The 47 units offer below-market rents to school employees
Posted: April 28, 2026
This week, the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education marked the opening of its Lahaina educator workforce housing development, a $20 million project designed to support teacher retention and strengthen public education on Maui.
Built by Maui-based developer Dowling Co., HIDOE’s project, called Ke ʻAla Punia, includes 47 rental units offered at affordable rates. Educators and staff began to move in last month. The project addresses a housing shortage that has made it difficult to recruit and retain educators, particularly on neighbor islands.
The approximately 5-acre site sits above Princess Nāhiʻenaʻena Elementary and below Lahainaluna High.
One of the new residents at Ke ʻAla Punia is Nathan Pallett, a Lahainaluna alumnus and agriculture teacher at the high school.
“This is the only place that I can stay. Post-fire, a one-bedroom unit is like $2,000 a month. This makes it much more affordable,” Pallett said. “And the commute to work is pretty convenient.”
Rental rates start at $1,469 per month for a one-bedroom unit and $1,733 for a two-bedroom unit, including water, sewer, and trash. Additional subsidies are available for eligible employees to ensure they pay no more than 30% of their household income toward rent.
“Even before the wildfires destroyed thousands of homes, West Maui staff struggled to find housing,” said Ashley Olson, English learner coordinator at Lahainaluna High who serves as HSTA’s Maui Chapter president. “We have seen new hires arrive only to leave shortly after because they couldn’t find a place to live. Today, with the housing market stretched even thinner, these units provide current staff with stable, affordable housing while our residential neighborhoods are being rebuilt.”
“While the Ke ʻAla Puni units are not intended to be “forever homes,” they offer a vital bridge for new hires to establish themselves in our community. We are already seeing the impact: Lahainaluna has received dozens of applications for open positions, and many of these educators will find a “soft landing” at Ke ʻAla Puni. This transition could be a true game-changer for West Maui schools,” Olson added.
Schools Superintendent Keith Hayashi said, “We’re taking a real step toward supporting our workforce and strengthening our schools here on Maui. This project also reflects what’s possible when we move with urgency and purpose — breaking ground in May of last year and already welcoming educators into their new homes last month.”
“I also want to extend a sincere mahalo to Governor Josh Green for his strong support of workforce housing and for helping make this project possible through $9 million in funding,” Hayashi added.
The development comes at a critical time for the Lahaina community as it continues to rebuild following the 2023 wildfires. By providing stable housing for educators, the project helps ensure continuity for students and supports the long-term resilience of schools.
The department also announced the official name of the development, Ke ʻAla Punia, gifted by Lahainaluna High School kumu Eva Palakiko. The name reflects a vision for the project that extends beyond housing. Ke ʻAla Punia, meaning “permeating fragrance,” symbolizes the idea that educators nurture students, families and the broader community, with their knowledge and care spreading outward like a fragrance that fills and uplifts Lahaina.
Rental rates start at $1,469 per month for a one-bedroom unit and $1,733 for a two-bedroom unit, including water, sewer, and trash.
In late March, HSTA leaders visited the new Lahaina housing project. From L to R: Maui High Math teacher Jodi Kunimitsu, who chairs HSTA’s Human and Civil Rights Committee; HSTA President Osa Tui, Jr.; NEA President Becky Pringle; Lahainaluna High English Learner Coordinator and HSTA Maui Chapter President Ashley Olson and Hilo Intermediate Social Studies teacher Aaron Kubo, who is HSTA’s NEA director.
Ke ʻAla Punia, the new affordable housing project on Maui for teachers, includes 47 rental units offered at affordable rates.
The new housing will provide a critically-needed resource to the Lahaina area, which is still rebuilding after the 2023 wildfires.