Front Street Recovery, which represents dozens of Front Street landowners, is working to help build Lahaina by restoring businesses and jobs lost in the August 2023 wildfires. Gary Kubota/The Maui News

A grassroots coalition of generational Lahaina landowners has come together to form Front Street Recovery, an organization that aims to expedite the restoration of properties following the 2023 wildfires that destroyed much of the town.

The group reports to represent 73 landowners looking to help rebuild Lahaina by restoring more than 800 businesses and providing more than 7,000 jobs.

According to the organization, working to rebuild Lahaina’s historic Front Street while providing job opportunities for local families as they return to live in Lahaina is a top priority for Front Street Recovery.

“Our mission is to restore Front Street as the beating heart of Lahaina — bringing back the jobs, businesses and sense of community that have sustained generations of families,” said Kaleo Schneider, a member and spokesperson for Front Street Recovery, in a news release. “You can’t live in Lahaina without a job. My family’s property housed shops and businesses for over 125 years, and we are determined to rebuild.”

According to the organization, the organization is dedicated to working to restore commercial spaces to provide jobs for Lahaina families while preserving the town’s historic character and ensuring the community has a vibrant place to gather, work and thrive.

“Rebuilding Front Street is about more than just structures — it’s about restoring hope and providing opportunities for the families, workers and small businesses who are the heartbeat of Lahaina,” said G. Warren Freeland, a generational landowner and Front Street Recovery member, in the release. “By coming together as a community, we can honor Lahaina’s legacy while building a foundation for future generations to thrive.”

According to the organization, the coalition is collaborating with consultants, legal experts and policymakers to try to streamline the rebuilding process and create an efficient plan that respects Lahaina’s cultural and historical roots.

“Lahaina is more than a place — it’s a way of life,” Schneider said in the release. “Rebuilding Front Street means giving families the opportunity to earn a living, small businesses a place to flourish, and our community a space to heal and grow. We have the determination and experience to make this happen.”

For more about the organization, go to FrontStreetRecovery.org.