Maui fire survivors can appeal FEMA rents

By Yiming Fu, Report for America corps member

Lahaina fire survivors who spend more than 30% of their income on FEMA housing are eligible for financial assistance through a new program.

Survivors can submit an appeal to help them pay rent on their FEMA housing before March 11.

“If someone’s rent is more than 30% of their income, that is when FEMA will kick in to assist,” FEMA representative Betriana Hicks said. “If someone’s rent happens to be 35% of that income, FEMA will kick in to assist them with that 5%.”

If someone doesn’t have any income, FEMA will pay up to the HUD fair market rate for the unit.

Hicks said this aid will come in the form of a physical check in the mail or a direct deposit, depending on personal preference.

Mayor Richard Bissen said 95% of appeals have been approved so far.

High prices

Lahaina fire survivors living in FEMA housing after the fire began paying rent for their units March 1.

For many survivors, the rent is out of their price range. Survivors are paying 43% more to rent units with the same or fewer bedrooms, according to a University of Hawaii Study.

Anndionne Selestin, a community care navigator at Roots Reborn, helps Micronesian wildfire survivors access federal aid. She said families at Roots Reborn are paying anywhere from $5,000 to $9,000 a month for their FEMA housing, but Roots Reborn’s internal client data shows these families only bring in $1,000 to $2,000 monthly.

Advocates in the Rebuild Maui Coalition — including Roots Reborn, Hawaii Workers Center, Tagnawa for Maui and Kaibigan Ng Lahaina — hosted a press conference last Wednesday. They asked Gov. Josh Green to freeze March rent payments as survivors make appeals and figure out finances.

State officials said Green has asked the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency to request an extension, Hawaii News Network reported.

Regardless, Hicks from FEMA said the agency can help in other ways.

“Supply us with all the receipts for your housing expenses,” Hicks from FEMA said, “and if FEMA deems they qualify then FEMA will backend the assistance.”

One-month timeline

To check progress on their appeal, Kapili Akima from the Center of Native Hawaiian Advancement recommends people check in with the Recertification Adviser, check their online FEMA portal or talk to an agent at the resource center.

The process is new, Akima said, so there isn’t an exact timeline for when people will know if their appeal is approved.

Hicks said appeals can take up to 90 days.

“Based on the work ethic, we do what we can to make sure an appeal doesn’t take more than 30 days,” Hicks said,” but we have far more appeals than FEMA was ready for.”

But, Hicks said she’s seen all appeals without problems go through in 30 days so far.

Here are the steps to submitting an appeal:

First, write an appeal letter. There are sample FEMA appeal letters at the Kako’o Maui Resource Centers.

Then, collect and attach supporting documents, including paystubs, W-2, mortage payments, property tax bill, insurance policy, utility invoices.

Finally, submit your appeal with your FEMA recertification advisor or email [email protected].