
A dream deferred: A week after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the war on the poor continues
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 to allow the Trump Administration to enforce a rule which makes it harder for poor immigrants to be granted green cards or visas.

Civil Cafe 2020 legislative preview rehashes minimum wage, homelessness
While it is terrific that state legislators acknowledge that the cost of living is out of reach for most Hawaiʻi residents, it is also clear that the proposed $13 an hour is not a “livable wage.”

Name in the news: Daniela Spoto, Hawaiʻi Appleseed’s anti-hunger director
In a just-released report, the nonprofit’s assessment of the problem is illustrated with three pillars: access to resources, health and nutrition, and community resilience.

Advocates rally at the Capitol to demand higher minimum wage
Signs read, “Don’t make me leave Hawaiʻi,” echoing the frustration from advocates for raising the minimum.

Hawaiʻi’s economy will benefit from a higher minimum wage
Opponents can only make disingenuous arguments that rely on irrelevant information.

Hawaiʻi low-income earners could lose aid under proposed federal SNAP rule change
The rule would prevent Hawaiʻi—with its high cost of living—from waiving federal income and asset requirements to qualify for SNAP.

PHOCUSED joins forces with Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center
Together, the organizations will jointly pursue policy changes that benefit Hawai‘i’s most vulnerable populations.

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.

Trump policy could have far-reaching effects on Hawaiʻi’s immigrant population
The public-charge rule has been a lightning rod in the national debate over immigration with critics accusing Trump of pushing racist policies that discriminate against immigrants.

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 has highest gap between wages, rent required for a 2-bedroom
Hawaiʻi is not only the most expensive state for renters to live in, but also has the greatest gap between average earnings and average fair-market rent.

Critics fear Trump’s plan to redefine poverty could mean bad news for Hawaiʻi
The federal poverty line already doesn’t take into account the state’s high cost of living.

A living wage will help keep families here
Hawaiʻi trails 11 other states where the minimum wage is higher than ours.

Time to raise minimum wage
$10.10 an hour is not a living wage. $17 an hour is absolutely necessary for hardworking Hawaiʻi families to make ends meet.

Top 10 cities where vacation rentals rake in the most cash
The short-term rental business has experienced 97% growth in America’s 100 largest cities over the past three years, totaling more than 360,000 active rentals.

Short-term rental regulation advances at Honolulu Hale
On Wednesday, the Honolulu City Council held a public hearing on the latest proposals to rein in Oʻahu’s vacation accommodations, like those rented on Airbnb.

Business Report: New figures on Hawaiʻi’s minimum wage
The report finds that low-wage workers spend most of their increased income back into the local economy, supporting businesses and boosting economic activity.

Minimum wage increase could help over 200,000 workers, report says
The Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice analyzed the demographics of workers who could be impacted by an increase.

State must lead on housing crisis
The failure to deal with the housing shortage in any meaningful way has led to Hawaiʻi’s highest per-capita homelessness rate in the nation.

The call for a living wage
Lawmakers are looking to raise the minimum wage to $12.50 in 2024 for those who get healthcare from their employers; an increase of about $0.50 an hour each year, and simply not enough.