Rebuilding has finally reached the heart of old Lahaina, good news for fire survivors who have waited more than three years to come home.

• Construction starts this month on the first homes in Lahaina's historic district, on a Front Street lot that is still bare gravel.
• Sixty homes will be rebuilt there, with work expected to take 18 months.
• The buildings go back up at their original size and layout, but with fire-resistant siding and roofing, clear space around them, and native plants that use less water.
• Residents are everyday working people — teachers, firefighters, plumbers, electricians, surf instructors, service workers — the ones who keep the town running.
• Maui's Rita Paulsen General Contracting is doing the work; one returning resident, a retired teacher who escaped the 2023 fire by car, turns 80 next year.

Outlook: The first keys should be handed over in about a year and a half, with many other Lahaina residents still waiting for their turn.