Head of Hawaiʻi’s Homelessness Program Quits After Criticizing High Costs of Tiny House Villages

Longtime legislator John Mizuno stepped down as the director of the Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions weeks after calling attention to the high operating costs of some kauhale, or state-funded villages of tiny homes, that opened in urban areas before they were connected to electricity and sewage systems. It’s an abrupt leadership change that comes at a critical time for the program.

Civil Beat. Spectrum News.

Lifeline Considered for Hawaiʻi Nonprofits

Hawaiʻi lawmakers are considering a contingency plan to help fund nonprofit organization operations facing federal funding cuts. SB 933 would set aside one-time, non-recurring grants within the state budget to support essential services across the nonprofit sector.

Star-Advertiser. Maui Now. Hawaii News Now.

State Is Scrambling to Fix Snap Food Program Following $11M Fine for Errors

Hawaiʻi is facing an $11 million fine from the feds after the error rate for our food benefits program spiked for the second consecutive year. Hawaiʻi’s error rate was nearly double the national average. Now, the Department of Human Services is seeking more than $5 million to upgrade its computerized screening system in a bid to lower the fine.

Civil Beat.

Converting Fallow Land Into Agroforests Could Counteract Carbon Emissions

Hawaiʻi’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045 has a team of local and Native Hawaiian researchers cultivating new solutions. They mapped unmanaged, fallow agricultural land around the state and found that if all the land was converted into agroforests, it would counteract the carbon emissions of 100 million barrels of oil.

Hawaiʻi Public Radio.

O‘ahu Headlines

Home Subsidy Purchase Program Expands

The Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund Equity Pilot Program, run by the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corp., has been expanded to city workers in additional job categories.

Star-Advertiser.

Honolulu Launches Its Own Effort to Hire Federal Workers

Like the state of Hawaiʻi, Honolulu announced plans Wednesday to recruit laid-off federal workers to fill vacant city and county positions. That includes waiving certain unnamed city hiring requirements for a 12-month period, according to the press release. The mayor’s announcement comes a little more than a week after the governor launched a similar effort on the state level.

Civil Beat. Hawaii News Now. KHON2.

Oʻahu Public Housing Tenants Promised Relocation Help Hit Dead-Ends

Kūhiō Park Terrace residents have been left angry and bewildered as Hawaiʻi Public Housing Authority moves to relocate them so their homes can be torn down.

Civil Beat.

Dismantling Haʻikū Stairs Is Urgent Safety Issue, City Says in Court Filing

Remember that video of trespassers throwing part of the Haʻikū Stairs from the summit? It’s now a central piece of the city’s new push to fast-track the lawsuit seeking to stop its effort to dismantle the stairs. The city says it’s burning through police overtime trying to stop hikers from summiting the big climb.

Civil Beat.

Kamehameha Schools Kapālama Receives 3 Threats

The Honolulu Police Department opened three felony investigations after a series of anonymous threats of violence at the Kameha­meha Schools’ Kapālama campus prompted school officials to notify parents, faculty and staff.

Star-Advertiser.

Groups to Provide ‘One-Stop Shop’ for Immigrant-Crackdown Concerns

In the wake of the federal crackdown on illegal immigrants, the Filipino Community Center (FilCom) will host a citizenship outreach Saturday to provide legal and informational resources to all, regardless of immigration status or ethnic background.

Star-Advertiser.

Hawai‘i Island Headlines

Hawaiian Homes Commission Greenlights New Hilo Power Plant

The commission overseeing Hawaiian homelands gave initial approval to a new biofuel power plant in Hilo. The Hawaiian Home Lands department could get at least $40,000 per year in revenue, but the move wasn’t exactly welcomed by homesteaders who say they’re already bearing the brunt of Hilo’s garbage, sewage, oil refining and airport facilities.

Civil Beat.

General Plan Meetings Are Wrapping Up

Janice Hata, long-range planner with the county Planning Department, presented last week a variety of potential policies and actions to help diversify the county’s economy, balancing tourism with agricultural development.

Tribune-Herald.

Green Receives List of Nominees for Big Island Judgeship

The state Judicial Selection Committee has sent four nominees to Gov. Josh Green to fill a vacancy left by the retirement of Kona Circuit Judge Robert D.S. Kim in July 2024.

Tribune-Herald.

Kona Coffee Industry Hit by Funding Freeze and USDA Layoffs at ‘Existential Moment’

The Kona Coffee Farmers Association held its annual symposium Tuesday on Hawaiʻi Island. The coffee was delicious, per usual, but the day’s agenda was a stark reminder of the many hurdles facing local farmers who grow the beans for Kona’s beloved brews.

Hawaiʻi Public Radio.

Maui Headlines

Bissen Administration Explains Years-Long Delay in Homeless Overnight Parking Program

More than two years after Maui County Council members unanimously approved a bill to allow homeless people to sleep in their cars in county parking lots, a pilot program has yet to be implemented, even after the J. Walter Cameron Center’s parking lot was initially identified as an appropriate location in the fall of 2022.

Maui Now.

Commission Supports Food Product Trucks, Trailers on Farm Land

The Maui Planning Commission has recommended expanding agricultural farm activities on the Valley Isle to include mobile food trucks and trailers after hearing testimonies from farmers about how the county Planning Department first allowed the activity but then decided to shut down the operation.

Maui News.

Three Major Gym Renovations on Maui Leave Sports Teams With Less Space

The projects include the $28.5 million overhaul of War Memorial Gym, the $3.7 million upgrade of the Lahaina Civic Center and the $2.6 million repairs to the Lahainaluna gym.

Maui Now.

Kaua‘i Headlines

Officials Kick off Kōloa Road Bridge, Kīpū Bridge Repair Projects With Blessing

Repairs on Kōloa Road Bridge begin toward the end of next week, with work on Kīpū Bridge to start after that project’s completion.

Kaua‘i Now.

Okinawan Lifeguards Complete Inaugural Lifeguard Exchange Program With Kaua‘i Ocean Safety Bureau

Nine lifeguards from Okinawa, Japan, underwent a series of hands-on training sessions from Feb. 17-21 at various key locations around Kaua‘i, each offering unique challenges for ocean rescues, as part of the inaugural Lifeguard Exchange Program.

Kaua‘i Now.