The Voice of Paia
Who We Are
Our Mission
Our Mission is to help build a strong healthy community through laulima, “many hands working together”.
The Paia Community Association's mission is to enhance the beautification, maintenance, and restoration of the historic town of Paia. By representing a cross-section of the multicultural people of the community we will provide a collective and clear voice which will assist in governmental relationships in order to streamline permitting processes and obtain funding for the town. We strive to promote and lead our small town into the future with community involvement. Our goal is to assist in the development of a new community plan based on a diversified economy.
Paia Community Association has applied for 501(c)(3) non-profit status.
Our Values
At Paia Community Association we strive to find common ground through the use of cultural values:
ALOHA (love & compassion)
HA’AHA’A (humility)
KULEANA (responsibility, ownership, privilege)
LAULIMA (cooperation)
LE’A LE’A (to have a good time; fun; amusement)
LOKAHI (unity)
MAKA’ALA (to be aware; alert; watchful, attend to vigilantly. “E maka’ala mai I ka hana”; “Tend to the Job”)
MALAMA (care for, serve, honor)
NA’AU PONO (upright & just)
OHANA (family)
HO’OPONOPONO (reconciliation and forgiveness)
KALAKOA (all life matters)
What we do
We Advocate for:
The promotion of Paia Town
Homeless matters and security
Cleanliness of the town
Funding for trashcans in town
Outdoor restaurant seating
Beautification of the small town
Environmental protection of the ocean and land
More parking
Improved places to gather in the town
Paia Farmers Market to support farmers/community
Paia bypass
Improvements to the park
More trees in town
Better lighting around town
Updating Paia community plan
Updating Paia design guidelines
Taste of Northshore
Streamlined small town permitting process
Preservation/restoration of the design of the town
Improve County Complaint system
Support of permitted Vacation rentals and Bed and Breakfasts
Diversified economic interests for the strength of the town
Accountability of County officials
Support a County Manager for professional management
Support affordable housing
Art walk
Marketing Paia as a destination for locals and visitors
Review of County Tax fairness
Support Northshore greenway
Paia farmers market
Support PYCC and all nonprofits
Easier permitting for restoration of buildings
Support multicultural and spiritual establishments
How to Get Involved
Leadership and Ambassadors
Board of Directors
Michael Baskin
Director
michael@paiacommunity.org
Read Michael's biography
Michael is a long time resident of Paia and got his first job in Paia when he was 14 working at his moms smoothie shop in front of Charley’s in 1977. He is a Seabury Hall grad and has degrees in architecture and business from UC Santa Cruz California and Pepperdine University. Michael was the past Vice-Chair of the Paia Main Street board which he served on for over 8 years. Michael was responsible for reviewing plans on behalf of the Paia Main Street Board before they would be submitted to the County of Maui for approval. After college Michael had a design firm in Santa Monica, California where he designed and built numerous homes. He returned home to Maui 20 years ago and has had a design firm since then on the North Shore. He is the current owner of the Paia Inn, Vana Sushi Bar and Surf Club Tacos in Paía. Michael is the current Chair of the Kuau homeowners design committee.
Since 1987 Michael's design firm has specialized in the preservation and restoration of historic buildings, coastal homes, and commercial properties. Some homes have been purchased by celebrities like Owen Wilson and others on Maui. Michael has won numeros Design awards.
Michaels children were born in their home in Paia and he is a regular contributor to many nonprofit organizations on Maui.
Michael supports the Hawaiian Culture and employs local talented people and gives back to the community, wherever possible. The Paia Inn offers free nights accommodations to all non-profits island wide and can be seen regularly in all silent auctions and other fundraisers. His companies employ over 100 people in Paia.
Current and Past Ownership and Boards and Committees:
- Paia Community Association - Current Co- Director
- Paia Main Street Board – Past Director - Vice Chair 8 years.
- Paia Merchants Association - Past Director – 1 year
- Kuau Homeowners Association - Current Design Committee Chair 5 years
- Maui Hospitality Hui - Current Member On Liquor Committee
- Maui Vacation Rentals Association - Current Board Director – 2 years
- Paia Inn - Current Owner / Designer - 12 years
- Vana Sushi Bar Paia - Current Owner / Designer - 3 years
- Surfclub Tacos and Restaurant Paia - Current Owner / Designer - 1 year
- Baskin Design Paia - Current President - 33 years
- Pepperdine University - MBA - 1987
- University of California - Undergrad Architecture 1984
- Seabury Hall Graduate - 1981
- Camp Imua - Past Counselor for his Mother Naomi Hillinger - who was the past Director 30 years.
Sarah Sparks
Director
aloha@paiacommunity.org
Read Sarah's biography
Sarah has been a resident of Paia for over 15 years. She acquired a BA from the University of Texas specializing in Environmental Resource Management and Conservation. While in college she had a job as a loan processor and went on to pursue a career as a Mortgage Broker and Property Manager. In Paia she worked for Elite Mortgage and then helped to launch a new company called Maui Tradewind Mortgage, where she helped many local residents qualify for home purchases. Later she began assisting in renovating and restoring historic buildings and developed an interest in Interior and Exterior Design. Sarah currently has a boutique in Paia called Coast and is raising three children.
Sarah has a passion for helping people and has been active in the community in organizing fundraisers, non-profit events, and other cultural and community events. One of the fundraisers Sarah single-handedly organized was an event to raise tuition for a special needs child to attend Roots School, a school that would help the child get the individualized attention she would need to excel. Sarah’s children now attend Roots School and she has continued assisting the school with various fundraisers and volunteering for enrichment programs. Sarah has recently been involved in creating art events showcasing and supporting local artists. She also has assisted in organizing events for The World Surf League Big Wave Challenge Awards Ceremony, RadiantYou raising funds for Maui Rescue Mission, she donates to The Paia Youth and Cultural Center, and has hosted numerous events as a give-back to the Paia Community.
Sarah will be playing an active role in the Paia Community as a philanthropist, focusing on the cultural enhancement of music and art, hosting kids events, surf events, helping those in need, bringing the community together, and promoting Paia as a unique destination. Her talent as a designer with a special attention to incorporating historic significance into her designs will help preserve and enhance the beauty of Paia.
Ambassadors
Mike Molina, Councilman
Lynn DeCoite, District 13 Representative
Bill Kirton, Owner of Paia Gelato
Ed Thielk, Owner of Mana Foods
Tobi Hartman Fisher, Owner of Tobi's Shave Ice
Mark Sheehan, Local Realtor
Rodney Kilborn, Handsome Bugga Productions
Susun White, Paia Youth and Cultural Center (PYCC) Executive Director
Mick Fleetwood, Musician
Kahu Kale Ka'alekahi, Spiritual Advisor
Luke Walsh, Owner of Paia Bowls
Daniel Sullivan, Owner of Indigo Gallery and Maui Photo Tours
Hannah Bernard, Executive Director at Hawaii Wildlife Fund
Past Communications & Letters
Aug 2020 Letter to the County
Sep 2020 Maui Hospitality Hui Letter
Sep 2020 Letter to the Mayor
About Paia Town
Just four miles into your drive to Hana from Kahului, you'll discover the historic town of Paia on Maui's north coast. Divided into Lower Paia and Paia, this hospitable community was once a booming plantation town during the heyday of Maui's sugar cane industry. Today Paia is a town of colorful, rustic storefronts filled with local art galleries, one-of-a-kind shopping boutiques and restaurants.
Grab a bite to eat, then head to Hookipa Beach, the "windsurfing capital of the world." During the winter, the big north shore waves make Hookipa Beach a magnet for pro windsurfers and kite surfers. Watch the pros compete or swim and sunbathe in the calmer summer months. Another popular Paia beach is H.A. Baldwin Beach Park, which features a baby beach with a lagoon.
Old-west style building facades painted in a patchwork of pastel colors greet you as you pull into Paia, and at first impression the small T-shaped stretch of quaint shops and restaurants is reminiscent of a funky 60’s California beach town.
Often visitor information glosses over Paia as little more than a place for people watching or gassing up on the way to Hana. For the better informed, Paia has become a destination in its own right – especially for those in search of reasonably priced quality restaurants and an eclectic selection of unique, interesting and affordable shops.
Another draw of Paia is that it has managed to avoid becoming touristy or gentrified, and it is still largely populated by a diverse mix of colorful and eccentric people, no doubt drawn to the independent bohemian vibe.
A stroll through Paia can have you brushing by old-school hippies, professional surfers, new-age mamas, Hollywood actors and street corner preachers. You might see an unknown kid playing his guitar in front of the Bank of Hawaii for tips, or Willie Nelson might show up unannounced to play with the local band while you’re eating a burger in Charley’s.
The History of Paia
Pā’ia is located on the northwest shore of east Maui, along the intersections of Hana Highway and Baldwin Avenue. The town is within the ili of Waiaua and Paihiihi, in the ahupuaa of Hamakuapoko. It is divided into two sections, Upper Pā’ia and Lower Pā’ia. The upper section is concentrated near the former mill site on Baldwin Avenue, and is approximately one mile southeast from the intersection of Hana Highway and Baldwin Avenue. Lower Pāia extends southwest and northeast along Hana Highway from Baldwin Avenue. The major factor contributing to the development of both sections of Pāia was sugar. The cultivation of sugar in the surrounding area directly resulted in the construction of Upper Pā’ia around Pā’ia Mill, and contributed to the growth of Lower Pāia as a plantation associated town. Early residential subdivisions developed primarily in Upper Pā’ia, while Lower Pā’ia developed and remains primarily a commercial area.
The area name Pāia, means “noisy”
86 properties surveyed in Pā’ia;
58 properties evaluated as contributing elements to a potential historic district; proposed boundary shown at left;
The majority of eligible buildings are Early Commercial style.
Historic Context of Pāia
Pā'ia, which translates as “noisy” is located on the northwest shore of east Maui. The town is within the ili of Waiaua and Paihiihi, in the ahupuaa of Hāmākuapoko. It is divided into two sections, Upper Pā'ia and Lower Pā'ia. The upper section is concentrated near the former mill site on Baldwin Avenue, and is approximately one mile southeast from the intersection of Hana Highway and Baldwin Avenue. Lower Pā'ia extends southwest and northeast along Hana Highway from Baldwin Avenue, and south along Baldwin Avenue. The topography of the area slopes gradually from about 600’ above sea level at Upper Pā'ia down to sea level at Lower Pā'ia. The area’s history is intertwined with Alexander & Baldwin Company (A&B) and its development of irrigation and sugar. The major factor contributing to the development of both sections of Pā'ia was sugar. The cultivation of sugar directly resulted in the construction of Upper Pā'ia around Pā'ia Mill, and contributed to the growth of Lower Pā'ia as a plantation associated town. An additional factor was Kahului Railroad. Once A&B completed (Old) Hāmākua Ditch, providing water to produce large amounts of sugar cane in Maui’s isthmus, the company constructed a mill at Pā'ia in 1880 to process these crops, calling it Pā'ia Plantation. A small company town, Upper Pā'ia, was developed around the mill to house the workers needed for the mill, including residential camps for workers of various ethnicities. By the 1930s and 40s, Upper Pā'ia had a population of over 10,000, larger than the county seat, Wailuku. Most residents’ needs were seen to in Upper Pā'ia, with the large, company-run Pā'ia Store, smaller camp stores, and two local theaters. Pā'ia Store alone provided auto repair, furniture, clothing, dry goods, groceries and a soda fountain.
Lower Pā'ia was not a company owned town, but catered mainly to plantation employees. About 1885, most of the land around Lower Pā'ia was undeveloped, with large tracts owned by Pā'ia 82 plantation, and Hāmākuapoko Hui, though a few smaller lots were owned by individuals.(142) The town of Lower Pā'ia developed mostly on Hui owned property. Kahului Railroad had reached Lower Pā'ia by 1881, and extended to Upper Pā'ia by 1905, providing transportation between the two and to points beyond. By 1914, a well-developed commercial area clustered around the intersection of “Government Road” and “Road to Mill” (Hāna Highway and Baldwin Avenue, respectively). Establishments included tailors and clothes cleaners, general merchandise stores, drug stores, barber, wholesale liquors, billiards hall, photographer, hotel as well as religious establishments, with dwellings and “tenements” scattered throughout.(143) The earliest residential subdivision, Kahokuoluna Tract, was created in 1923. It was located south off Hana Highway just northeast of Baldwin Avenue. This tract included twenty parcels and a new road (Luna Lane).(144) In 1927, The Tavares Tract was developed west of Baldwin Avenue, with 36 lots, eighteen that fronted Baldwin Avenue, and three new roads.(145) By 1929 Kahokuoluna Tract had not attracted any construction, but Tavares Tract had several commercial buildings and dwellings, and a Tavares Tract annex was under development as well.(146) Also by 1929, auto shops and garages, two theaters, and a hospital had been constructed.(147) In 1930, a fire destroyed approximately 15 buildings, but the town recovered and grew. By 1945, shops lined Hana Highway and much of Baldwin Avenue, including a USO, restaurants, bars and pool halls.(148) The devastating April 1 1946 tsunami destroyed buildings on the Kahului end of town, but by 1950, the damage was repaired, and Lower Pā'ia was as large as ever.(149) In 1948, the Maui Agricultural Company (owner of Pā'ia Plantation) merged with the former Spreckles operation, Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company, effectively creating a monopoly on sugar production on Maui. In the 1950s, the company began development of “Dream City” in Kahului, where workers could purchase their own homes. This began Upper Pā'ia’s demise, and a subsequent downturn for Lower Pā'ia. Several things contributed to Lower Pā'ia survival. The Pā'ia Mill continued to grind sugar through at least 1994; with the most direct route between the mill and Kahului going through Lower Pā'ia, workers could still patronize establishments between work and home. The town was privately owned; its occupants were not required to move, ensuring local shoppers for stores. Also, tourism to the neighbor islands grew from the 1950s on. Pā'ia became a bustling town again when an influx of windsurfers in the 1980s brought windsurfers and spectators. With Maui’s status as one of the world’s best islands to visit from the 1990s on, tourism in Lower Pā'ia has combined with windsurfing to revitalize the town’s economy.(150) The historic ethnic makeup of Pā'ia was much like that of the rest of Hawai'i, with the influx of immigrants from all over the world to work on the plantation. Like most Hawai'i towns, Japanese were a large part of the population. Perhaps the most unique group to come to the Pā'ia area was the Spanish, who were not a common group in other plantations. It is unknown how many of these immigrants remained in the area, but the area of Pā'ia named Spanish/Hawaiian Village is a tangible reminder of their time at the plantation. Of significant note is that one of Hawai'i’s best known women of Japanese ancestry, Representative Patsy Takemoto Mink, co-author of groundbreaking Title IX amendment of the Higher Education Act, the first Asian American woman and woman of non-European ancestry to be elected to Congress, and Hawai'i’s first woman elected to Congress, was born and raised in Pā'ia. Buildings in Pā'ia are mostly commercial and constructed in Early Commercial style. Residences are typically one of the Plantation styles. See data analysis section for more detailed survey findings about Pā'ia’s buildings.
(142) Department of Accounting and General Services Registered Map No. 1187 Tracing, The Paia Plantation, c. 1885.
(143) Sanborn Map Co., “Paia, County of Maui, Territory of Hawaii.” December 1914.
(144) Department of Accounting and General Services File Plan Map No. 226, Kahukuoluna Tract, dated March 3, 1923.
(145) Department of Accounting and General Services File Plan Map No. 267, Tavares Tract, dated March 3, 1927.
(146) Department of Accounting and General Services File Plan Map No. 322, Tavares Annex, dated April 18, 1929.
(147) Sanborn Map Co., “Paia, County of Maui, Territory of Hawaii.” June, 1929.
(148) Sanborn Map Co., “Paia, County of Maui, Territory of Hawaii.” June, 1929, corrected to August, 1945.
(149) Hawaii State Archives photo collection. Aerial photo in folder PPA-33-3, #4-108, ca. 1950.
(150) Hawaii Tourism Authority website, http://www.gohawaii.com/maui/ accessed September 12, 2016.
