A permanent home for Kīpahulu

For over thirty years, KCA has brought this community together — for meetings, cultural celebrations, volunteer workdays, and everything in between. What we've been missing is a place of our own.

That's about to change.

After a year-long search, KCA has identified a 2.64-acre parcel of land adjacent to our existing gathering area — and it's being offered to us at a special price in recognition of our community mission. We are now raising funds to purchase and develop this land as a permanent Community Resource Center: a gathering place, a working garden, and a home for the culture and spirit of Kīpahulu.

Why this matters

Kīpahulu is one of Maui County's most geographically isolated communities. While our residents hold a deep commitment to Hawaiian cultural practice, volunteer service, and caring for the ʻāina, the absence of a dedicated, community-controlled space has made it harder to do that work consistently and at scale.

In the past, we relied on shared or partner-controlled facilities. This project is different. The land will be owned by KCA with a covenant guaranteeing community access, governed by a community-elected Board, and dedicated exclusively to community-wide use — for every resident of Kīpahulu, always.

What we're building

The development will happen in phases, led by community volunteers, guided by the values of laulima (many hands working together) and mālama ʻāina (care for the land).

Phase 1 — Safety fence

A protective fence along the coastal cliff to keep keiki and visitors safe.

Phase 2 — Clearing the land

Selective removal of invasive trees and vines. Green waste composted; logs chipped for soil amendment.

Phase 3 — Tool storage

A shipping container for secure on-site tool storage and a dry workspace.

Phase 4 — Community pavilion

A 25' × 30' open-air meeting hale built from locally harvested bamboo and kiawe posts with a metal roof — our gathering place for meetings, celebrations, workshops, and cultural events.

Phase 5–6 — Gardens & food forest

A kalo patch, vegetable garden, and demonstration food forest with 20 fruit trees, providing fresh produce for community distribution and on-site potlucks.

Phase 7–8 — Water & solar

A 15,000-gallon rainwater catchment and storage system, solar power, and a pressure tank to support the garden year-round.

Phase 9 — Nursery greenhouse

A 10' × 20' greenhouse for propagating plant starts and fruit trees to share with community members for their home gardens.

Throughout every phase, we'll be hosting hands-on workshops — bamboo building, dryland kalo cultivation, food forest design, rainwater systems, composting, fruit tree grafting, and more — woven together with cultural programming, Hawaiian spirituality discussions, hula, and hoʻoponopono facilitation. Community celebrations, including Makahiki and seasonal gatherings, will mark our milestones along the way.

The process itself is the product. Building this together is how we strengthen the bonds that make Kīpahulu strong.

What this will make possible

• A stable, permanent gathering place available to all residents — for meetings, cultural practice, and celebrations
• Greater food security through a community garden, food forest, and plant nursery
• Hands-on educational workshops and intergenerational transfer of traditional knowledge
• Emergency resources on-site, including first aid and a defibrillator (AED)
• Stronger community trust built through shared volunteer work and stewardship of the land
• A local trading exchange rooted in mutual support and the spirit of aloha

Our partners

We are grateful for the collaboration of partners who make this work possible.

Na Koa Anuenue — A grassroots volunteer group that has contributed hundreds of hours of work on the parcel and has been central to building community trust and momentum.

Kīpahulu Hula Hālau — A Hawaiian cultural education group and one of the primary future users of the new gathering space.

Whispering Winds Bamboo — Contributing volunteer labor and locally grown bamboo and kiawe materials for pavilion construction.

Hale Mano — A neighboring farm providing vegetable starts and helping design our plant propagation nursery.

National Park Service at Haleakalā — A longstanding partner with whom we share mutual volunteer support and services.

Budget overview

We are actively seeking foundation grants and community donations. If full funding is not immediately available, we will prioritize safety and gathering infrastructure first, and phase in the food systems and sustainability features as additional resources are secured.

Support this project

Every contribution brings us closer to a permanent home for Kīpahulu. Whether you give once or on a recurring basis, your support goes directly toward building something that will serve this community for generations.

Donate here →

To learn more, ask questions, or get involved as a volunteer, reach out to us at: Contact@kipahulucommunityassociation.com