Hawaii

Ohana housing bill advances – West Hawaii Today

Published

2 years ago

September 5, 2024

Changes to Hawaii County ohana housing regulations are on the verge of passage after Wednesday’s County Council meeting.

Bill 123 is one of several measures discussed by the council this year aimed at updating rules regarding short-term vacation rentals. The bill began life as a mostly supplemental measure to the more sweeping Bill 121, but has since been amended several times to make substantial changes to how ohana units — which the bill terms “accessory dwelling units” — are developed.

As currently written, Bill 123 repeals several regulations limiting where and how ohana units or ADUs are built. In particular, it slashes a host of existing ordinances that require builders to obtain a separate ohana unit permit in addition to a standard building permit before an ADU can be built.

Another major change — which Hamakua Councilwoman Heather Kimball, introducer of the bill, said is one of its main purposes — allows up to three ADUs to be built on a single lot, so long as ADUs are permitted within a given site’s zoning district. Those districts, as listed in the measure, include single- and double-family residential, agricultural, residential and agricultural and family agricultural.

In cases where a building site is permitted to have more than one primary dwelling, one ADU would be allowed to be built for each authorized primary unit.

As part of the bill’s interplay with other pending measures regarding STVR regulations, Bill 123 also states that only one ohana unit on a given site is permitted for use as an STVR.

The remaining changes in the bill establish building requirements for ohana units: all ADUs must have sewage disposal and potable water supply systems, cannot exceed 1,250 square feet in living area (not counting lanais or garages) and must conform to the zoning district’s yard size requirements.

Much of the council’s discussion of Bill 123 on Wednesday revolved around another proposed amendment introduced by Kona Councilman Holeka Inaba. That amendment would have reduced the maximum allowable ADU density, limiting them to only two per site instead of three.

Kohala Councilwoman Cindy Evans said she agreed with the need for greater housing density in order to resolve the county’s housing crisis, but questioned whether three units per site might be “too much density, too fast.”

But other council members agreed that the whole concept of the bill revolves around the need for increased density.

“We can have more density in our urban core without becoming Honolulu,” said Hilo Councilwoman Jenn Kagiwada. “It keeps country country, and keeps our neighborhoods our neighborhoods.”

Two nonprofit groups, the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii and the Sierra Club of Hawaii, respectively supported and opposed the measure.

While the Grassroot Institute argued in favor of the bill’s ability to streamline the permitting process for ADUs, the Sierra Club submitted a lengthy document enumerating nine reasons to reject the bill, ranging from a lack of consideration of its impact on public infrastructure, to misrepresentations of the bill’s function during previous discussions by the council and the county planning director.

An individual testifier, Hamakua resident Tawn Keeney, was skeptical about certain aspects of the measure and called for more public discussion about it so that people are more aware of its potential impacts.

“This bill has such profound implications for our ‘lived-in’ environment that this furtherance of public presentation is entirely appropriate,” Keeney wrote. “This pause for consideration by the public in the form of presentation and (perhaps) response by the Community Development Plan Action Committees should serve to ease the sense that this bill is being rushed forward without public understanding.”

In any event, the council voted 6-2 in favor of passing the bill on first reading, with Evans and Kona Councilwoman Rebecca Villegas in opposition. The measure must past one final reading at a future council meeting to be enrolled to the mayor’s office.

Email Michael Brestovansky at mbrestovansky@hawaiitribune-herald.com.

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Hawaii

Meet Miss Aloha Hula 2026: Faith Kealohapauole Paredes

Published

46 minutes ago

April 10, 2026

Press Room

Meet Miss Aloha Hula 2026: Faith Kealohapauole Paredes

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Faith Kealohapau‘ole Paredes of Hālau Kekuaokalāʻauʻalaʻiliahi (Nā Kumu Haunani & ‘Iliahi Paredes) was crowned Miss Aloha Hula Thursday night at the Merrie Monarch Festival, topping a field of 13 competitors in the festival’s first night of competition.

The contest features performances in hula kahiko, hula ʻauana and oli, showcasing both technical precision and artistic interpretation.

Judges scored competitors on a range of elements, including kaʻi; interpretation and expression; posture and precision; hand gestures; foot and body movement; hoʻi; authenticity of costume and adornments; grooming; and overall performance.

The 21-year-old from Maui received 1,161 points.

“It’s surreal,” she said. “I’m just so honored and blessed to be able to show and share my lineage and share the hula from my hello with all of Hawaii and all of the world.”

Paredes also won the Hawaiian Language Award.

“Hula will forever live,” she said. “It is through us speaking out in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi. It is through us (to) not be ashamed of who we are and to hula on. Dance with your heart out.”

Paredes is a Kamehameha Schools graduate and attends Dartmouth College. She won the title of Miss Keiki Hula in 2015.

The rest of the finalists were as follows:

1st runner up: Keoe Momilani Michiko Hoe (1,156)

2nd runner up: Lahela Hoʻokela Medina Maio (1,134 points)

3rd runner up: Leimana Kaleinamanu Purdy (1,115 points)

4th runner up: Jelacia Naomi Waiauokalaniākea Peralta (1,098 points)

The festival continues Friday night with group hula kahiko.

View our Merrie Monarch Festival online hub here.

Samantha Makanani Aguon Newman

Nā Kumu Hula Karl Veto Baker & Michael Lanakila Casupang

Haily Kamakahukilani Nawahine Nascimento

Nā Kumu Hula William Kahakuleilehua Haunu‘u “Sonny” Ching & Lōpaka Igarta-De Vera

Kēhaulani Kaleikaumakamaeʻiʻomakamae Rubonal

Kumu Hula Keolalaulani Dalire

Mālie Kapuaonaonaikamauʻuuaolalokoikealohaokalaniākea Moe

Kumu Hula Kapua Dalire-Moe

Lilia Kaleialohaokealohalani Ka’ōnohi’ula Keohokapuakeakua Iokepa-Guerrero

Kumu Hula Niuliʻi Heine

Jovian Kauanoeokalaulani Range-Semisi

Nā Kumu Hula Kunewa Mook & Kau‘ionālani Kamana‘o

Keoe Momilani Michiko Hoe

Kumu Hula Robert Ke‘ano Ka‘upu IV

Lahela Hoʻokela Medina Maio

Nā Kumu Hula Tracie & Keawe Lopes

Faith Lynn Kealohapauʻole Paredes

Nā Kumu Hula Haunani & ‘Iliahi Paredes

Jelacia Naomi Waiauokalaniākea Peralta

Kumu Breeze Ann Kalehuaonālani Vidinha Pavao

Hiʻileilanikauakapukapuokeānuenue Puchalski

Kumu Hula Keli‘iho‘omalu Puchalski

Leimana Kaleinamanu Purdy

Kumu Hula Nāpua Silva

Līlianani Maya Rae Pi

Kumu Hula Kenneth Dean Alohapumehanaokalā Victor

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Hawaii

Hawaii lawmakers push for continued tax relief for most families

Published

13 hours ago

April 10, 2026

Press Room

Hawaii lawmakers push for continued tax relief for most families

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The Hawaii State Legislature is entering the final weeks of the 2025 session with at least one point of agreement: income taxes will continue to decline for most families.

Both the House and Senate rejected the governor’s plan to cancel some tax relief, despite earlier uncertainty about the state’s financial situation.

“So what the Senate’s position is, is we want to make sure that the promises that were made are kept, especially with those families that make $350,000 a year or less,” said Senate Ways and Means chair Donovan Dela Cruz.

House Finance chair Rep. Chris Todd agreed the priority is ensuring ongoing tax relief.

Energy tax credits targeted to offset revenue loss

Continuing to reduce taxes means nearly $2 billion has to come from somewhere else. The Senate Ways and Means Committee voted to eliminate state energy tax credits for things like solar power and electric cars in 2029.

The credits could be saved if the economy improves.

“So this becomes a shared approach. Government cuts, business tax credits, get sunset, and then we’re still charging some of the higher end income brackets,” Dela Cruz said. “Their tax breaks are going to get repealed.”

House proposes tax increase on high earners

The House moved along a redesigned tax package that makes tax credits for spending on child care and food more generous and raises income taxes on families with incomes over $350,000.

“It would provide some ongoing tax relief to low to middle income families, but in return, we would request a 1% tax increase on very high income families,” Todd said.

The financial picture is clearer now, even with flood disaster costs, because of the federal disaster declaration.

“Now the state’s eligible to get reimbursed for a lot of these funds. We’re not sure what it’s going to look like, but that’s going to be positive for us,” Dela Cruz said.

Todd said the state is sitting on a solid reserve, a luxury not many states have right now.

All the proposals from the House and the Senate are now going into conference committee, where the final details will be worked out over the next month.

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