about focus maui Nui
Focus Maui Nui is an ongoing project focused on understanding the needs and priorities of the residents of Maui County, and communicating their vision to community leaders.
Focus Maui Nui was launched in 2003 with a series of community meetings and discussion groups that brought together nearly 1,700 Maui County residents to share their values and hopes for the county’s future.
Since then, MEDB has kept its finger on the community’s pulse with periodic updates and benchmarking. The strategies and goals identified by Focus Maui Nui continue to inform planning documents and policymaking throughout Maui County. Focus Maui Nui features weekly articles written in partnership with The Maui News.
Our Goals
The ultimate goal of Focus Maui Nui is twofold:
- To create one cohesive vision for the future, based on the priorities and values of everyday residents countywide on jobs, the environment, education, housing, and more.
- To hold leaders in government, business, and the community accountable to this vision, creating a tangible link between residents’ hopes and dreams and the decisions that are made about the future of our islands.
Diverse Cross Section
In summer 2003, Focus Maui Nui brought together a diverse cross-section of nearly 1,700 residents to discuss their values and priorities. Over three months, 167 small group discussions took place in neighborhood homes, churches, shopping centers and workplaces, with each group ultimately developing a list of key strategies that could shape Maui’s future.
Our Five Key Strategies For Action
EDUCATION
Improve Education and well-being of young people.
ENVIRONMENT
Protect the natural environment, including our water resources
INFRASTRUCTURE
Address infrastructure challenges especially housing and transportation
ECONOMIC
Adopt targeted economic development strategies
PRESERVATION
Preserve local culture and address community health concerns such as substance abuse.