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.
Freedom to Walk: the high cost of jaywalking enforcement in Hawaiʻi
Enforcement of jaywalking laws is costing taxpayers money while doing nothing to prevent pedestrian traffic deaths; we need a paradigm shift in our thinking about who streets are for.
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.
Trump’s Public Charge rule could cost Hawaiʻi dearly
With the new Trump Administration Public Charge rule given the green light today by the U.S. Supreme Court, both Hawaiʻi’s economy and its hardworking immigrant families will suffer.
Hawaiʻi Appleseed and PHOCUSED join forces
The merger of these social justice organizations is meant to forge a stronger connection between data-driven policy and impacted communities.
Hawaiʻi Appleseed announces Victor Geminiani’s retirement
The 50-year advocate for the low-income community and founder of Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice will retire on August 31, 2019.