Hawaiʻi advocates for ALICE communities
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, 59 percent of Hawaiʻi households now struggle to afford adequate housing and access to healthy food.
Biden’s infrastructure deal doesn’t invest in housing for Hawaiʻi
Funding only roads and bridges will not make Hawaiʻi more affordable or keep residents from leaving.
Why are more people than ever receiving food stamps in Hawaiʻi?
A historically high enrollment in the food stamp program is part of a broader increase in the need for public services during the pandemic.
State tax collections soared back to pre-pandemic levels in the past year
The stunning rebound in general treasury tax revenue was driven by increased state income tax collections.
Rental assistance fell victim to politics, bureaucracy
Nationwide, state leaders set aside $2.6 billion to prop up struggling renters, but a year later more than 16 percent hasn’t made it to tenants or landlords.
Hawaiʻi gov intends to veto dozens of bills, likely triggering a special session
Ige signaled he may scrap the legislature’s last tax fairness proposal, which would raise taxes on the sale of luxury property valued over $4 million.
3 factors shift Hawaiʻi’s real estate into overdrive
The pandemic has shifted Hawaiʻi's already expensive house prices into high gear.
Hawaiʻi reimposes job hunts as a requirement for unemployment insurance
More than 100,000 Hawaiʻi residents will be affected by the new mandate, officials said Thursday.
This new federal program is expected to help hundreds of thousands of Hawaiʻi kids
The credit is expected to particularly help people who work in service industries such as cashiers, cooks, child care and food prep workers, and janitors.
Blangiardi offering $10 million in incentives to affordable housing developers
The Honolulu mayor hopes the incentives spur private development of affordable homes.
A cautious legislature, locked in the capitol, played it safe
Critics hoped the pandemic would be the catalyst for significant changes to address longterm problems facing Hawaiʻi. But the budget shortfall dominated the 2021 session.
Hawaiʻi lawmakers finish session after huge federal aid boost
The pandemic wouldn’t have hurt nearly as much if Hawaiʻi residents were making wages that paid enough to cover their basic needs.
City Council considers measure that would create a progressive residential property tax
The shift to a more progressive property tax was suggested by the Honolulu Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency in 2019.
The pandemic has transformed how aid groups help elderly in need
Federal COVID-19 relief funds helped local groups coordinate outreach to better serve kupuna who were often isolated during the pandemic.
Lawmakers should pass tax bills to fix our upside-down tax system
Minimum wage earners should not be paying a higher percentage in taxes than those at the top.
Economic recovery should focus on working families
And Hawaiʻi’s lawmakers should pass legislation that supports workers’ well-being.
Hawaiʻi sees ‘startling’ increase in number of children facing hunger
Even as benefits programs expand and school meal programs shift, food insecurity is expected to continue to grow in the islands.
Should I stay or should I go? The lack of affordable housing in Hawaiʻi
The cost of living in Hawaiʻi continues to rise, most notably due to the lack of affordable housing. How do we find a feasible solution?
Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center stresses importance of city’s rent relief program
After just four hours, the city's new rent relief program was suspended because so many people applied. The $114 million in federal money is for back and future rent and utilities.
Virus relief money plugs hole in proposed Hawaiʻi budget
Beth Giesting said she still needs to see more details of the House budget but she’s optimistic that Hawaiʻi won’t have to drastically cut spending as feared.