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Jill Stein is calling on the federal government to provide the resources needed for a full recovery for Lahaina, Hawai’i, where six months after one of the deadliest fires in US history, thousands of survivors are in need of housing and suffering from serious health problems. 

It’s time for a Green New Deal for Lahaina to provide housing for all, address the health and ecological problems caused by the fire, and rebuild the community in a just and sustainable way. Full and rapid recovery are beyond the resources that local and state governments can mobilize. Instead of spending hundreds of billions fueling endless destructive wars around the world, the federal government should take responsibility to help people here at home whose communities have been devastated by natural disasters, like Lahaina.

A federally-funded Green New Deal for Lahaina would rebuild it based on community planning for ecological sustainability, public housing for the unhoused with rents scaled to ability to pay, and access to Medicare for those who want it. Under this plan, the reconstruction would be based on building walkable neighborhoods linked by free public transportation. The public housing, key to the design of walkable neighborhoods, would be powered by renewable solar and wind. Residents would have the option of becoming Medicare participants. A community health center would be part of the design of the sustainable community plan.

In addition to the housing crisis, with almost 5,000 survivors still in emergency accommodations, Lahaina faces a devastating health crisis, with a study of fire survivors finding 74% experiencing respiratory issues, three out of four with an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease, 55% experiencing depression symptoms, and one in eight lacking health insurance - many because they lost their jobs in the fire. 

Yesterday the State Office of Elections notified the Green Party of Hawai’i that they have submitted enough valid signatures to appear on the ballot. We look forward to offering Hawaii voters the choice of a Green New Deal for Lahaina, an economy that works for working people, an end to endless war, and a livable future for our children.

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With gratitude,

The Jill Stein 2024 team