What others have shared

Some of Lahaina's strengths were the low-rise shops, and the amazing ambiance and activity especially at night.

Its people - See how residents helped each other, bringing food & supplies at their own cost.

The beach parks - Great for local families to enjoy weekends, canoe races, family bbqs. Local restaurants, great food.

Quaint, historic, awesome community, small town feel even though impacted with tourists.

The quaint shopping, restaurant town with the harbor.

Sense of community and history

Its community. its people and its culture. Prior to runaway luxury development. Lahaina had a solid small-town economy with thriving small business.

Lahaina Town was unique as a hometown and a tourist town. I really didn't realize how wonderful it's attributes were until recently after I started living off island.

As a tourist beach town I could still park close enough to go downtown. The beaches were still accessible. It wasn't just for the tourists. The locals visited too. It really was a special place. I can't imagine living anywhere else.

Quaint character of the town, walkability of downtown, views mauka and makai (except the solar farm near Lahainaluna High), historic places interspersed in the downtown area, welcoming character of the people

The older style of development with smaller houses on bigger lots, but also the change over time to multi family homes (like Maui's version of a duplex) that made Lahaina affordable for owners and renters (local landlords not corporations).

The people who owned in Lahaina actually living in Lahaina.

Pedestrian friendly downtown. Free parking. Community events in public spaces. Lahaina News. Sports parks. Free family activities. Environmental and cultural advocacy.

Community. There were many places for people to gather and enjoy. (Now all of these are lost, they must be restored).

Lahaina was an art center. Charm. Source of employment.

Lahaina's main strength before the fire was it's ability to exploit a steady influx of tourists

while marginalizing locals to the fringes of the town giving tourists the best of the best, while locals got shut out of traditional gathering sites and recreation areas and relegated to substandard overcrowded and dangerous housing.The best strength of Lahaina was and is its people. Empower them!

Lahaina was a historic walkable town.

Unique, charming and right in the ocean. Lahaina was a vibrant accessible town with an interesting history full of culture and beauty. Natural beauty, the surrounding west Maui mountains and ocean and the community of friends and family who lived and worked there made Lahaina a magnet for all people.

Good at ignoring the root problems and washing over the truth that our Aina is being destroyed by tourism.

I loved the historical chill vibe and the restaurants overhanging the water.

The Banyan tree is very special but a great place to hang out. Mostly I liked the many public places to sit and enjoy the town and people.

Before the fire Lahaina did a great job with the Heau, the hale wa’a, and the walking spaces and public areas. But Lahaina could use more of all of these.

Location, authentic structures

* All different types and characteristics * Unique shops and foods * Ocean and sunsets, trees , plants , flowers, birds :) * Bikes , scooters music 🎶 weather year round

Residential. Quaint charming plantation homes. Old time stores. Diverse. Simple. Low rise. Community.

Lahaina was a Charming and unique town with a wealth of history and culture

it was a melting pot of restaurants, bars, shops, entertainment, beaches & boats, but most importantly it was a community of interesting characters who genuinely cared about each other and their town.

Lahaina’s strengths were from its dedicated residents despite the county/state not investing in us at all.

Lahaina’s people were strong and close knit. We supported each other. Lahaina had history and although not enough, it seemed to honor that history which was its draw. Waikiki is already there, Lahaina had charm and uniqueness

Strengths of Lahaina included the feeling of community.

Neighborhoods housed Families, working residents & those retired. Gardens flourished with native plants, coral reefs were returning to health via diligent care & the banning of harmful sunscreens. The plasmarket bags ban resulted in cleaner streets & beaches. Community cleanups common. Aloha felt by all. Lahaina Strong prior and post. Onipa'a

Small town, folks knew their neighbors. The weather was mostly nice. Historic nature. Mostly the people I knew and the memories of growing up

Old Lahaina town was a walkable and friendly community. I lived at Lahaina Residential, but I sold my home a couple of years before the fire.

One of the things I loved most about living in town was how close I was to everything I needed. I could walk my dog on the beach & go to the grocery store, the library, a bar, a restaurant, the bank or post office. All of it was in walking distance.

Before the fire Lahaina’s strengths were its historic charm, architecture and people.

Having low rise buildings, and the water so close by. It had a small town feel. Colorful buildings added to the charm. A mix of restaurants and small businesses. My grandmother’s house was at the Puamana end and I have fond memories of riding a bike into town. The oceanfront library.

Charm, interesting Front Street. Historic fishing village. Few big chain stores.

Before the fire Lahaina town was quaint, historic, and a tourist attraction. Lahaina Restoration did an amazing job of saving and restoring important buildings from Lahaina’s past.

Lahaina's strengths were its historic charm.

5 star restaurants next to holes in the wall. There was something for everyone and everyone was welcome. We could walk and bike to everything we ever needed.

The walkability of Lahaina Town from the highway to Front Street, Foodland, the Post Office & restaurants/shops.

The library, historical landmarks, Lahaina harbor, Wharf Cinema all close by to schools, neighborhoods, parks & city pool. Working to rebuild on these strengths while balancing the traffic on Front Street & lack of parking could again make Lahaina town a unique place once again.

A beautiful seaside location with banks, grocery stores, post office, and medical facilities that residents could enjoy.

Dining on the water!

Dining on or at the waters edge, Many choices of fine dining that included an ocean view Shops in between , music from places to sit and sip

Lahaina was a wonderful town. Lahaina had everything a community needed. The only improvement would be to have protected bike paths and bike parking.

Downtown Lahaina was awesome. I hope we can rebuild to have the same historical look as it once was.

as far as neighborhoods above it. It was out of control with code violations on almost every property due to the fact that there was no workforce housing for any of the employees that work on the west side.

Magically beautiful

* It was a quaint, picturesque, historic, oceanfront town with the most breathtaking scenery. * It also had a small town feel and plenty of real aloha, not fake. This was due to the charm of residents working and caring. * clean air, water, oceans, and endless sunshine

Before the fire Lahaina was a great place to live. Easy to take walks, swim at the beach or public pool. Lots of good food places, history everywhere.

The obvious strengths for our lost town were the local business that severed local residents.

Dentist, physical therapy, doctors. It was also a hub for many home based businesses for the ocean activities. Restaurants created local jobs but as we experienced over the years it was mostly for tourist. The galleries were nice touch but again not a place where locals went to decorate there homes.

Before the fire, Lahaina's strengths were:

* Produced many jobs * Historical significance * Vibrate nightlife * Lahaina harbor being one of the main commercial hubs on the westside * Popular visitor destination * Strong property values

The people. Everyone knows everyone. We were one big Ohana.

Historical and cultural attractions and ambience.

I was raising my 2 kids in Lahaina and owned a business at Lahaina harbor.

To me Lahaina was unique because of the harbor, and shops that were along the water front. Being able to ride my kids to school on a bike and to work was special. I look forward to getting the harbor reopened so that I can afford to rebuild my home that was lost in the fire as well. One can not happen without the other

Picturesque, multicultural, historic seaside town that provided jobs and was an economic engine for west Maui.

Aloha spirit that brought out the best in tourists and locals alike.

* A popular destination to go to * A small town feel * Diverse backgrounds * Many shops

The cohesiveness of our community and all the multiple nationalities that get along so well. We care for and look out for each other.

The fact that there are so many kupuna that work to keep Lahaina the community like the old days.

Generational/cane homes.

Local / largely island owned, storefronts and restaurants along Front st., limited corporate chains. Almost no hi-rises. Walkability and sections of Front st open space. Waterfront library.

Before the strength was it’s people & being in a small community.

We still have that but people are hurting and want help & want to be heard. They want the certainty that some day (an accurate timeline would be nice) they will be able to rebuild.

THE RESIDENTS

Small town tourist trap.

This worked in the past but is no longer a viable solution. Tourism causes more harm than good because the income generated does not help the people that live in Lahaina to prosper.

The Aloha spirit among the residents.

The history and heritage of the residents.

It provided a perfect combo between tourist shops, boating, and beach activities for all (not only tourists).

Wahikuli

Let the people of Lahaina rebuild Lahaina. This is OUR town, OUR home, OUR life. We do not want your 9 panel board or anyone for that matter to decide how Lahaina should be built into a tourist trap ENOUGH! - do that on some other island, NOT here. Lahaina was once the whaling capital of the Pacific - bring back history and preserve it like it once was before. One town, One team, One dream

Tourist industry and great generational roots

Restaurants for tourist to eat at first biggest draw and for tourist.

Another strength is the ease of getting around town walking and bike riding. So that should be a focal point on improving and encouraging alt. Transportation other then driving.

Community oriented, more open to tourism, love of life

Fast track permits for Owners to build back exactly how they’re houses were built or they will lose their homes and the old lahaina charm permanently.

Determination to survive.

Before the fire, Lahaina had The Wharf and Front Street, which served not only as a place for tourists to enjoy the beauty of our historical town, but a place where the community could interact and spend their time with others.

Cherry

The energetic walkable beachfront with a historic mix of business, dining, residential and vacation properties.

Visitors and residents alike could find anything they needed within a walk or bike ride, and enjoy the amazing local nature, beach, local music, food and priceless aloha.

Lahaina is strong because of the people who have been here their entire lives & for generations.

Allowing the people to be together, in peace, and have direct input about how to rebuild is the only way to keep Lahaina strong

Lahaina was an amazing community where you saw your neighbors and friend daily at stores, beaches, restaurants, bars, etc. but was also a world known tourist attraction with great beaches and waves.

This balance of Lahaina town was its strength and the reason locals would pay outrageous rents, to be away from larger amenities.

Before the fire, Lahaina was known for its rich history, vibrant tourism, strong community bonds, bustling economy, and stunning natural beauty.

It stood as a beloved destination cherished for its cultural heritage, scenic vistas, and welcoming atmosphere.

Lahaina boasts several strengths, chief among them being its location and rich history.

Situated in a picturesque setting, Lahaina's proximity to the ocean and its stunning views make it a desirable destination. Its history is also a significant draw, with many buildings still standing that played crucial roles in past generations' lives and livelihoods.

Lahaina had a strong, varied economy and culture.

There was an eclectic mix of historic and modern venues for performing arts as well as galleries and restaurants. It was the primary draw for visitors to maui.

The wharf was fun. Cool cats and down the hatch.

It was nice that kids could hang out there and catch a bus. Except all the tourist shops. Kamehameha ike park had a really cool Hau tree that was fun to climb and surfing break wall.

There was nothing like it on Maui.

I loved it because I come from a city and other than Wailuku, Lahiana was the only neighborhood on Maui with an urban feel. I also learned how to surf at the breakwall and felt a deep a connection to Moku’ula, Mokuhinia, and the Hawaiian historic sites in the area. Some of my favorite memories were made in the water looking back at the harbor and the mountains

Had the best vibe. Bring it back.

I do not rally care what exactly it looks like. I just want it to feel the same.

Lahaina had a charm like no other place that was it’s greatest strength.

Maintaining that is essential to our future. Allowing businesses on the waterfront to rebuild is very important. By building out the land this could be achieved. Then building Front Street as a replica of a past time would bring back even more tourist interest while paying homage to our culture and past.

Beautiful town with small streets. Was a great place to live.

Everything was close by

I used my motor scooter to do everything surf go to the market gym bank front street I could walk to the beach for sunset with our dogs visit with friends only left the west side if I had a doctors appointment or wanted to do Costco Home Depot Lowe’s wife and I were very content living there I’m a bit older was planning to spend the rest of my days living there

Many of the units (113) survived

I know many owners would rent out to locals through FEMA. All Puamana has signed their property access. It could house close to 100 families in Lahaina, which would be a great benefit to the locals. Just a thought.

A very connected community and "Ohana first" attitude

History, charm, unique

Wonderful community, welcoming and open.

Former Capitol of Hawaii

Home to many archeological. heritage &cultural sites & a diverse array of Religious centers. Clean, some pristine, shoreline swimming beaches & parks. Best Hayden Mangoes in Hawai'i, plus a multitude of local organic fruit trees, medicinal plants, herbs, spices & vegetables, grown by loving ethnically diverse residents in neighborhood communities.King Kamehameha 3 Elem

A tight knit community with neighborly aloha like in Old Hawaii

It was the tourist capitol for Maui, had huge historical significance, was the main artery between maui and Lanai and Molokai

Lahaina provided one of the few places on Maui to view and experience some of the culture and history of original Hawai'i.

A town providing some feel and flavor of architecture and times past, with a sense of simpler times. A town with a look and feel unique to Maui. A rare place on Maui to just stroll and take in the surroundings, and partake in activities, sights and exhibits at the banyan tree