Maui Economic Opportunity – Struggling for Shelter in Maui County

An Affordable Rental Forum

Wailuku, Maui (April 12, 2007)    Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO) will hold an Affordable Rental Forum on Thursday, May 3, 2007 at the MEO Classrooms at 99 Mahalani Street, Wailuku.  Registration starts at 8:00 am with the forum beginning at 8:30 am and it will end by 1:00 pm.  Lunch will be served for this free forum and it is open to the entire community.  Seating is limited and interested participants are asked to contact Kai or May at 249-2990 by April 26, 2007 to pre-register for this event.  

A panel of speakers from all branches of government will discuss the affordable rental issue and participants will also break up into smaller discussion groups to compile ideas or suggestions on ways to build more affordable rental units for the community.  “MEO is celebrating its 42^nd year of helping people and changing lives,” said Sandy Baz, Executive Director.   “We realize that many of the 20,000 people we service in Maui County cannot afford to find and maintain a home even with 2 to 3 jobs.  MEO sees a need to look head-on at the affordable rental issue, as this issue touches many Maui families not just those under the federal poverty level” said Baz.  “We also want to keep the conversation moving forward on the workforce housing ordinance, just passed by the Maui County Council. We are looking for solutions and action on this important issue. ”

This forum is part of the Maui Economic Opportunity’s Community Action Month which is celebrated in the spring by 1,100 Community Action Agencies located in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Micronesia as a month that gives recognition to the vital role played by community action agencies throughout our nation.   MEO was chartered as a community action agency on March 22, 1965 by federal mandate under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 and was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson.  MEO is celebrating its 42 year anniversary since its inception.

The Maui Economic Opportunity Community Action Month and forum is sponsored by Bank of Hawaii and the State of Hawaii Office of Community Services.   Also part of the activities of MEO is a five week long radio talk show on KAOI Radio group from 7:00 am to 8:00 am every Monday morning through May 7, 2007.

For questions contact, Sandy Baz, Executive Director, Maui Economic Opportunity, at 249-2990.