SNAP benefits in jeopardy under Trump proposal
Nearly 16,500 Hawaiʻi residents could lose their SNAP benefits and more under a new rule change proposed by the Trump Administration
Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center founder-exec director to retire
Hawaiʻi Appleseed announces the retirement of Victor Geminiani, its co-founder and longtime executive director, after a 50-year public interest law career.
Hawaiʻi weighs measures to curb Airbnb
Sky-high housing prices and limited land make the negative impact of short-term rentals in Hawaiʻi especially acute. Regulatory measures may provide some relief.
A living wage will help keep families here
Hawaiʻi trails 11 other states where the minimum wage is higher than ours.
Advocates urge larger minimum wage hike
The Senate Committee on Labor will hold a public hearing today regarding a bill that would increase minimum wage rates throughout the state.
Who really benefits from illegal vacation rentals?
Will we prioritize investors’ ability to wring profits out of their second (or third, or fourth, or fifth) homes, or will we preserve our neighborhoods for the benefit of those who actually live in them? The choice is ours.
Raise the minimum wage to at least $15 an hour
In a state that has one of the highest costs of living and lowest unemployment rates, it’s time for lawmakers to put things back in balance for workers.
Half of Hawaiʻi barely gets by
Two or three jobs are not enough to provide financial stability for many local families. How can we create CHANGE?
Addicted to Airbnb: Hawaiʻi’s tourism economy depends on illegal vacation rentals
While calls for a crackdown on short-term rentals grow louder, their rapid expansion accounts for a big chunk of the recent growth in the state’s largest industry.
Council must be forceful to reduce illegal short-term rentals
The Honolulu City Council must push forward for the sake of establishing a balance between collecting taxes owed and deterring further illegal vacation rentals.
Appleseed Center urges tough vacation rental rules
Hawaiʻi Appleseed released a report Monday as the city council prepares again to debate a bill addressing the issue after years of public frustration.
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.
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.
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.
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.