Blog

ADU Demo Draws Hundreds of Visitors

This month, Hawai‘i Appleseed collaborated with Hawai‘i Habitat for Humanity to host the 10th-annual Build-a-Thon, which for the first time included a model accessory dwelling unit (ADU). ADUs are small dwellings that can be built on single-family properties and rented for six months or longer. Event sponsors donated labor and materials to create the ADU, which was put on the lawn of the State Capitol.

Appleseed and Habitat staff held tours and answered questions from approximately 2,500 visitors, including homeowners…

New Report on the Need for a Working Family Credit

Hawai’i Appleseed recently released a report entitled “Struggling to Make Ends Meet: The Need for a Working Family Credit,” which highlights the results of a survey that we commissioned to learn more about the financial situation of Hawai’i residents as well as their opinion of tax credits that would let low-income workers keep more of what they earn.

The results were both sobering and promising. Read the full report here.…

Our Priorities for the 2017 Legislative Session

In the 2017 legislative session, we are focused on advocating for tax relief packages for low- and moderate-income residents, as well as minimum wage increases. These measures will allow low- and moderate-income families to keep more of their own money in their wallets and achieve economic self-sufficiency.

A Win for Foster Families

The Hawaii Department of Human Services (DHS) and local foster parents have reached an agreement regarding the amount that should be paid to cover the expense of caring for children in foster care. The agreement is intended to bring to a close a federal class action lawsuit that was filed in December 2013, and a related case filed in state court.

When the lawsuits were filed, foster parents were provided with a stipend of $529 per…

Thank you for supporting the fifth annual Artists for Appleseed!

Thanks to tremendous support from our sponsors, individual supporters, artists and volunteers, our fifth annual Artists for Appleseed was a huge success! The event raised more than $100,000 for our work on affordable housing and homelessness. We are deeply grateful to everyone who contributed, and we are looking forward to putting these funds to work on one of the most critical issues facing Hawai‘i's low-income residents.

State of Poverty Report Released

In April 2016, the Hawai‘i Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice released a report entitled “The State of Poverty in Hawai‘i: How Hawai‘i’s Residents Are Faring Post-Recovery.” The report brings together the most recent available data to provide a snapshot of how low-income residents have fared after the economic recovery.

While some indicators have improved, families continue to struggle. Hawai‘i has the highest cost of living but the lowest wages in the country…