Office of Recovery outlines key focus areas in wake of fire

Josiah Nishita, head of the newly created Maui County Office of Recovery, speaks during a news conference in Wailuku on Tuesday. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
WAILUKU — Maui County’s Office of Recovery has been speaking to other communities who have also been affected by wildfires and has set six key areas it will focus on, its manager said on Tuesday.
Josiah Nishita, who leads the newly created office and is also the county’s deputy managing director, said during a news conference that they are also in the process of putting together a budget amendment for the County Council’s consideration for initial funding and staffing needs for the office.
The new office is tasked with addressing intermediate and long-term disaster recovery needs and will be the center of coordination for community planning; housing; infrastructure; natural, historical and cultural resources; economic resiliency; and health and social service systems, the county said last month.
The office is also are preparing to issue a request for proposals soon “for expertise and assistance throughout our recovery framework,” Nishita said.
The office is focusing on six “key areas,” which reflect what they heard from the communities, Nishita said. They are:
• Community planning, which will include identifying, assessing and providing resources and support in post-disaster community planning.
• Housing, which will include facilitating access to housing assistance in both interim and permanent housing solutions, drawing upon resources from state and federal partners as well as the private sector and nonprofits.
• Infrastructure, which will include overseeing the restoration of all infrastructure and utility systems.
• Natural and cultural resources, which will include ensuring the protection and rejuvenation of the ecosystems, landmarks and cultural sites.
• Health and social services, which will include overseeing the assessment of medical and other public health needs, food and nutrition, and behavioral health and social services networks.
• Economic recovery, which will include helping to develop strategies for restoration of economic activity and workforce development.
* Staff Writer Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.
- Josiah Nishita, head of the newly created Maui County Office of Recovery, speaks during a news conference in Wailuku on Tuesday. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo