Federal Recovery · Lahaina, Maui · FEMA-4724-DR-HI
FEMA and the Rebuilding of Lahaina
On August 8, 2023, the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over a century destroyed Lahaina. Today, a coordinated federal, state, and county effort is rebuilding it — and XTRATA's SABS™ Building System is part of that rebuild, with projects that have successfully progressed through the Maui County permitting process.
2,200+Structures destroyed
~12,000Residents displaced
100+Lives lost
$5.5B+Estimated damages
Photo: U.S. Coast Guard — public domain
Disaster Overview
August 8, 2023 — the fire that erased a town
Driven by hurricane-force winds, the wildfire moved through Lahaina in hours. President Biden issued a Major Disaster Declaration (FEMA-4724-DR-HI), activating the Federal Emergency Management Agency as lead coordinating agency for what has become one of the largest rebuilding initiatives in Hawaii's history.
Lahaina's waterfront after the fireU.S. Coast Guard — public domainResidential blocks reduced to ash and slabPublic domainVehicles abandoned during the evacuationPublic domainThe burn footprint from aboveU.S. Civil Air Patrol / County of MauiThe President, Gov. Green & FEMA Administrator Criswell survey Front Street, Aug. 21, 2023Official White House photo — public domain
The Federal Framework
FEMA doesn't build the homes. FEMA makes rebuilding possible.
FEMA is the lead federal agency coordinating disaster recovery in Lahaina. Rather than acting as the builder, it provides the funding, housing, infrastructure restoration, and technical framework within which every home is rebuilt — in partnership with the State of Hawaii, Maui County, property owners, contractors, architects, engineers, and permitting agencies.
01Disaster Response
Immediate emergency coordination with the State of Hawaii, Maui County, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, HUD, SBA, the Red Cross, and local agencies.
Search and rescue
Emergency shelters
Disaster Survivor Assistance Centers
Debris removal coordination
02Temporary Housing
One of FEMA's largest ongoing missions on Maui — keeping families housed while permanent homes are designed, permitted, and constructed.
Direct Lease & Rental Assistance
Transitional Sheltering Assistance
Modular Temporary Housing Units
Private-site temporary homes
03Individual Assistance
Direct financial help to eligible survivors — intended to support recovery, not fully fund reconstruction.
Home repairs & temporary housing costs
Personal property losses
Medical, funeral & transportation
Accessibility modifications
04Public Assistance
Funding to Maui County and the State to restore the public infrastructure residential rebuilding depends on.
Roads, bridges & utilities
Water & sewer systems
Schools, parks & public buildings
Debris removal & emergency costs
05Hazard Mitigation
Encouraging — and funding — rebuilding that is more resilient than what stood before the disaster.
Wildfire-resistant construction
Utility hardening
Improved evacuation routes
Defensible space planning
06Technical Guidance
Published guidance for architects, engineers, contractors, and building officials on rebuilding safer.
Fire-resistant materials
Building envelope & roof assemblies
Wildfire Recovery Advisories
Building code recommendations
FEMA In Action · Lahaina
The federal response, on the ground
Footage from FEMA's official Hawaii Wildfires recovery channel, documenting the missions that cleared the way for reconstruction — from the USACE debris removal of all 1,390 residential properties to the 167-unit Kilohana temporary housing community built on a Lahaina hillside in just 13 months.
Lahaina Debris Removal: Clearing the Path for Recovery
FEMA mission-assigned the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to clear residential and commercial debris. By August 2024, all 1,390 residential properties were cleared of debris and ash — the milestone that allowed the community to begin applying for building permits.
The Folaumoeloa family, among the first survivors to move into FEMA's Kilohana Group Housing site — 167 modular homes built where no housing existed months earlier.
FEMA Hawaii Wildfires — Full Recovery Video Series
FEMA's complete DR-4724-HI video collection: response, sheltering, debris operations, housing missions, and survivor stories across the recovery.
Long-Term Federal Recovery
Housing today, reconstruction tomorrow
FEMA's temporary housing assistance for Maui wildfire survivors has been extended through February 28, 2027 — a recognition that permanent rebuilding takes years, not months. Permanent reconstruction is financed through multiple federal and local channels working together:
FEMA — individual assistance, direct housing, infrastructure & mitigation
HUD CDBG-DR — billions for long-term housing reconstruction and community redevelopment
SBA Disaster Loans — low-interest rebuilding loans for homeowners and businesses
State of Hawaii — interim housing programs and recovery funding
Maui County — the Single-Family Homeowner Reconstruction Program, providing up to $1.2M to eligible homeowners rebuilding their primary residence
Aerial tour of Lahaina's rebuild in progress — new homes rising across the burn zone (independent drone footage, April 2026).
The Gatekeepers of the Rebuild
The Recovery Permit Center & 4LEAF, Inc.
Maui County Recovery Permit Center
Recognizing the unprecedented scale of the rebuild, Maui County established a specialized permitting pathway — the Recovery Permit Center (RPC) — to streamline review for properties destroyed in the wildfire. The RPC walks homeowners through permit intake, plan review, code compliance, permit issuance, construction inspections, final inspections, and occupancy approvals.
4LEAF runs the technical review
To accelerate rebuilding, Maui County contracted 4LEAF, Inc., a nationally recognized building and municipal services firm, to manage and operate the Recovery Permit Center. Today 4LEAF performs many of the technical permitting and inspection functions for residential rebuilding in Lahaina on behalf of the County — making it one of the principal organizations reviewing every residential project in the burn zone.
Building permit intake & processing
Plan review & building code compliance
Structural review coordination
Construction & final inspections
Occupancy verification
Public assistance during permitting
Permits are processed by 4LEAF at the County of Maui Service Center, 110 Alaihi St., Suite 207 · (808) 270-5724. The critical point: 4LEAF and the County review projects on building code compliance, not construction method.
From Plans to Occupancy
The residential rebuilding process, step by step
Every rebuilt home in Lahaina moves through the same sequence — and each SABS™ residence follows the same rigorous permitting and inspection requirements applicable to all residential construction within the recovery area.
1
Architectural design
The architect prepares complete construction drawings for the residence.
2
Structural engineering
A licensed structural engineer completes the engineering package.
3
Submittal to the Recovery Permit Center
Plans enter the County's expedited wildfire-recovery review track.
4
4LEAF plan review
4LEAF reviews the plans for full compliance with adopted codes and requirements.
Hawaii Building CodeMaui County Building CodeInternational CodesFire requirementsStructuralEnergy codeAccessibility
5
Building permit issued
Approved projects receive their building permit from the County.
6
Construction begins
The homeowner's contractor mobilizes and construction starts.
7
Inspections throughout construction
Foundation, framing, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, structural, and final inspections verify the work.
8
Final approval
The completed residence passes final inspection.
9
Certificate of Occupancy
The CO is granted — only then may the family legally return home.
Where the Rebuild Stands · July 2026
The permitting engine is working — and accelerating
Per the FEMA / Maui County monthly recovery fact sheet, families are moving from permits to construction to Certificates of Occupancy across Lahaina and Kula.
572Rebuilding permits issued
310Homes under construction
234Homes completed
349Permits in processing
Source: FEMA Monthly Maui Wildfires Recovery Fact Sheet, July 2026 (mauirecovers.org). Permits processed by 4LEAF on behalf of Maui County.
Nearly three years after the fire — a street-level look at hundreds of homes rising across residential Lahaina (independent footage).
Rebuilding Lahaina with SABS™ · Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Building Stronger. Building Faster. Building for Generations.
The August 8, 2023 wildfires forever changed the community of Lahaina. Thousands of families lost their homes, businesses, memories, and generations of history. Rebuilding Lahaina is far more than replacing structures — it is an opportunity to create safer, stronger, and more resilient homes capable of protecting future generations.
Today, XTRATA, through its proprietary SABS™ (Saebi Alternative Building System) technology, is proud to be participating in the rebuilding of Lahaina, helping restore homes for families impacted by one of the nation's most devastating natural disasters.
Through projects that have successfully progressed through the Maui County permitting process, SABS is demonstrating that innovative building technologies can help accelerate reconstruction while providing exceptional structural performance and long-term durability.
On the Ground · Lahaina Jobsite
SABS™ construction underway in Lahaina
Footage from an active SABS residence rising in the recovery area — the system's EPS panel structure taking shape above the West Maui coastline, permitted through the Maui County Recovery Permit Center.
XTRATA jobsite footage · Lahaina, Maui. The video file (sabs-lahaina-jobsite.mp4) must be kept in the same folder as this page.
Jobsite Gallery
SABS™ in Lahaina — the build in photos
Photography from active SABS construction in the Lahaina recovery area. Click any photo to enlarge.
XTRATA jobsite photography · Lahaina, Maui
Supporting the Recovery
Building through the Recovery Permit process
SABS residences are built within the same recovery framework detailed above — FEMA as lead federal coordinating agency, the State of Hawaiʻi, the County of Maui and its Recovery Permit Center, technical review administered by 4LEAF, Inc., and licensed architects, engineers, local contractors, and homeowners.
Each SABS residence moves through the identical nine-step sequence shown earlier on this page: complete architectural design, structural engineering, code review, plan review through the Recovery Permit Center, 4LEAF technical review, permit issuance, progressive construction inspections, final inspection, and Certificate of Occupancy.
The successful issuance of permits demonstrates that SABS projects can satisfy the applicable code review process established for Lahaina's recovery.
Accelerating the Rebuild
Time is the most valuable resource
Time is one of the most valuable resources for families rebuilding after disaster. By combining advanced engineering with an efficient construction methodology, SABS is designed to reduce construction timelines while maintaining rigorous structural performance.
Projects have demonstrated the ability to move efficiently through the permitting process, allowing construction activities to begin sooner and helping families return to permanent housing more quickly.
Every week saved represents another family moving closer to rebuilding their lives.
Built for Tomorrow's Challenges
Engineered for the hazards Hawaii actually faces
The goal of rebuilding Lahaina extends beyond replacing what was lost. Communities are seeking homes capable of withstanding future natural disasters while providing lower maintenance, improved efficiency, and enhanced occupant safety. SABS was developed around those same principles — engineered for exceptional performance against many of the hazards faced throughout Hawaii and other coastal regions.
High resistance to hurricane-force wind loads
Excellent seismic performance through engineered design
Fire-resistant construction assemblies
Resistance to mold and termites
Superior thermal insulation for energy efficiency
Durable cementitious exterior shell
Long service life with reduced maintenance requirements
More Than Rebuilding Homes
Every SABS home represents more than a building
A family returning homePermanent housing, not another temporary solution.
A neighborhood rebuilding togetherBlock by block, street by street.
A community recovering with confidenceKnowing the next fire won't take everything again.
A commitment to future generationsStronger construction as a lasting standard.
Engineering Without Compromise
Two decades of research behind every wall
For more than two decades, XTRATA has invested in the research, development, testing, and refinement of the SABS Building System. Every project is individually engineered to satisfy applicable design loads and project-specific requirements, supported by:
Structural engineering analysis
Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
Wind performance testing
Fire testing
Material testing
Long-term durability evaluations
Code compliance documentation
Third-party evaluations where applicable
A Vision for Resilient Communities
Resilient construction as the standard, not the exception
Natural disasters continue to affect communities across the United States and around the world. The experience of Lahaina demonstrates the importance of constructing homes that are not only beautiful but engineered to protect the people who live inside them. By participating in Lahaina's rebuilding effort, XTRATA is honored to contribute to one of the most important recovery initiatives in modern American history.
Our commitment extends beyond constructing homes. We are committed to helping communities rebuild:
About XTRATA — XTRATA is the developer of the proprietary SABS™ (Saebi Alternative Building System), an advanced engineered building technology designed to provide durable, energy-efficient, and resilient structures for residential, commercial, and institutional applications. Through continued innovation and engineering excellence, XTRATA remains committed to advancing safer construction methods for communities around the world.
Key Takeaways
Six things to remember
FEMA is the lead federal agency coordinating disaster recovery in Lahaina.
FEMA does not directly build homes — it provides funding, temporary housing, technical assistance, hazard mitigation, and recovery coordination that make rebuilding possible.
Maui County established the Recovery Permit Center to streamline rebuilding for fire-affected properties.
4LEAF, Inc. manages many of the technical permitting and inspection functions for residential reconstruction on behalf of Maui County.
Every rebuilt home must comply with applicable building codes and pass the County's permitting and inspection process before a Certificate of Occupancy is granted.
SABS™ projects have successfully progressed through this permitting process, demonstrating that the system can satisfy the code review process established for Lahaina's recovery while contributing to the ongoing reconstruction.
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