Mayor Kirk Caldwell

Honolulu officials say the city's bulky item pilot program is beginning to work despite ongoing complaints. And officials are encouraging residents to report illegal dumpers.

The Honolulu Ethics Commission says it has not dismissed its investigations into retired Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha and his wife, Katherine, a former city prosecutor. But the commission's former executive director called the commission's actions surrounding ethics complaints against the couple "careless." 

At an Ethics Commission meeting Wednesday, Chair Victoria Marks said there’s a lot of misinformation surrounding the board’s handling of the Kealohas cases.

At around 12 percent, urban Honolulu has one of the highest rates of home vacancy in the country. Honolulu’s mayor wants to levy an extra tax on those vacant properties, an idea that has seen some success in one of Canada’s largest cities.

Members of the Hawai‘i Lodging and Tourism Association, opposing Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s proposal to raise real property taxes for hotels and resorts, say they're being made to bear the burden of the $9 billion rail system.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell rolled out his $2.83-billion operating budget proposal today for Fiscal Year 2020, which begins July 1st.  He said real property and motor vehicle taxes are expected to bring in 120-million more but other taxes must go up to fund his spending plan. 

Government and private business partners announced stepped up security efforts in Waikīkī - the state's major economic engine.

The City and County of Honolulu is ranked the most dangerous city in the nation for seniors, ages 65 and older, being hit in sidewalks and for seniors at risk of being killed as pedestrians.  Mayor Kirk Caldwell unveiled a 7-point plan to increase pedestrian safety.

The State’s County Mayors briefed a joint session of the Senate and House Finance Committees today.

The Honolulu City Council failed to override the Mayor’s Veto of an important fire sprinkler bill.

The Honolulu City Council passed Bill 64 two weeks ago to speed up the permitting process for residential homes. Today, the Mayor announced his own plan.

Homeowners and members of Oahu’s construction industry rallied outside Honolulu Hale Thursday morning to highlight a growing backlog of building permits. The Building Industry Association says months-long delays in the permitting process are harming local businesses, and homeowners. The demonstration was meant as a show of support for City Council Bill 64, which would streamline the permitting process using lessons learned from other cities.

UPDATE: Bills 51 and 52 passed the Honolulu City Council on a 6-3 vote. The additional requirements added by the City Council were not removed from the bills.

  The Honolulu City Council is meeting to for a final on vote on two bills submitted by Mayor Kirk Caldwell that could have a significant impact on Honolulu’s homeless policy. Bill 51 would make it illegal to obstruct a public sidewalk. Bill 52 would make it illegal to establish lodging in public spaces like parks.

On Wednesday the Honolulu City Council voted unanimously to advance two bills that could have a major impact on the city’s homelessness policy. One would make it illegal to obstruct public sidewalks. The other would ban camping in any public space. But a court case on the mainland may spell trouble for one of the bills.

The effects of Hurricane Lane are being felt on the Big Island and has prompted State and County leaders to take immediate action.

An on-site children’s facility was blessed today at a plantation-style affordable housing village near Sand Island.

The long-simmering dispute between Honolulu’s taxi companies and ride-sharing services Uber and Lyft came to a head yesterday with Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s veto of Bill 35, a measure that would have regulated so-called “surge pricing” by rIde-sharing companies and made them subject to increased regulation.  

The City and County of Honolulu showcased its latest affordable housing purchase today. HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports.

The failure of counties to enforce zoning codes has added to the state's housing crisis with a staggering number of runaway illegal vacation rentals. Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell is proposing to try and fix that broken picture by legalizing Bed and Breakfasts, with operators paying higher taxes and penalties for violations.

Legalizing Transient Rentals; Increasing Tobacco Restrictions; Blue Planet Energy in Puerto Rico

A temporary ban on over-sized homes on O’ahu was formally implemented today. HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports.