Maui fund eases holidays
for victims of economic slump

More than 8,100 folks receive
money from the county's program

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By Gary T. Kubota
gkubota@starbulletin.com

WAILUKU >> Single parent Eliza Brady said she is grateful for the $800 she received from a Maui County fund to help residents affected by the state's post-Sept. 11 economic slump.

Brady, a retail store manager who had her working hours and salary cut, said she was behind in her electricity bill and needed help with the rent during the holiday season.

"Oh God, yes, it really helped," said Brady, who has two children living at home. "It really helped a lot, especially now at Christmas."

Thousands of Maui County residents will be spending the holidays with a roof over their heads, partially because of the $1.5 million fund to help those hurt by the slumping economy.

Maui Economic Opportunity Inc., the coordinator of the fund, said a little more than a third of the disbursed money has helped residents who were unable to pay their rent and mortgage.

Qualified residents spent another third on food.

More than 8,100 people have received help through the special county relief program called the Hawaii Emergency Laulima Partnership, or HELP.

"I think they're going to have a better Christmas, and they're going to spend Christmas in their homes," said Tom Blackburn-Rodriguez, a spokesman for Maui Economic Opportunity. "They're not going to spend it on the beach."

He said many people had already missed paying a couple of months in rent or mortgage and were one payment away from being in trouble with the banks or landlords.

Benefits available through the program range from $300 for one or two people to $600 for a family of seven or more people. Some people, like Brady, qualified for multiple payments.

The $1.5 million, approved by Council and initiated by Mayor James "Kimo" Apana, was a part of a court payment by utility companies for property taxes.

Blackburn-Rodriguez said more than $1.1 million of the $1.5 million has been disbursed, and he expects the money for the emergency aid to be exhausted by Friday.

Nonprofit groups began receiving applications Nov. 5 and expected to have enough for 90 days. Blackburn-Rodriguez said groups found the need was greater than anticipated.

He said many of those applying told volunteers they had never applied for financial assistance from the government.

"They felt awkward or embarrassed," he said.

But Blackburn-Rodriguez said residents also were relieved.

Those receiving assistance included housekeepers and waiters laid off from hotels, store managers whose work hours had been cut, and self-employed entertainers.

From Nov. 5 to Dec. 12, 8,124 people received a total of $1,008,769 in assistance, with a household size averaging more than three people, he said.

With its economy heavily dependent on tourism, Maui County suffered the greatest increase in the unemployment rate among the state's counties following the Sept. 11 attacks.

Its unemployment increased to 6.3 percent in October from 4.6 percent in September.

Among all the islands, Lanai's unemployment rate increased the most, to 10.8 percent in October from 6 percent in September, according to state labor officials.

State labor spokesman Thomas Jackson said the number of people seeking unemployment compensation weekly has been totaling double the normal statewide.

Carol Kawagoe, a state workforce official, said employment has been improving in the visitor industry.

"The hotels are hiring back slowly but not totally," Kawagoe said.

She said retail activity has been "picking up, but not as in past years."