Hawaii

Hawaii State Bills Could Limit or Expand Affordable Housing Law
Some legislators see a law that provides a zoning exemption to affordable housing builders as a necessary way to alleviate the housing crisis, while others worry about the impact of fast-tracked development on land zoned for conservation.

Fighting for Their Future: Hawai’i Kids Sue State Over Greenhouse Gas Emissions
A group of Hawai’ian youth is suing the state’s Department of Transportation, claiming that Hawai’i’s transportation system contributes to climate change and the destruction of homes and cultural traditions.

Report Calls for Comprehensive Plan To Eliminate Homelessness in Maui
A commission report found that Maui does not have a comprehensive plan for supporting unhoused residents, leaving efforts largely to nonprofit organizations.

Waging War on High Gas Prices
America is not at war, but that didn't stop President Joe Biden from calling the largest release of oil from the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve that he authorized on March 31 to lower oil prices, a 'wartime bridge.'

'Monster Homes' Not the Desired Density Solution for Oahu
Questions of density, and how to add it to single-family neighborhoods, abound in this article focusing on Honolulu and other communities on Oahu.

Democrats Balk at Gov. Newsom's Gas Tax Holiday
Saving motorists 3 cents a gallon may be a slam dunk for Republican leaders in the California legislature who opposed hiking the gas tax in the first place, but Democratic leaders are reluctant to tamper with a hard-fought legislative and ballot win.

Upzoning Bill Permits More Density in Honolulu
A bill that allows higher density in certain Honolulu neighborhoods could reduce the cost of development and create more affordable housing units.

Boosters and Breakthroughs in Vermont
The most vaccinated state in the U.S. may tell us where the future of the country is headed in the war against the coronavirus. Could it become a 'pandemic of the vaccinated'?

Ideas for Urban Resilience
Five experts reflect on developing trends and future possibilities for resilience in Honolulu and other cities.

Pandemic to End in California on June 15, Governor Decides
Gov. Gavin Newsom has foreseen the end of the pandemic that has killed over 61,000 Californians and has taken a page from his Republican counterpart in the second most populous state by setting a date when all restrictions will be lifted.

Legislation Says 'Aloha' to Affordable Homes in Hawai`i
SB 1 is one of four bills proposed in the Hawai`i Legislature this year that would make it easier to develop, buy, and sell affordable homes in the state.

North Dakota's Mask Mandate Expires as Infections Plummet
North Dakota led the nation in COVID cases for months before Gov. Doug Burgum issued a mask mandate last November. Since then, active cases have dropped by 80 percent. The mandate was extended last month but was allowed to expire on Jan. 18.

Students Help With Harbor Planning in Hawaii
University of Hawaii graduate students explored the potential for improvements to the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor, an important coastal public space in Honolulu.

Pandemic Geography: What's Wrong in Rhode Island?
The nation's smallest and second densest state has led the country in daily new cases per capita of coronavirus infections for the last week, supplanting the Midwest and Mountain States where the virus has reigned for months.

Teleworking From Paradise
Hawai'i is offering a remote-work program to attract workers from the mainland and help boost the local economy.

Hospitals and Healthcare Workers Brace for Influx of COVID Patients
Coronavirus infections, while at record-high levels, have decreased during the past week, unlike hospitalizations, which are still surging. Public health experts expect it to get a lot worse due to the Thanksgiving holiday travel.

Maui County Wants Big Oil to Pay for the Costs of Rising Seas
Maui County hopes to prevent big oil companies like Exxon from taking their climate change damages case to federal courts, insisting that the lawsuit be heard at the state level.

How to Increase the Urban Canopy in Cities
Former University of Hawaii professor Tom Dinell makes a case for the need for more trees in Honolulu, with recommendations that can be applied in other cities as well.

Study: Oahu Could Lose 40 Percent of its Beaches by 2050
A new study calls for changes to coastal management policies to better protect sandy shorelines retreating under the pressure of rising sea levels.

Affordable Housing Project Fails From Community Opposition in Honolulu
The final demise of a closely watched, controversial affordable housing project was reported this week in Honolulu.
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