FAQ: FEMA Secondary Sites

FEMA's Direct Temporary Housing Program provides a variety of interim housing opportunities for wildfire survivors, including FEMA Manufactured Housing Units. As part of this effort, 40 units have been placed on three vacant "secondary" sites to house wildfire survivors and support their return to West Maui.

What Are Secondary Sites?

Q. What is a FEMA secondary site?

A. Secondary sites are private or commercial properties in Lahaina that have been leased by FEMA to house Maui wildfire survivors. Property owners who were not planning to rebuild within the next two to three years were considered to lease their property to FEMA. Depending on the lot size, FEMA placed prefabricated modular units on these properties to provide temporary housing for survivors.

Survivor Eligibility

Q. Who is eligible to live in a secondary site temporary unit?

A. FEMA secondary site units are designated for individuals and families in FEMA's Direct Housing Program who were displaced by the August 2023 wildfires. Survivors eligible for these units were identified and contacted directly by FEMA.

Q. Who was eligible for FEMA Direct Housing?

A. Shortly following the Aug. 8, 2023, Maui wildfires, eligible survivors for FEMA housing assistance through the Individuals and Households Program (IHP) were asked to select either the FEMA Rental Assistance program or Direct Housing program. To be eligible for Direct Housing survivors had to:

• Meet general FEMA Individuals and Households Program requirements
• Have verified damage to their primary residence
• Complete a pre-placement interview process
  • Survivors must not have had alternative housing resources
  • Survivors must have accepted the offered Direct Housing resource
• Maintain eligibility through monthly Recertification

Beginning March 1, 2025, households in Direct Housing must pay rent on their FEMA temporary housing unit.

Q. Can I still be placed in a FEMA temporary housing unit?

A. No, if you have not already been contacted and assigned a FEMA temporary housing unit on a secondary site through FEMA's Direct Housing Program, you are not likely to be placed in a unit. As units are vacated, individuals and families in FEMA's Direct Housing Program may be contacted if a unit becomes available that meets their specific requirements and needs.

Owner Eligibility

Q. Who was eligible to lease their property as a secondary site?

A. Property owners with a vacant lot who did not intend to rebuild within the next two to three years were eligible to lease their property to FEMA. Additional eligibility requirements included:

• Property Size: The property had to meet lot size requirements to accommodate multiple units.
• Permissions and Access: Property owners had to grant FEMA right-of-entry permissions. The site needed to allow for safe delivery, installation, and removal of units, and meet local zoning requirements for temporary housing.

Q. What were the requirements for property owners looking to lease their property?

A. Requirements for property owners looking to lease their property were:

• No plans to rebuild on their land within the next two to three years.
• Understanding and agreement that throughout the leasing period, the property owner is prohibited from entering or making changes to the leased property.
• Understanding and agreement that FEMA would determine the individuals to be housed, and property owners cannot contact survivors living on the site.

Q. Can I still lease my property for a FEMA secondary site?

A. No, the period for property owners to submit their property for inspection and selection has closed. The three secondary sites have already been identified.

• FEMA, in coordination with the County of Maui, contacted secondary properties in the wildfire impact zone with existing infrastructure.
• Interested property owners underwent site inspections to confirm they met all eligibility requirements.

Secondary Site Completion

Q. When will wildfire survivors move into their secondary site temporary units?

A. Eligible survivors in FEMA's Direct Housing Program have been assigned a unit and are expected to move-in this fall. Installation, safety checks and readiness inspections on the units are currently underway. FEMA Recertification Advisors are providing biweekly progress updates to eligible households.

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FEMA's mission is helping people before, during and after disasters.

FEMA is committed to ensuring disaster assistance is accomplished impartially, without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, English proficiency, or economic status. Any disaster survivor or member of the public may contact the FEMA Civil Rights Office if they feel that they have a complaint of discrimination. FEMA's Civil Rights Office can be contacted at FEMA-OCR-ECRD [email protected] or toll-free at 833-285-7448.