California Gov. Gavin Newsom is looking to Hawaii for advice on how to rebuild after wildfires. Here’s hoping that he is using the Aloha State as a model for what not to do.
In the 18 months since Hawaii’s wildfires, the state has rebuilt a total of three homes, according to data from Maui County. Over 2,000 properties in Maui suffered major damage or were completely destroyed by those fires 18 months ago, and many Hawaiians were forced to wait six months or even a year just to receive a permit to rebuild their homes, and will be forced to do so under more burdensome regulations and restrictions than when those homes were first built, meaning many of them cannot be built back in the way that they were previously.
Gov. Josh Green (D-HI) tried to use his emergency powers to clear red tape and allow the rebuilding process to go faster, as Newsom is doing, pausing environmental reviews and zoning regulations to speed up the rebuilding.
