Our Impact
Accomplishments
We measure our success in advancing our vision and purpose by achieving goals that serve the public good in our Upcountry community.
2024
Kula Community Center Land Acquired
We have been urging the County to acquire the land parcel of the Kula Community Center for years and have maintained this issue as one of our top County budget priorities. After decades of leasing the land from the Von Tempsky family, the County has negotiated terms to acquire the land beneath the community center and adjacent facilities for public use in perpetuity.
Stopped the Kula Ridge Proposed Water Delivery Agreement
We were a critical voice calling for timely public discussion of the proposed water delivery agreement on Kula Ridge between the County and Free Market Ventures. We analyzed the proposed agreement and helped to elicit community input. The agreement failed to get approval from the County Council after much last-minute public opposition.
Increased Safety on Kula Highway
After years of our advocacy with the State, the stoplight at the Omaʻopio and Kula Highway intersection is out for bids and expected to be completed in 2025. We have worked tirelessly with State Representative Kyle Yamashita to see that this project has remained a top priority for Upcountry safety.
2023
Advocated for Safety on Crater Road
For years we urged Maui County Council to regulate bike tours on Crater Road as our residents struggled to share the road safely. In January 2023, a new ordinance limited tours to a section of the road from Mile Marker 3.0 to Mile Marker 9.5. and required tour operators to sign a Bike Pono Pledge to safely share the road.
Worked to Create a Fire-Safe Community
We helped to collectively create a path towards a fire and water resilient Upcountry community by gathering community input and coordinating and working with upcountry groups focused on creating a fire-safe community including Mālama Kula and the Kula Community Watershed Alliance.
Supported East Maui Water Authority
We were a strong voice calling for the creation of the East Maui Water Authority in the November 2022 election. The authority’s purposes include acquiring East Maui water licenses and providing long-term, affordable surface water to the Department of Water Supply.
2022
Helped Secure Kula Park Improvements
We helped to secure County funding to install new playground equipment, resurface the playground area, and install an ADA accessible pathway connecting the upper parking lot to the restroom and playground areas at the Kula Park.
2020
2019
Supported Senior Housing Construction
Hale Mahaolu Ewalu is a senior rental housing complex for individuals aged 62 years and above in the Kulamalu Community Center in Pukalani. Phase I was completed in 2019 and Phase II in 2020.
Renumbered Rural Route Mailboxes
We worked with the postal system and the County to renumber all of the Rural Route mailboxes in Kula so that they would be numbered in a logical pattern rather than the old way with illogical and inconsistent numbering that had been going on for decades. This resulted in ambulances, fire trucks, and police being able to find houses much faster when timing is very important during an emergency.
2001
