Paul Cheng, a Texas developer with a criminal past, says he’ll use the money to construct phase one of Pulelehua, the island’s largest affordable housing project in decades.

The $1.4 billion project envisions 975 high-end homes in and around the Wailea resort community that would cater to seasonal residents.

Gov. Josh Green has created an advisory team to work on ways to stabilize the market which has been battered by climate-related catastrophes.

The county is in the process of purchasing two units from a longtime Lahaina couple.

Rising interest rates and a drop in sales have done little to lower average home prices.

The agency has found available housing but is struggling to get people to move in. On Friday, it ends its support for the emergency hotel program.

Access to water is still in flux, but the Maui modular home housing project now has county approval to open 16 of 88 units.

Emboldened by state lawmakers’ action this session, Bissen has proposed county legislation to phase out certain vacation units to open up more long-term housing.

FEMA plans to stop reimbursing the state for emergency housing in hotels after May 10 but the governor expects several hundred likely will be staying there through at least July 1.

Although Hawaii has been picking up the tab since FEMA stopped reimbursing for food on Feb. 10, the state says saving money was not the reason for the cuts.