A year after Maui wildfire, chronic housing shortage and pricey vacation rentals complicate recovery

Thousands of displaced residents on Maui have faced a year of anxious uncertainty since the deadliest U.S. wildfire in a century devastated Lahaina. Government and nonprofit groups have offered temporary solutions, including providing hotel rooms, leasing apartments, assembling prefabricated homes and paying people to take in loved ones. But a housing market squeezed by vacation rentals is undermining attempts to find long-term shelter for survivors. Some estimates say members of at least 1,500 households have already left for other islands or other states. Locals fear more will depart if they can’t find stable, affordable, convenient housing.