Climate disasters are an affordable housing problem
U.S. policymakers need to think about affordable housing as part of their resiliency strategies. The next Lahaina could be a hurricane in the Gulf Coast, a storm in the Northeast or a massive wildfire in California. Having a healthy stock of protected and affordable housing should be part of our cities’ climate emergency plans.
Governor Green enacts historic tax relief for working class
Taxpayers could see higher paychecks starting next year. However, the tax cuts raise concerns about how the state will manage to balance the budget in the years ahead.
Do jaywalkers in Hawaiʻi even get tickets?
Yes, thousands of people in Hawaiʻi are ticketed each year, at rates higher than other states, according to a report by the Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice.
Want safer streets? Stop blaming pedestrians for traffic violence
A state Senate bill would prevent pedestrians from being stopped by cops or fined for jaywalking unless there is an immediate danger of a collision.
Legislature mulls jaywalking measure
Jaywalking enforcement leads to hostility toward pedestrians, over-policing of black and brown communities and loss of state revenue from the low collection of assessed fees versus the cost of public resources expended to make citations.
Bill to allow jaywalking in Hawaiʻi makes progress in the House
State legislators are moving along a measure to ban police from enforcing current jaywalking laws.
To cross or not to cross: Group argues against Hawaiʻi’s current jaywalking laws
A new report by the Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice argues that the state would be better off without jaywalking laws.
New report supports decriminalizing jaywalking in Hawaiʻi
The report recommends shifting away from enforcement, and instead building safe, accessible pedestrian infrastructure.
In 5 years, police handed out $4M in jaywalking fines
But only a fourth of those fines—less than $900,000—were paid.
Blueprint for Hawaiʻi housing? UH project for students and faculty is going up at relatively little cost
A Hawaiʻi lawmaker says the public private housing partnership could be a model for state-owned affordable rentals.
Hawaiʻi legislature 2022: smart spending could help big problems
The legislature has money available for almost any policy initiative imaginable, and every member of the house and senate is up for reelection.
How the ‘Build Back Better’ plan saves money and lives
The answer lies in an expansion of the strategy that held the line against poverty in 2020 and that helped America out of the Great Depression.
Invest in human infrastructure, not just roads and bridges
Reps. Ed Case and Kai Kahele have the opportunity to help Congress build back a more resilient and equitable economy.
Why the growing demand for AC threatens Hawaiʻi’s renewable energy goals
Far more residents now have air conditioning to deal with a warming climate. But their increased electrical use makes the problem worse.
Revitalizing Mayor Wright Homes could cost $1 billion
The construction timetable and cost estimate are in a draft environmental impact statement published earlier this month by the Hawaii Public Housing Authority.
Tenants cash in on vacation rentals despite risks
Tenants who sublease their units as vacation rental properties without the owner’s permission face eviction. Those who break city rules also face penalties starting with an initial fine of $1,000 and up to $1,000 a day for continued violations.