Honolulu’s Homeless Crisis May Be at a Tipping Point
An ambitious interagency push aims to dramatically expand housing and homeless services and help unsheltered people move off the streets.
Government & Civics
Uncertain Future for Lahaina’s Front Street, Where Businesses Have Yet to Return
More than three years after a raging wildfire swept through Lahaina and turned most of the town to ashes, the main business artery, Front Street that runs parallel to the ocean, remains vacant. Not a single business has returned to…
Gov. Green Neutral on One Health Hawaiʻi Plan But Says Reforms Needed
Gov. Josh Green held to a neutral stance on the proposed combination of Hawaiʻi’s largest medical insurer and the second-largest hospital system, but he urged local leaders and medical professionals to proactively reform the state’s healthcare landscape before outside forces…
High-Powered Steakhouse Chat with State's Biggest Merger on the Menu
People say Honolulu is just a big, small town. Not much goes unnoticed. Especially when the state's most powerful politician meets privately with the leaders of the state's largest commercial enterprise, HMSA, and the second-largest healthcare provider, Hawaiʻi Pacific Health,…
NY Gov. Grants Clemency to Deported Hawaiʻi Resident and Purple Heart Veteran
Pardons cover Sae Joon Park's New York convictions in 2007 for possession of a controlled substance and in 2009 for bail jumping. Board of Immigration Appeals still controls whether he can return to the United States.
FHB Foundation Awards $25,000 Grant to Center for Marine Debris Research
Funds come at crucial time for the Honolulu center that aims to recycle tons of fishing nets and other debris removed from oceans around Hawaiʻi. Center was a victim of slashed federal funding for science programs.
Should Hawaiʻi Have a Constitutional Convention in 2030?
People are divided: Some say the state’s political status quo needs an overhaul that only a Constitutional Convention can provide. Others fear a new ConCon could be hijacked by outside interests and valuable rights and institutions damaged.
Why Hawai‘i Needs More Public-Private Partnerships
Hawaiʻi's biggest challenges, from aging infrastructure to housing shortages and rising costs, will take more than government to solve.
EXCLUSIVE: Q&A With Rep. Justin Woodson After Passage of Bills Protecting DOE Employees from Harassment
Related: Protecting Public Employees From Harassment, With Lessons for the Private Sector, Too Rep. Justin Woodson, chair of the House Committee on Education, spoke by phone on Friday with Hawaii Business Magazine Managing Editor Ken Wills, about two bills passed by the legislature and…
Making Climate Action Work for Hawai‘i
From clean energy financing to brave-space conversations, Climate Hawai‘i is helping businesses and communities see sustainability not as a sacrifice but as a strategy.
Why Waikōloa Village’s Wildfire Risk Rivals — and May Exceed — Lahaina’s
With one road in and out and no ocean escape, residents are pushing for a second route before the next fire season.
Clash of Titans: Hawai‘i's Healthcare Leaders Disagree on Best Path Forward
Top executives at HMSA, HPH take on frank criticisms about their proposed combination, addressing specific community concerns over potential service cuts, staffing layoffs and a diminished focus on primary care.
West Maui Advocates Seek to Make Water a Public Resource
As West Maui recovers from fires and storms, residents call for public control of water systems—aiming to restore stream flow, protect the island’s future and honor ancestral stewardship.
What’s Your Assessment of the Governor and Your Mayor?
Respondents in both the BOSS Survey of business owners and executives and the 808 Poll of the general population were asked to rate Gov. Josh Green in four areas. They were also asked to assess the performance of their county mayor.
Despite Your Anxiety, Don’t Tune Out the News
Here are seven ways to stay informed while keeping your stress level under control.
The Governor’s Choice: Hawai‘i’s Undemocratic Cycle of Influence and Power
The governor’s power to fill vacant seats in the state Legislature has been used at least 82 times. Some appointees then launched big political careers.
New CEO at OHA Explains Why She Took the Job and Her Goals for Serving the Native Hawaiian Lāhui
Stacy Kealohalani Ferreira joined the Office of Hawaiian Affairs on Nov. 1 after serving as budget chief for the state Senate and in several roles at Kamehameha Schools.
76% of Business Leaders Support Hawai‘i’s Emergency Housing Proclamation
That’s one finding in the BOSS and 808 surveys, which cover guns, government corruption, red-light cameras and more.
How to Replace Important Documents and Access Financial Aid After a Disaster
Here’s what residents and businesses impacted by the Maui wildfires should know about ordering replacement documents and applying for federal assistance. Plus, a list of local financial institutions offering emergency relief.
Lawsuits Challenge a Central Part of the Real Estate Business
The actions test the assumption that sellers must pay the commission for a buyer’s agent.
Bill Might Require Training for Volunteers Who Serve on Condo Boards
But it’s already hard to recruit people to the boards, says one critic, and such a requirement would make it even harder.
Update on Real Estate Bills Alive or Stalled at State Legislature
Bills about converting cesspools and reclassifying agricultural land have been sidelined, but other real estate legislation is either still alive or has been sent to the governor.
Hawaiʻi Realtors Legislative Agenda: Affordable Housing and Cesspools
The statewide association supports a bill that would allow the counties to reclassify up to 100 acres of nonessential agricultural land if at least half of it is for affordable housing.
My Job Is Overseeing Design and Construction of Honolulu Rail
Matthew Scanlon took on a bear of a project, but he says it will transform O‘ahu and make travel so much easier.