of now.
In the immediate aftermath, displaced residents found refuge through a state-sponsored hotel program. While it provided swift shelter—including stays at prominent resorts such as the Fairmont and Hyatt Regency—it also introduced challenges. Some individuals who were already homeless or precariously housed before the fire were able to access rooms, complicating recovery efforts and stretching limited resources. For workers in the hospitality sector, many of whom also lost housing, this arrangement blurred the lines between home and workplace.
Kekoa Mowat, head of security at the Hyatt Regency, exemplified this dual role, coordinating evacuations for guests and accommodating displaced family members on the hotel’s 21st floor. For Randy Dadez, balancing work as a shuttle bus driver with caring for his traumatized family became a constant struggle, as his children grappled with fear, housing instability, and social challenges at school.
Mental health impacts have been severe and enduring. Studies indicate that ongoing housing insecurity fuels chronic stress, disrupted sleep, and emotional distress. One report found that anxiety about housing led to some of the worst mental health outcomes among survivors, including heightened rates of suicidal ideation. A surge in deaths from suicide and overdose was recorded in Maui in the month following the fire, reaching a decade high.
As tourism resumed about two months after the disaster, survivors found themselves living alongside vacation visitors in the same hotels, creating added discomfort and highlighting the complex social realities in the island’s recovery. For families like the Dadezes, the path forward remains uncertain as they work to reclaim their homes and community amid a slower-than-expected rebuilding process.