By Benjamin Finnerty (S), REALTOR® (RS-83812) with Keller Williams Realty Maui · Kīhei, Maui · 808-481-9748

Quick Answer: In May 2026, HUD raised Maui County’s Area Median Income to $121,400, lifting the income ceiling for the county’s Hoʻokumu Hou wildfire rebuilding programs. The Reconstruction Program covers up to $1.2 million to rebuild a destroyed primary residence, and the Reimbursement Program covers up to $400,000 for owners who already rebuilt. Applications close December 31, 2026.

I’m Benjamin Finnerty, a REALTOR® in Kīhei with Keller Williams Realty Maui, and I follow the wildfire recovery closely because it shapes what fire-affected properties are worth and whether they come to market at all. Three years after the 2023 wildfires, one of the biggest obstacles for many Lahaina and Kula homeowners hasn’t been debris removal or permitting. It’s been income limits that shut them out of federal recovery aid. That changed this summer.

What Changed in Maui’s Wildfire Rebuilding Aid Income Limits?

In May 2026, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development raised Maui County’s Area Median Income (AMI) from $110,000 to $121,400. Because both Hoʻokumu Hou homeowner programs cap eligibility at 140% of AMI, the ceiling rose for every household size.

Income limit	Before	After May 2026
Maui County AMI	$110,000	$121,400
One-person household	$132,000	$145,040
Four-person household	$188,340	$207,200

That matters because Maui’s cost of living, and the cost of losing a home here, don’t track neatly with a generic income formula. A household earning just above the old threshold could be locked out of aid entirely while facing a construction bill inflated by three years of rising materials and labor costs. For some Lahaina and Kula owners, that gap has been the difference between rebuilding and selling. County officials expect a real bump in new applicants heading into the fall.

What Is Hoʻokumu Hou?

Hoʻokumu Hou, Hawaiian for “to establish anew,” is Maui County’s recovery initiative, funded through $1.6 billion in federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) money. The 140% of AMI cap is a common structure for disaster recovery funding, designed to prioritize households that can’t easily self-finance a rebuild.

What Do the Reconstruction and Reimbursement Programs Cover?

There are two tracks, and which one applies depends on whether you’ve already rebuilt:

• Reconstruction Program: for homeowners who haven’t yet rebuilt, up to $1.2 million toward reconstructing a destroyed primary residence. This is the program the new income limits open up most significantly.
• Reimbursement Program: for homeowners who already rebuilt using savings, insurance proceeds or a private construction loan, up to $400,000 in reimbursement. If you pushed ahead on your own because you couldn’t wait or didn’t think you’d qualify, it’s worth checking whether you now do.

What Is the Deadline to Apply for Maui Rebuilding Aid?

December 31, 2026, for either program. The county held an informational open house on August 20 at the Kākoʻo Maui Relief & Aid Services Center in Kahului, and residents with questions can contact the county’s Office of Recovery.

How Far Along Is the Lahaina and Kula Rebuild?

As of the county’s August 2026 update, nearly 600 homes have been rebuilt and are occupied, about 400 are under construction, and more than 1,200 units are moving through permitting.

Kula is moving more slowly. Of the 21 homes destroyed in the Upcountry fire, only 5 have been rebuilt so far, with 11 additional permits issued. On the commercial side, about 14 commercial permits were in process in the historic Front Street district as of the August update, and the ʻUlu o Lele Marketplace was set to reopen this fall.

My Take: What I’m Telling Fire-Affected Owners and Lot Buyers

If you own a lot that burned, run the numbers again before you assume you’re priced out of help. With the new thresholds, more households land inside the qualifying range than did in the spring, and the deadline is December 31, 2026. Talk to the Office of Recovery before you decide to sell.

If you’re a buyer looking at a vacant or partially rebuilt property in Lahaina or Kula, the expanded eligibility is a real data point. A seller who couldn’t afford to rebuild and didn’t qualify for aid may now have a path to reconstruction, which can change whether that lot comes to market and at what price. But buyers who purchase a lot are generally not eligible for Hoʻokumu Hou funds, since the programs are built for the households who owned and lost the original home. Underwrite any fire-affected land on its own construction costs and timeline, and in Kula, plan for a slower pace than Lahaina. For a broader look, see what Lahaina’s slow rebuild means for buyers, sellers and investors, and if you’re thinking about extra units on a rebuild, Maui’s new ADU rules.

This is general information, not legal or financial advice. Please confirm your eligibility with the County of Maui Office of Recovery or a Hawaiʻi attorney.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much rebuilding aid can a Lahaina or Kula homeowner get?

The Reconstruction Program covers up to $1.2 million to rebuild a destroyed primary residence. The Reimbursement Program covers up to $400,000 for owners who already rebuilt.

What is the new income limit for Hoʻokumu Hou?

Eligibility is capped at 140% of AMI, now based on $121,400. A one-person household can earn up to $145,040, and a four-person household up to $207,200.

Can I get rebuilding aid if I buy a burned lot?

Generally no. The programs are built for the households who owned and lost the original home, so a buyer of a fire-affected lot should plan on funding construction without county aid.

When is the deadline to apply?

December 31, 2026, for both the Reconstruction and Reimbursement programs.

Ask Benjamin

Whether you’re a Lahaina or Kula owner reassessing your options or a buyer trying to understand what a fire-affected lot really represents, I’m glad to talk through the current numbers with you. I’m Benjamin Finnerty; call or text me at 808-481-9748 or email benjamin@the808team.com, with no pressure.

Sources: Maui Now (eligibility expansion coverage, August 5, 2026); County of Maui wildfire recovery update (August 2026); Hoʻokumu Hou / County of Maui Office of Recovery.