Lahaina Community Land Trust reports property donations and seeks additional support as housing demand rises
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Summary
Carolyn Awiloa, director of operations for the Lahaina Community Land Trust, told the County Budget Committee the trust verbally accepted its seventh property and has leveraged county support into additional donations; she said the trust has yet to receive funding from the Hawaii Community Foundation's Maui Strong Fund.
Carolyn Awiloa, a founding member and director of operations for the Lahaina Community Land Trust, told the County Budget Committee in Lahaina that the land trust verbally accepted its seventh property by planned donation and is actively assisting homeowners with insurance‑gap and affordability needs.
"We have just this afternoon verbally accepted our seventh property," Awiloa said, adding that the trust has leveraged county support to attract other donors and partners including Hawaii Community Lending and Hawaii Community Assets.
Awiloa said the land trust is working to sign its first four insurance‑gap participants and has a queue of additional households; she warned the county allocation from the prior year is being spent and the trust will need more resources to meet demand.
When asked by Councilwoman Kiani Rollins Fernandez whether the Lahaina Community Land Trust had received funds from the Hawaii Community Foundation's Maui Strong Fund, Awiloa said it had not yet received HCF support despite applying and pursuing the grant process for about a year.
Awiloa also said the trust has explored open‑space preservation but that affordable housing is the community’s most urgent need. She thanked the committee for last year’s county support and urged continued funding to help homeowners rebuild sustainably.