On Wednesday, Biden announced $95 million would go to harden Hawaii's electric grid in the wake of wildfires that erupted in Maui on August 8. The disaster has left at least 115 dead while 388 are still missing, according to officials. The Lahaina fire, which remains 90% contained, burned an estimated 2,170 acres.
"People in Hawaii laughed about Biden’s pledge to send $700 to all wildfire impacted residents," the resident said. "There is a looming housing crisis… The entire island is also starting to fire people."
It cost $7,000 per month for an average family of four just to make it paycheck to paycheck, the source added.
The real estate websites in Maui mostly provide a rent range for a one-bedroom apartment in Maui of approximately $2,000. According to the source, an average house for four people is about $3,000 - 4,000 per month, and - on average - a decent hotel room is now $700 per night.
Maui officials have indicated the blaze torched about 3,000 housing structures. Also many people spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
"Maui can not build houses fast enough. I think they will keep putting people in the hotel rooms otherwise the hotel rooms will go bankrupt," the source said.
The resident also believes there are much more displaced people than the government is claiming.
According to the source, the federal aid to the island has not been very strong but there are many private donations or international organizations driving the majority of aid distribution.
The island, in addition to all above, is half empty. The source likened the current environment to the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when it was a "ghost town." With nearly all the planes in-bound to Maui more than half empty, the development is painting a dark cloud for the island as economists estimate that about 40% of its GDP is tourism dependent.