When will the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation learn that a lack of openness undermines public trust in the rail? HART has been dogged by questions about transparency and accountability for years. We’ve witnessed the agency’s seeming reluctance to conduct a forensic audit, confusion over the status of the Federal
Policymakers and various interest groups began sharing plans for rebuilding Lahaina just days after wildfires destroyed the iconic seaside town. In the month that has passed since the Aug. 8 fires, rebuilding ideas have varied widely — from taking over land to build affordable housing or leaving some of it
A lot of ideas are floating around right now concerning the future of Lahaina, but few of them consider the enormity of the economic challenge ahead of us. More problematic, most of the suggestions involve a bit too much “top-down” direction and not enough listening to the people most affected
State lawmakers recently made some inroads into addressing Hawaii’s doctor shortage, but the state’s healthcare crisis, especially in our most rural communities, is far from over. In fact, among the heartbreaking losses earlier this month in fire-ravaged Lahaina were three healthcare clinics that served approximately 30,000 patients. That leaves few
The following commentary was originally published in the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle on Aug. 21, 2023. ___________ We know that Hawaii has the highest cost of living in the United States. It’s one of the reasons why so many of our friends and family have left for the mainland. So why
As we continue to learn more about the tragedy in Lahaina, the priority should be clear: We must continue to help the victims of the fire. Cleanup and aid — among the hardest tasks of all — are already underway, and will continue to be the center of emergency efforts
Donations for Maui residents piled up in front of the state Capitol on Friday, Aug. 11, 2023. Photo by Keli‘i Akina. Today, I find myself reaching for the words to express my overwhelming sorrow over the destruction caused by wildfires on Maui — especially the tragic loss of Lahaina, a
If we want to find ways to lower the cost of housing in our state, we might have to take the stairs. Or, to be more precise, take away a set of stairs. Believe it or not, that small change in construction design could help homebuilders produce more efficient buildings
How long should Oahu residents have to wait for a permit to repair or renovate their homes? A few days? Weeks? Months? As recently as 2017, it took about three months. That might seem short compared to the average wait now of about six months, but it’s still too long.
Gov. Josh Green issued an emergency proclamation this week aimed at easing Hawaii’s housing crisis, and from its very first words, it was impressive. Much of the proclamation I could have written myself — especially the many “whereas” justifications for why the emergency order was issued — which states many
When will the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation learn that a lack of openness undermines public trust in the rail? HART has been dogged by questions about transparency and accountability for years. We’ve witnessed the agency’s seeming reluctance to conduct a forensic audit, confusion over the status of the Federal
Policymakers and various interest groups began sharing plans for rebuilding Lahaina just days after wildfires destroyed the iconic seaside town. In the month that has passed since the Aug. 8 fires, rebuilding ideas have varied widely — from taking over land to build affordable housing or leaving some of it
A lot of ideas are floating around right now concerning the future of Lahaina, but few of them consider the enormity of the economic challenge ahead of us. More problematic, most of the suggestions involve a bit too much “top-down” direction and not enough listening to the people most affected
State lawmakers recently made some inroads into addressing Hawaii’s doctor shortage, but the state’s healthcare crisis, especially in our most rural communities, is far from over. In fact, among the heartbreaking losses earlier this month in fire-ravaged Lahaina were three healthcare clinics that served approximately 30,000 patients. That leaves few
The following commentary was originally published in the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle on Aug. 21, 2023. ___________ We know that Hawaii has the highest cost of living in the United States. It’s one of the reasons why so many of our friends and family have left for the mainland. So why
As we continue to learn more about the tragedy in Lahaina, the priority should be clear: We must continue to help the victims of the fire. Cleanup and aid — among the hardest tasks of all — are already underway, and will continue to be the center of emergency efforts
Donations for Maui residents piled up in front of the state Capitol on Friday, Aug. 11, 2023. Photo by Keli‘i Akina. Today, I find myself reaching for the words to express my overwhelming sorrow over the destruction caused by wildfires on Maui — especially the tragic loss of Lahaina, a
If we want to find ways to lower the cost of housing in our state, we might have to take the stairs. Or, to be more precise, take away a set of stairs. Believe it or not, that small change in construction design could help homebuilders produce more efficient buildings
How long should Oahu residents have to wait for a permit to repair or renovate their homes? A few days? Weeks? Months? As recently as 2017, it took about three months. That might seem short compared to the average wait now of about six months, but it’s still too long.
Gov. Josh Green issued an emergency proclamation this week aimed at easing Hawaii’s housing crisis, and from its very first words, it was impressive. Much of the proclamation I could have written myself — especially the many “whereas” justifications for why the emergency order was issued — which states many
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