KEAAU — They’ve received their checks from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but what are their options now?
Answering that question and others for those displaced by the recent Kilauea eruption was the focus of a housing fair held by Hawaii County on Saturday at the Keaau High School. Workshops were offered on the county permitting process, packaged homes and loan options, with one room setup for survivors to share their stories.
Jane Whitefield, who lost her home in Leilani Estates from the eruption, said she was interested in plans for tiny homes.
“This has been excellent here because it gives you so many ideas,” she said. “Even if you don’t choose to have HPM or something build your house, they are passing out literature that is very helpful.”
Whitefield said she is staying in one of the micro shelters at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Pahoa. She said all she needs is a one-bedroom home with room for her five cats, four of which are missing, and is hoping the county will take her 2-acre lava-covered property through a land swap.
“I’m waiting to see what happens,” Whitefield said.
“I can put a tiny house on it,” she said, if she gets property elsewhere in Puna, “because I’m having practice right now.”
While the county didn’t get the special legislative session it was hoping for, officials say they continue to work on long-term recovery efforts to go beyond what assistance FEMA and other federal agencies are able to provide.
“FEMA more or less is going to take care of people for 18 months at least,” said Ron Whitmore, county Research and Development deputy director. The county’s focus, he said, is to make sure “everyone has permanent housing solutions.”
FEMA approved about $8.5 million through its individual assistance program as of Aug. 30.
The relief agency is also offering direct lease assistance for those still struggling to put a roof over their heads.
Craig Trupp, FEMA individuals housing specialist, said only six households have needed that type of immediate assistance. Another 15 have received help flying to or from the mainland.
“There were a lot of people who were able to take care of themselves,” he said.
“We thought it was going to be more than that,” Trupp added. “By the time we called these people they said, ‘OK, I’m fine with where I’m at.’”
The eruption started May 3, and destroyed more than 700 homes in lower Puna. Lava stopped erupting in September.
Mayor Harry Kim extended the emergency proclamation to Dec. 29.
County officials have faced criticism for the pace of recovery after the eruption stopped.
A man who declined to give his name said after the one of the workshops that he isn’t seeing enough done on the ground to restore communities.
“We’re not seeing (results) on the outside,” he said.
Whitmore said community recovery is going to be a multi-year process. He said the county is trying to identify “transitional policies” to help bring back some normalcy to lower Puna.
“We really just want to make sure we balance the desire to return to normalcy … with long-term prudence,” Whitmore said.
Roy Takemoto, an executive assistant to Kim, said one issue that came up at the housing fair is that those who have homes that are intact but isolated don’t qualify for federally-backed mortgage programs if they want to build elsewhere.
For the time being, building permits in the eruption area are mostly being limited to maintenance and repairs, officials said. No building on the lava flow field is currently allowed.
Takemoto said more information on that will be issued this week.
The county hired the Pacific Disaster Center to do a risk assessment of the eruption area and help come up with mitigation plans.
Depending on the findings, one issue that could be considered is whether it makes sense to rebuild in certain locations and, if not, whether property owners should be bought out. Whitmore said those discussions could happen in the spring or summer after the report is done.
“There will be a lot of input and clear understanding of the options and trade-offs of those options,” he said. “We understand the consequences and implications of those sorts of decisions.”
The county is hoping for federal and state money to fund long-term recovery efforts.
As for federal funds, Takemoto said the county is talking with Hawaii’s congressional delegation about how it can qualify for the federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program. He said it will have its first shot at applying for those funds next month.
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.