Lawmakers give final approval to a ‘historic’ income tax cut in long day of voting
The tax bill along with nearly 200 other measures now go to Gov. Josh Green for his consideration.
Bill aims to keep more kupuna eligible for SNAP benefits
Seniors whose eligibility for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program food benefits has been lost or reduced by a recent increase in Social Security benefits could see relief through a bill introduced by Hawaii U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda last week.
Property sale tax could create $2.1 million for Kauaʻi homeless
Based on 2018 data, Hawaiʻi Appleseed estimated the tax would generate $174 million for affordable housing and $34.8 million for homeless services statewide, including $2.1 million for Kauaʻi.
Rate increase will bring in $8 million per year to feed Hawaiʻi’s keiki
These increased rates are projected to bring an additional $8 million a year to Hawaiʻi to support healthy meals for children.
Finland delegation brings new homeless housing ideas to Hawaiʻi
Nonprofits who have come to the conference say they've learned a lot. It's public funding that pays for housing the homeless in Finland. Housing is considered a fundamental right there.
Maui looks to crack down on companies selling shares of second homes
A County Council measure would expand the definition of timeshare to include stays of up to 180 days to try to limit multiple owners from buying into vacation homes.
Report: State law successfully limited evictions during COVID-19 pandemic
A state-mandated free mediation program was a resounding success in preventing evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report.
This is how the candidates for Maui mayor want to tackle the housing crisis
Both say the lack of housing for residents is the county’s top problem, but they’re proposing very different solutions.
Rising prices, increasing poverty, slowing job growth: Hawaiʻi’s economy faces grim times
Among those facing higher costs are Oʻahu utility customers whose October bills could show more cost increases on top of a dramatic rise over the past year.
‘People are really struggling:’ Hawaiʻi food banks scramble to meet increased demand
Rising food costs and the end of pandemic-era assistance programs are driving a spike in demand for food assistance.
It’s gotten both worse and better for struggling working families
The good news is that 17 Hawaiʻi nonprofits are helping working families become more financially stable, find affordable housing, and get involved in policy.
As prices soar, top Democratic candidates for governor support relief from tax on groceries
Hawaiʻi Appleseed said a tax revenue boost must be paired with the tax cut to ensure key services aren’t cut. The organization suggested raising the capital gains tax or increasing tax on the wealthiest earners.
Tap more child nutrition, school-lunch subsidies for isle keiki
The “Feed Our Keiki” report finds that the federal school meal reimbursement rates for Hawaiʻi currently should be 62% higher than other states, but it has been stuck at only 17% higher since 1979.
Why rent relief in Hawaiʻi became a national model
The government program helped over 13,000 households. One reason it succeeded may have been that people who had experienced housing instability had a seat at the decision-making table.
Hawaiʻi missed out on $200M in federal funding for school meal programs, report says
The Hawaiʻi Appleseed study found that federal programs meant to reimburse organizations that feed Hawaii’s children have not taken into account more than 40 years of increases in local food costs.
Hawaiʻi’s federal child nutrition funding is outdated and insufficient, report finds
Federal reimbursement rates for child nutrition programs in Hawaiʻi do not currently reflect the high cost of living, a new report found.
Report: Federal funding flaw shortchanges Hawaiʻi’s school nutrition programs
The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education is paying tens of millions of dollars to feed Hawaiʻi school children due to a flaw in the funding method used by the federal government, according to a report.
Report: Hawaiʻi missed out on $200 million in federal funding to feed children since 2000
This discrepancy stems from a federal analysis that hasn’t been updated since 1979, according to the report.
As housing prices on Oʻahu hit record highs, families grapple with rising rents
“We as a community just need to make a decision that anybody that’s working 40 hours a week needs to be able to afford housing.”
Editorial: Hope on horizon for more housing
Might this be the year that Hawaiʻi truly moves forward in providing affordable housing to its residents? With as much as $1 billion in overall funding for housing under discussion as the state legislature reaches its home stretch, it’s possible.