Hawaii

I moved into a penthouse in Hawaii with 19 strangers. Co-living helped me form friendships as an adult.

Published

2 years ago

January 26, 2024

I moved into a penthouse in Hawaii with 19 strangers. Co-living helped me form friendships as an adult.

Last fall, I took a leap of faith and traded the concrete jungle of New York City for the tranquil shores of Honolulu.

After six months of living in NYC, the winter blues finally caught up to me and I began to seek a different way of living.

I stumbled upon Surfbreak HNL, a penthouse where co-living and coworking come together for digital nomads.

The home is located on the entire top floor of a high-rise, where the walls were knocked down and rebuilt to form 20 rooms in a circle surrounding a common space, almost like a college-dorm floor.

The penthouse is a 10-minute walk from Waikiki Beach, and the private rooms range from smaller spaces with a twin to corner suites with king beds. A room costs between $1,500 and $2,850 a month, depending on the size.

After speaking to a previous resident of the house, I applied to live in it.

From application to move-in, I didn’t know what to expect

The Surfbreak rooms vary in size.

Kaitlyn Cheung

After sending in my application online, I had a 30-minute interview and virtual tour of the space with the property manager.

During it, we discussed my goals for moving to Honolulu, my hobbies, and my personality.

A week later, I received an email telling me I was accepted into the house. Since I originally planned to stay for two months, I packed only one suitcase and hopped on a one-way flight.

As I toured the floor, current residents whizzed by, some cooking in the kitchen or heads-down on their corporate laptops, others clad in their swimwear heading to the beach.

Each room is furnished with the basics, including fresh bed linens and a desk because most people in the house are remote workers.

The kitchen was stocked with basic ingredients, and we shared things like dishware, cookware, and communal camping gear.

Living with 19 other people was a lifestyle adjustment

For someone who was learning to deal with uncertainty, moving to Honolulu knowing no one was a personal challenge.

As soon as I met my 19 roommates, the experience was a whirlwind of excitement and perpetual busyness. There was never a dull moment.

During a typical week, we would go out to dance and surf after work, then hike on the weekends.

As an introvert, staying sane in a house full of active people was challenging. I’d often find myself escaping the chaos by walking to Waikiki Beach, ordering an acai bowl at Sunrise Shack, and watching the sunset.

Although I loved the constant activity, I also found it important to keep my priorities clear and carve out time to rest and recharge.

I loved connecting with my fellow residents, who were remarkably open

I formed lifelong friendships while living in Hawaii.

Kaitlyn Cheung

Unlike many of my friends on the continental mainland, everyone at Surfbreak seemed genuinely excited about exploring new places.

It can be difficult as an adult to break the barrier of small talk and get to know someone on a deeper level, but when you see the same people 24/7, vulnerability comes easy.

I noticed most of my conversations with others focused on the human experience of living, not where we went to school or where we worked.

I made close friends in the house and enjoyed getting to know my housemates on such a deep level.

Many people find that forming close friends as adults is hard but co-living effortlessly and quickly breaks down barriers to forming adult friendships like time, distance, and vulnerability.

Although I no longer live in the house, I still have a friend group from when I did. And, to this day, I connect with other Surfbreakers who have lived in the house before or after me.

Surfbreak provided an amazing experience, but it doesn’t reflect what it’s actually like for many folks living in Hawaii

Living in the Surfbreak house for a few months gave me a glimpse into exciting expatriate life in Hawaii, but not what living in Hawaii as a local is really like.

It’s important for expats to appreciate the history and culture of the islands, which is something we visitors don’t always do well.

After all, Hawaii has a rich heritage, and temporary residents are responsible for respecting and protecting it.

I encourage anyone else who chooses to live in Hawaii temporarily or for the long haul to do their research, support local businesses and artisans, and participate in cultural activities with respect and humility.

By doing so, we can ensure that our presence in Hawaii is not just a personal adventure, but also a positive and respectful contribution to the community and the land we’ve come to love.

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Hawaii

Hawaii County accepting applications for Summer Fun employees

Published

4 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Hawaii County accepting applications for Summer Fun employees

HAWAII ISLAND (HawaiiNewsNow) – The County of Hawaii Department of Parks and Recreation is now accepting applications for temporary positions in its 2026 Summer Fun program.

The two positions available are Activity Aide I ($17.50 per hour) and Activity Aide II ($19 per hour).

To be considered for employment, applicants must possess a valid first-aid certification, attend mandatory training June 2–5, and be available to work June 8–July 17.

Applications are available online on the Parks and Recreation website, and must be submitted to the Recreation Division Office at 799 Pi‘ilani St., Hilo, HI 96720, postmarked by Saturday, Feb. 28.

For more information, call the Recreation Division Office at (808) 961-8740.

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Hawaii

Hawaii’s jobless rate remains second lowest in U.S. – Hawaii Tribune-Herald

Published

16 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Hawaii’s jobless rate remains second lowest in U.S. – Hawaii Tribune-Herald

Hawaii’s labor market
continues to rank among the best
in the country.

The state’s seasonally adjusted rate plunged three-tenths of a point to 2.2% in November from September and now has fallen by a half-percentage point over the last three reporting periods, according to data released Tuesday from the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

There was no unemployment data for October due to the federal government shutdown.

The 2.2% rate maintained Hawaii’s ranking as the second lowest in the country, according to state data released Wednesday — a day later — by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Only South Dakota was lower in November at 2.1%.

The last time Hawaii’s rate dropped below 2.2% was in March 2020 when it hit 2.1% just before the pandemic started.

Hawaii’s low number caught Eugene Tian, DBEDT’s former state chief economist, by surprise.

“I was surprised to see the unemployment rate dropped to 2.2% in November,” said Tian, who retired at the end of May. “It is close to the historical low of 2.0% Hawaii experienced during the last four months of 2017. Hawaii ranks as one of the best labor markets in the nation.”

Hawaii’s rate has dropped from 2.7% in August to 2.5% in September to 2.2% in November.

Nationally, the U.S. unemployment rate was 4.6% in November, up by two-tenths of a point from September.

Tian said Hawaii’s unemployment rate fell sharply mainly due to a large increase in the number of people employed. Between September and November, the state’s labor force jumped by 1,000, or 0.15%, but the number of people employed increased by 2,800, or 0.42%.

“The faster increase in employment, with a slower increase in the labor force, made the unemployment rate low,” Tian said. “The increase in employment was due to the increase in payroll jobs (1,700 between September and November) and self-employment at 1,100.”

The state’s labor force, which is compiled from a telephone survey of households, edged up in November to 688,000 from 687,000 in September. The labor force includes those who are employed, those who are unemployed but actively seeking work and those who are self-employed. The number of people employed rose to 672,650 from 669,850 while those unemployed fell to 15,350 from 17,200.

In a separate survey, an increase in nonfarm payroll jobs in November from September was mainly driven by a 1,000 increase in construction jobs and a 1,000 gain in professional and business services.

Nonfarm payroll jobs are calculated from a mail survey of employers and are considered a better indicator of job growth due to a larger sample size than the labor force data, which is compiled from a telephone survey of households. In the payroll count, one person might be counted multiple times if that person has multiple jobs.

Tian said construction jobs continued their ascent in 2025 with the November number at a historical high of 42,000, while the values of completed construction, as measured by the contracting tax base, decreased every month between May and September 2025 (the latest data available is September), and the value of private building permits issued decreased every month between August and November 2025 (latest data available is November).

Tian said Hawaii’s unemployment numbers could rise in March when the Bureau of Labor Statistics benchmarks data of the previous year based on complete survey data. He noted that monthly data is based on sample data.

“Due to sampling errors for the monthly data, it is possible that the labor statistics may overstate the current conditions and the corrections will be released in March this year,” he said. “The lagging effect of new hires and activities may also contribute to the distortion of the labor statistics. I expect the unemployment rates will be adjusted toward higher levels when the numbers are benchmarked in March.”

Tian said if more people join the labor force, the state’s unemployment rate will rise when the number of employed people stabilizes.

“In the last few months, the labor force participation rate was stable at 60.4% (August-November),” he said. “Hawaii’s current labor force participation rate is lower than the U.S. at 62.5% (November 2025) and lower than the Hawaii monthly average of 61.1% in 2019. If labor force participation goes higher, the unemployment rate is likely to rise.”

While the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell, all of the state’s four major counties saw increases. State and national labor force data are adjusted for seasonal factors, but the county jobs data are not seasonally adjusted and thus do not take into account variations such as the winter holiday and summer vacation seasons.

Honolulu County’s rate rose to 2.3% from 2.2%. Hawaii County’s rate increased to 2.7% from 2.5%. Kauai County’s rate rose to 2.3% from 2.2%. And Maui County’s rate increased to 2.6% from 2.5%. Within Maui County, Maui island’s rate rose to 2.6% from 2.3%, Molokai’s rate fell to 4.0% from 5.9% and Lanai’s rate dropped to 1.1% from 2.2%.

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Hawaii

Healthier Hawaii: How to protect your hearing; head and neck warning signs you shouldn’t ignore

Published

1 day ago

January 7, 2026

Press Room

Healthier Hawaii: How to protect your hearing; head and neck warning signs you shouldn’t ignore

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – You may have received new earbuds or headphones during the holidays. But there are a few things you keep in mind when it comes to protecting your hearing.

Dr. Ross Shockley, an otolaryngologist with Wilcox Medical Center and Kaua‘i Medical Clinic, offers the following tips for hearing, as well as head and neck health.

Head and neck cancers

Many people are not familiar with head or neck cancers. What causes it and when should someone see a doctor?

Traditionally, head and neck cancers were mostly associated with longtime smokers and drinkers. Now, more cases are tied to human papillomavirus (HPV), even in nonsmokers and drinkers. HPV is the same virus that can lead to cervical cancer in women. It is common and can have no symptoms.
If you have throat pain, pain when swallowing that doesn’t go away, or a mass in your neck that feels firm and isn’t moving, don’t wait. See your doctor.
Head and neck cancers can be treated, no matter the cause, if caught early.

How to prevent hearing loss

More young adults, in their early 20s, are experiencing hearing loss. Can hearing loss be reversed?

Hearing loss can’t be reversed. Once ringing in ears starts, that can be permanent.
Wear appropriate hearing protection when using power tools or firing weapons.
You can find ear protection that blocks out sound for about $15. Protection that covers the whole ear are better than earplugs.

How do you know if music or movies are too loud?

Don’t turn anything up to the maximum.
You want the volume to be at the lowest level where you can still hear and understand.
If there is background noise, don’t crank up the volume all the way to fight it. Use noise-cancelling headphones or go somewhere quieter.

Dangers of cleaning your ears

You may feel the urge to clean your ears. Shockley says do less, or even nothing at all.

Our ears clean themselves. As new skin grows, it takes wax with it out of your ear.
When you clean your ears, you’re interrupting that natural cleaning process.
You can also put yourself at risk for external ear infections – or make your ears itch more.

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