Hawaiʻi income stats climb, but so does the cost of living
When taking into account the cost of living—especially housing costs—Hawaiʻi has the 10th highest poverty rate in the country.
Update on state's homelessness plans
A $766 million investment over a decade could house the 1,700 chronically homeless individuals across Hawaiʻi and save the state $2 billion in healthcare costs.
One in 10 county residents lives below poverty line
With supplemental data, Hawaiʻi falls to the 10th highest poverty rate in the nation at 15 percent, or 210,000 residents in poverty, according to Hawaiʻi Appleseed.
What new census data says—and doesn’t say—about Hawaiʻi
Incomes are slightly higher but housing costs are still among the worst in the nation.
Hawaiʻi sues for info on Airbnb owners who aren't paying taxes
The state is taking action to crack down on vacation rental owners who aren't paying taxes.
69 public schools offer free summer meals. But most kids don't claim them
Low participation in summer meal programs robs the state of more than a million dollars a month in federal reimbursements for the meals.
The crusade to keep Hawaiʻi kids fed this summer
While the Department of Education provides meals on summer school campuses, other efforts are afoot to deliver food to non-school venues.
Why are isle residents struggling, income-wise?
Numbers don’t lie, but they sometimes tell tall tales. And often, they leave a lot of people scratching their heads, wondering why the data don’t seem to reflect the same reality they see.
Here’s how much Hawaiʻi CEOs make compared to their employees
The gap between CEO pay and the median salaries of their employees for Hawaiʻi’s publicly-traded companies is narrower than nationwide.
National hotel group wants Hawaiʻi to tax, regulate short-term rental sites like hotels
No matter the outcome, this is a topic that affects thousands. The Hawaiʻi Appleseed report found that one out of every 24 housing units in the state is now a vacation rental.
Report: vacation rentals’ impact on Maui
A report by Hawaiʻi Appleseed finds that vacation rental units put pressure on Hawaiʻi’s already-stressed housing market by driving up rents and taking away housing units.
Oʻahu residents are likely to see their rent go up
The increase is triggered by the U.S. Department of Housing, which raised the limits for affordable housing. It does mean more people will qualify for it. But it comes at a higher price.
Here’s how vacation rental companies like Airbnb actually affect Hawaiʻi locals
While we do see some economic benefit from spending by tourists who rent these homes, the cost to our economy and residents is often greater.
Caldwell calls for legalization and regulation of transient accommodations
Catherine Cruz talks with Hawaiʻi Appleseed's Madison DeLuca about the growing concern over the loss of affordable housing inventory to vacation rentals.
Mayor’s vacation rental plan gets cool reception
The proposal offers no increased enforcement and is focused instead on collecting more tax revenue by increasing the number of vacation rentals.
Proliferation of vacation rentals burdens renters, communities
We need to invigorate efforts to enforce our laws. We should simplify enforcement by creating a presumption that owners who advertise units without a permit are, in fact, operating illegally.
People in Hawaiʻi are fed up with vacation rentals
Hawaiʻi residents are blaming popular vacation rental sites like Airbnb for the state's housing shortage and for disrupting their neighborhoods.
Agreement on affordable housing
Oʻahu developers will no longer be able to buy their way out of providing affordable housing, because of a bill passed by the Honolulu City Council.
New tax benefits likely overstated for Hawaiʻi’s poorest
A report from Hawaiʻi Appleseed's new Budget & Policy Center says low-income families in Hawaii are largely left behind by the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act.
How short-term rentals impact home inventory
The proliferation of short-term rentals in Hawaii is impacting both the traditional rental market and the availability of affordable housing units.