City seeks candidates for Honolulu Ocean Safety Commission
The commission will make recommendations on the department’s annual budget, review its operations and recommend improvements, and appoint or remove a new ocean safety chief. Read more
Latest Stories by Ian Bauer
Empty homes tax bill up for final reading Dec. 11
The Honolulu City Council is scheduled to hold its final reading Wednesday on a proposed empty-homes tax. Read more
Honolulu certifies election results
The final results of Honolulu’s Nov. 5 general election involving the passage of four city charter amendments have been officially certified. Read more
Honolulu Council wants study uniting paramedics with Fire Department
The apparent inability of the city’s ambulance service to respond to daily emergencies on a timely basis is of concern to many current and former first responders. Read more
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi appoints new housing director
Kevin Auger, a real estate professional with nearly four decades of experience in housing development and commercial real estate investment banking, has served as deputy director of the Office of Housing since July 2023. Read more
City postpones identifying next landfill site
Although they said it would be named in November, Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s administration now says the future site for Oahu’s next municipal landfill will be made public in December. Read more
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At least $100K in transit fare revenue lost from cyberattack
UHERO offers ‘uncertainties’ over Council’s proposed empty-homes tax
Introduced in August by Council members Tommy Waters and Radiant Cordero, the measure could see full Council adoption by December. Read more
Honolulu city officials trim building permit review times
Honolulu’s permitting department said its residential code review as recently as May took six months or longer to complete. As of Nov. 1, that review time fell to an average of nine days, officials said. Read more
Honolulu City Council’s empty-homes tax measure advances
A home valued at $1 million could receive a $30,000 tax bill each year it remains empty. Read more
More police cameras sought for West Oahu
The Honolulu Police Department plans to install overt video surveillance cameras at fixed locations in West Oahu, an area that’s experienced increased, often violent crimes in recent months. Read more
Honolulu Council urges state to stem street gang violence
A Honolulu City Council resolution requests the state Legislature to do more to curb violent, gun-related crime linked to criminal street gangs. Read more
City hosts workshops over Ala Wai bridge
The Honolulu Department of Transportation Services will host two public workshop meetings this week regarding the planned design and construction of the $63.3 million Ala Wai Pedestrian Bridge. Read more
Honolulu lawmakers mull ban on sale of plastic bottles on city properties
Bill 59 states no single-use plastic bottles one liter in size or less may be “purchased, sold, or offered for sale for use at any city facility, city-authorized concession, city-sponsored or city-permitted event, or city program.” Read more
HART wants 26% budget increase for fiscal year ’26
HART’s combined budgets, which total over $968.3 million and would take effect July 1, show marked increases to debt service on the project’s loans as well as increased labor costs for the nearly $10 billion Skyline construction. Read more
City’s proposed fare changes for public transit are pending
Public transit fares on Oahu soon might go up for some riders due to a stated shortfall of $40 million. Read more
Council weighs in on city’s proposed sewer fee hike
A city-initiated measure calling for a more than 124% increase to sewer fees for Oahu’s average single-family residential customer over a 10-year period was recently top of mind for the Honolulu City Council. Read more
Honolulu City Council bill would exempt veterans from vehicle fees
A bill to exempt annual motor vehicle registration fees for U.S. military veterans who are 65 years and older and reside within the City and County of Honolulu has been introduced. Read more
Honolulu City Council recommends seizure of dilapidated Queen Theater
The Queen Theater, once an iconic landmark in Kaimuki, is a place that many call a jewel waiting to be buffed back into brightness. Read more
Honolulu City Council opts not to override mayor’s veto of fireworks bill
The measure would have lifted the city’s partial fireworks ban to allow “consumer fireworks” like ground-level fountains and sparklers to be lit in public on Oahu. Read more
Honolulu City Council mulls veto override for fireworks bill
The measure allows ground-level fountains and sparklers to be lit in public on Oahu by lifting the city’s partial fireworks ban, Bill 22 was formally vetoed by the mayor on Oct. 25. Read more
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