OUR PURPOSE
At the Wailuku Community Association, we are proud to serve Historic Wailuku Town by sharing resources, support, and guidance with our members and the community at large. Our commitment is to keep Wailuku clean, safe, and welcoming for everyone who comes to experience it. As we look to the future, we are engaging with partners and residents in thoughtful discussions about how to preserve and strengthen the historic downtown district.
Residents • Business Owners • Social Services
Merchants • Religious Communities
CURRENT MOMENTS
WCA Public Meeting Recap:
Where We've Been & Where We're Headed
At our recent community meeting, we looked back at the Wailuku Community Association’s efforts over the past 15 years and shared a roadmap for what’s next.
Back in 2010, a strategic framework was developed to help make Wailuku a more vibrant, business-friendly town. At the time, the focus was on improving the development review process to make it user-friendly, consistent, and predictable — key to attracting and growing small businesses in the area.
Four core priorities were identified:
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Amnesty for non-performing buildings
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Building code relief for historic structures
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A revamped development review process
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Updated design guidelines to replace the 2006 version used by the Maui Redevelopment Agency (MRA)
Now, we’re entering a new chapter of momentum and possibility.
Downtown Wailuku is being positioned as an economic and cultural incubator, with a strong emphasis on creating a thriving arts district. We’re now pushing forward to finalize and adopt a district management plan that will allow for an official office to oversee arts programming and development.
Three major arts projects are leading the way:
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MAPA’s Naylor Theater, opening this November, which represents a major grassroots effort to restore and activate a historic building
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Maui OnStage at the Historic Iao Theater, a longtime cultural cornerstone
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And the future Halau of ʻŌiwi Arts, planned for the corner of Church and Vineyard
The long-awaited Wailuku Parking Garage is now complete, solving a major downtown issue and acting as a catalyst for future investment.
As part of that project, we’ve also seen much-needed public infrastructure improvements — including new utilities, drainage, sidewalks, and street upgrades along sections of Church and Vineyard Streets. These upgrades not only support current development but will help accommodate future growth as additional opportunities arise.
We also touched on the Clean & Safe Program — which continues to be a valuable resource, but not a complete solution to the challenges we face. In response, we’re looking to form working groups to tackle key issues collaboratively. If you’re interested in joining, we welcome your involvement.
We will be establishing a working group to add CAMERAS, LIGHTS and SIGNS. Reporting any incident is a step toward deterrence and shifting the mind set of offenders. Reach out to the clean and safe team for any offensive issues.
What’s Next for Wailuku?
Looking ahead, the Wailuku Community Association is focused on building the partnerships, tools, and structure needed to guide the next phase of growth — while keeping our town's unique history and identity at the heart of it all.
At the top of our priorities is to establish a Main Street America program for Wailuku. This nationally recognized framework has helped revitalize historic downtowns across the country by combining grassroots leadership with professional management. We’re currently developing a formal proposal to present to the County Council that outlines the purpose, needs, and long-term impact of this effort.
One thing is clear: without a dedicated executive director, we won’t gain the traction needed to bring about the level of change our town deserves. Volunteers and board members can only do so much — a professional leader will help us coordinate programs, secure funding, support local business, and keep Wailuku moving forward with purpose.
This work also ties directly back to the goals identified in Part One. As we look to the future, we are committed to:
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Updating the Wailuku zoning plan to reflect today’s needs and future opportunities
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Revising the MRA design guidelines to balance historic preservation with contemporary design standards
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Building a stronger working relationship with the Maui Redevelopment Agency (MRA) to ensure collaboration that supports and strengthens future development projects
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We know this next phase will take coordination, leadership, and community support — and we’re ready to do the work. Wailuku’s future is in motion, and this is our moment to shape it together.
Click on survey link below to share your thoughts and let us know if you want to particiapte as we move forward.
