Restoring Hope in Lahaina: SWCA’s Role in Emergency Housing and Recovery Efforts

When the devastating Lahaina wildfires struck Maui in August of 2023, hundreds of families lost their homes overnight, upending lives and leaving a community in crisis. SWCA welcomed the opportunity to support the emergency development of temporary housing, ensuring that new neighborhoods for survivors were built swiftly, safely, and with the utmost respect for Hawai‘i’s cultural heritage.

“These have been sensitive but important projects that we in Honolulu are very appreciative to take part in so that families could move into these temporary units and regain some stability,” said SWCA Principal Investigator Ryan Gross.

As part of a multi-agency recovery effort with the help of over 200 local planners, builders, and partners, SWCA’s Honolulu office conducted archaeological surveys, monitoring, and cultural resource consulting to support four housing and infrastructure projects: Ka La‘i Ola (“The Place of Peaceful Recovery”), the Honokeana Lots and Lahainaluna Teacher Housing projects, and the Wahikuli Subdivision Sewer Project. They have played a critical role in advancing recovery by balancing urgency with careful stewardship of cultural resources.

Uniting Expertise for Urgent Recovery: Building Partnerships to Rebuild Lahaina

For the Ka La‘i Ola Temporary Housing project, the team partnered with HomeAid Hawai‘i to conduct archaeological surveys and weekly construction monitoring, consulting closely with the Hawai‘i State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD) to ensure compliance.

For both the Honokeana and Lahainaluna housing projects, the SWCA Honolulu Cultural Resources Team conducted archaeological surveys and archival research to support the projects’ historic preservation review. For the Wahikuli Subdivision Sewer Project, SWCA conducted fieldwork and prepared several deliverables to support the project’s environmental assessment, meeting both federal and state requirements, and paving the way for essential infrastructure.

Throughout all four projects, SWCA’s team worked collaboratively with multiple agencies and local stakeholders, maintaining a high degree of sensitivity and respect for the community’s needs.

SWCA Cultural Resources team lead Doug Kupel remarked, “Having great partners working on a collaborative effort was an important step in helping the community come together to address housing needs.”

Chief Executive Officer of HomeAid Hawaiʻi, (left), SWCA Principal Investigator Ryan Gross (middle), and SWCA Senior Cultural Resources Team Lead Doug Kupel (right) attended the opening of the Ka La‘i housing project, September 24, 2025. 

An Accelerated Impact on Community Renewal

SWCA’s work helped enable the rapid development of over 450 temporary housing units for wildfire survivors, helping families move out of hotels and into stable neighborhoods. Through careful surveying, they ensured no cultural or archaeological resources were disturbed, allowing construction to proceed without delay or controversy. The team’s commitment to sound science and creative solutions made a meaningful difference in one of Hawai‘i’s most challenging moments.

“The full recovery of Lahaina is far from complete, but as the community works to rebuild, we are honored to play a part in helping those efforts in a way that honors both the people and the land,” Gross said.