Hawaiʻi Appleseed releases 2025–26 state budget primer and legislative recap
Together, these documents tell the story of how Hawaiʻi invests in its communities, analyzing the most recent legislative session and the budget that emerged from it.
State legislature must do more to protect Hawaiʻi’s vulnerable, struggling renters
Our existing statutes don’t do nearly enough to keep renters stable in an unstable housing market; yet, year after year, the legislature has punted the issue down the road.
“Beyond the Ticket” report imagines traffic enforcement reforms to reduce harm
Hawaiʻi comes down hard on minor traffic violations that pose little to no threat to the public; this punitive approach does little to advance public safety, harming struggling communities instead.
Recent state tax cuts leave many struggling families behind, in need of more help
Tax credits can help round out relief efforts at low cost to the state by targeting assistance only to the families that need additional support.
Hawaiʻi poised to offer nutrition support services to Medicaid patients
With approval of Hawaiʻi’s Section 1115 Medicaid Demonstration Waiver, community-based food and nutrition organizations can soon begin to offer healthy food as medicine.
Hawaiʻi Appleseed releases 2024 report exploring an Empty Homes Tax to address Honolulu’s housing crisis
Honolulu's severe housing crisis is being exacerbated by a growing trend of vacant homes purchased as investments by non-residents. To reverse this trend, Hawaiʻi Appleseed recommends a flat tax of 3–5 percent on empty homes.
Hawaiʻi’s conveyance tax can be an effective tool to address our housing crisis
Hawaiʻi lawmakers have an opportunity to tailor the sales tax on real property so that it reinvests nonresident wealth into our island communities through affordable housing development.
New report calls upon the state to join a growing national movement and provide free meals to all Hawaiʻi public school students
Extending free meals to all public school students would cost about $25 million per year—about 1 percent of the DOE’s operating budget.
Hawaiʻi’s tax system makes inequality worse, national study finds
Hawaiʻi lawmakers can improve the economic health of our communities by re-balancing the state’s upside-down tax code.
Hawaiʻi’s low wages relative to its cost of living put a serious strain on society, local economy
In a new report, Hawaiʻi Appleseed researchers demonstrate how chronically low wages have prevented Hawaiʻi’s working families from thriving, and outline the significant cost that poverty exacts from these families, from future generations, and from all of us.
Hawaiʻi households to suffer deep cuts to SNAP benefits; anti-hunger advocates urge lawmakers to address hunger cliff
The cliff is a result of Congress’ decision to end the federal emergency allotments that were implemented to reduce food insecurity and stimulate the economy for the duration of the pandemic.
Hawaiʻi's tenant-landlord mediation program kept hundreds housed amid pandemic fallout
Study aims to ascertain whether or not there are ways to increase housing stability by examining the temporary measures Hawaiʻi put into place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Report: Hawaiʻi is short tens of millions in annual federal funds to support feeding children
The “Feed our Keiki” report finds that the USDA is providing far less funding to Hawaiʻi than it should, resulting in a financial crisis for Hawaiʻi’s child nutrition programs.
Hawaiʻi continues to fall behind on school breakfast
Only 4 in 10 low-income students is getting the benefits of school breakfast.
Donations at Safeway keep critical grab-and-go meal program going strong
During the month of September, donations at Hawaiʻi Safeway will help families struggling more than ever with hunger during the pandemic.
Free grab-and-go meals for children and youth available through August 14
Community organizations respond to delayed start of public school year by keeping keiki feeding sites open.
Community partnership nearly doubles capacity to 20 keiki feeding sites
On May 5, Kamaʻāina Kids will open 9 new sites, including one on Maui.
Community partnership expands to 11 sites serving free meals to 1,700 keiki on Oʻahu
Suppers being served in Kalihi and new sites in ʻAiea and Honolulu.
Community partnership serves free meals to keiki during school closure
During this unplanned school closure, three SFSP sponsors—YMCA Honolulu, Parents and Children Together, and Palama Settlement—are opening food sites in low-income areas on Oʻahu for keiki.
Hawaiʻi drops to 51st in the nation for school breakfast participation
Even fewer low-income children in Hawaiʻi are starting their day with a healthy school breakfast.