Beekeepers Looking to Boost Industry. The host for this show is Keli’i Akina. The guest is Harry Holm. Hawai’i Island helps feed the United States and Canada with a unique export: bees, which are essential for the pollination of plants that farms produce. In fact, beehives on Hawai’i Island supply three-quarters of the queen bees […]
‘Surprise’ Tax Last Straw for Bar Owner (Hawaii Together)
Bill Comerford Closes Shop. The host for this show is Keli’i Akina. The guest is Bill Comerford. Before the COVID-19 lockdowns, Bill Comerford owned four of Honolulu’s most popular restaurant bars: Kelley O’Neil’s, Irish Rose Saloon, Anna O’Briens and O’Toole’s. But the forced closures during the lockdown years and later heavy taxation led him to […]
Roadblocks to Building on Maui (Hawaii Together)
Zoning Code, Permitting and Water Rules. The host for this show is Joe Kent. The guest is Syd Smith. Maui is one of the most regulated counties in the United States when it comes to land use and homebuilding — and this has proven to be a major obstacle to quick construction of emergency housing […]
CPRs, ADUs and Other Housing Options (Hawaii Together)
Ways to Maximize Current Zoning Laws. The host for this show is Keli’i Akina. The guest is Abe Lee. The practice of building more housing in existing urban areas — ‘infill’ homebuilding — is one of the hottest trends in the country right now, and today’s guest on ‘Hawaii Together,’ Abe Lee, has a great […]
Hawaii’s Short-term Rental Crackdown (Hawaii Together)
State, County Bills Threaten Residents. The host for this show is Keli’i Akina. The guest is Joshua Montgomery. State and county bills loom over the future of Hawaii’s short-term vacation rental industry. Several state bills would allow counties to phase out short-term rentals and impose higher taxes on them, while a Hawaii Island initiative would […]
Renewable Energy Conundrums (Hawaii Together)
Reliability, Cost Threaten Policy Goals. The host for this show is Joe Kent. The guest is Isaac Orr. Hawaii’s goal of 100% renewable energy by 2045 is intended to limit the state’s carbon footprint and decrease global warming, but recent events have highlighted some drawbacks related to reliability and cost. Isaac Orr, a policy fellow […]
Reviewing the Governor’s Housing Orders (Hawaii Together)
A Blueprint for Permanent Reforms. The host for this show is Keli’i Akina. The guest is Andrew Luff. Hawai’i Gov. Josh Green made national news this summer when he announced his emergency order suspending all manner of regulations related to homebuilding, including zoning, land-use, civil service and environmental. Green has since restored some of the […]
Innovative Housing Policies (Hawaii Together)
Federal YIMBY Bills, Pre-approved Plans. The host for this show is Jonathan Helton. The guest is Andrew Justus. U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawai’i recently reintroduced bipartisan legislation that would incentivize state and local governments to liberalize housing regulations around transit projects. This follows a string of other federal bills aimed at encouraging states to […]
Community-focused Housing (Hawaii Together)
How Churches Can Help Provide Housing. The host for this show is Ted Kefalas. The guest is Joshua Hayashi. California recently enacted a ‘Yes, in God’s backyard’ law to make it easier for nonprofit religious and educational institutions to build housing on their lands. A similar bill was approved unanimously by the Hawai’i Senate in […]
A Housing Boondoggle (Hawaii Together)
A Tax Credit with a Checkered past. The host for this show is Keli’i Akina. The guest is Randal O’Toole. Affordable housing sometimes comes at great public cost. One joint federal-state program intended to provide low-income housing is being accused of costing taxpayers far more than it should, due to dubious practices involving a tax […]