What Maui’s slow recovery means for L.A. — and the rest of the U.S.

Story by The Washington Post.

LAHAINA, Hawaii — It’s quiet again. Construction crews have hauled away toxic debris, but entire neighborhoods still sit empty. Only six homes have been rebuilt in the county. Much of the town sits in the purgatory between the all-out emergency from 18 months ago, and whatever comes next.

The wildfires that ripped through Maui in August 2023 killed more than 100 people, destroyed more than 2,200 structures and displaced 12,000. But the months since have given way to a different kind of crisis — of grinding bureaucracy, soaring housing costs and growing frustration. It’s also a forecast, experts say, for what is likely ahead in Los Angeles, just beginning this fraught ordeal after fires there last month. Testifying before Hawaii’s state legislature in January, Maui County Mayor Richard T. Bissen Jr. offered a “heartfelt aloha” to Californians as they “begin to confront the overwhelming journey of recovery and rebuilding.”

Lahaina and the surrounding county have come far from the immediate crisis: hundreds of homes cleared of debris, basic services restored, millions of dollars allocated in federal aid. But residents still say they are stuck in the slog. Permits — a crucial step to constructing a house or business — take months or longer to come through. Only a handful of people have finished rebuilding, and many others aren’t sure if they can as they navigate a dizzying maze of zoning and construction rules. Housing costs are skyrocketing. And as time ticks by, beloved places like Front Street, once an iconic commercial and residential hub, sit idle and dusty, with clear views of the Pacific Ocean where buildings used to be.