One year later: The effects of Hawaiʻi’s illegal short-term rental ban
Illegal vacation rentals have worsened Hawaiʻi’s affordable housing shortage while contributing to an overrun of high-impact, low-spending visitors.
Hawaiʻi Gov. David Ige unveils $100M program to help renters affected by pandemic
Under the program, payments could go as high as $2,000 per month on Oʻahu and $1,500 per month on the neighbor islands.
The Conversation: Keeping an eye on housing evictions
The threat of eviction continues to loom over thousands of island residents as the state moratorium runs out at the end of the month.
New state program would give $500 a month for rent
The rent money would be direct deposited into your landlord's account; make sure to sign up for the program if and when the state makes it available.
Gov. David Ige and Hawaiʻi Appleseed’s Gavin Thorton join the COVID-19 Care Conversation
Gov. David Ige and Hawaiʻi Appleseed Executive Director Gavin Thorton joined us today for a Q&A video on the COVID-19 Care Conversation.
Nonprofits urge lawmakers to quickly commit federal funds to cope with social needs
The Working Families Coalition released a plan to distribute $362 million including CARES Act funds to help families with rent, food, healthcare and more.
Whatever politics are in play, politicians must get money to those hurting most in Hawaiʻi
Nearly one-third of adults in Hawaiʻi either missed last month’s rent or mortgage payment, or have “slight or no confidence that their household can pay next month’s rent or mortgage on time.”
Hawaiʻi’s food security shaky heading into hurricane season
Almost all food the state of Hawaiʻi consumes comes through the Port of Honolulu, and there is currently no redundancy in the event of an emergency like a hurricane.
More groups call on Ige to bring transparency back into government
The Hawaiʻi governor suspended state laws that allow citizens access to public meetings and records while officials struggle to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
YMCA of Honolulu extends grab-and-go free meal distribution through April 3 for children in need
The healthy lunches prepared according to USDA standards, will continue to be distributed to children in need 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Mon.–Fri., through April 3.
Let’s not roll back on Hawaiʻi schools’ healthy lunch strides
We need to stand up to the Trump Administration’s misguided attempts to weaken nutrition standards.
Agency sets high price for inmate release records
Hawaiʻi’s Department of Public Safety says it would cost more than $1 million to release data related to its long-standing problem with keeping inmates locked up beyond their scheduled release dates.
DOE leadership starting work on new 10-year strategic plan
With the DOE’s current plan due to sunset in 2020, it’s clear many academic success “targets,” such as reducing student absenteeism and increasing teacher retention, won’t be met.
State agency criticized for plan to lease rental projects
Affordable-housing advocates are decrying a state agency’s move to lease its portfolio of six low-cost rental projects, including three high-rises in Kakaʻako, to a private investor at a time when housing is in extremely short supply for low-income families.
Safety net must be strengthened
Should the ax fall hard, local and state government must be prepared to quickly and efficiently assess need and absorb some of the lost funding.
How house leaders scuttled better pay for foster parents
House Speaker Scott Saiki said attorney fees were too high in a multi-million-dollar settlement of a lawsuit challenging foster care payment rates.
How to achieve economic justice under the new administration
Victor Geminiani joins Maryann Sasaki on Life in the Law to discuss methods for achieving social justice under the new administration.
Change in school lunch policy urged after kids denied meals
There have been times in the past where a student’s balance on their school lunch account has hit zero and the student’s lunch was taken away from them just as they sat down to eat it.
The Hawaiʻi Tax Fairness Initiative and SB648
Roger Epstein and Gavin Thornton visit Community Matters with Jay Fidell to talk about Tax Fairness and the work being done by the Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice on SB648 to help the working poor with working family, renters and food credits.