Yearly Archives: 2015

Gov. David Ige today announced that Harold Brackeen III will join the homeless programs office on September 1 where he will assist with the administration of state and federal grants for shelters, outreach and other program activities. Brackeen is currently a program specialist with the department of human services, social services division. Prior to joining DHS, he was a housing director at Alternative Structures International and also served as a program coordinator with Hale Kipa, a program serving Hawai‘i’s youth

Andy Bohlander, a Shoreline Specialist with the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program, working with the DLNR Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands (OCCL), is a man with a lot of miles on his shoes. He is part of the team at OCCL charged with making sure that Hawaii’s public beaches remain accessible to the public and free of encroachments that may inhibit access, like structures and vegetation

The Hawaii Real Estate Commission (REC) will convene its standing committee meetings at the West Hawaii Civic Center’s Community Meeting Hale, Bldg. G, on Friday, Sept. 4. The Laws and Rules Review Committee meeting will convene at 9:30 a.m., and will be followed by the Condominium Review Committee meeting, and the Education Review Committee meeting

The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and County of Hawai‘i are inviting Big Island residents and property owners to attend important upcoming public information meetings next week on changes in the new FEMA Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs) for Hawai‘i County.

On August 10, 2015, Governor David Ige announced that Scott Morishige will join the administration on August 24th as the Governor’s Coordinator on Homelessness. Morishige will serve as the state’s point person for homelessness, which includes leading the Hawai‘i Interagency Council on Homelessness (HICH), staffing the Governor’s Leadership Team on Homelessness, and working closely with Director of Human Services Rachael Wong and the rest of the cabinet on its coordinated statewide plan

Kīnohi and Rusty Santos were joined by their extended ʻohana yesterday to break ground for construction on their new home in the Hawaiian homestead community of Kumuhau in Waimānalo, Oʻahu.

The Department of Finance’s Real Property Tax Division is reminding all homeowners eligible for the Circuit Breaker Tax Credit must apply for it before the end of the year, December 31, 2015

Gov. David Ige today announced the release of more than $40 million for the state’s capital improvements program (CIP) that will be administered by various state departments and agencies

News briefing following this week’s meeting of the Governor’s Leadership Team on Homelessness

The Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of State Parks will close portions of Wahiawa Freshwater State Recreation Area on weekdays for hazardous tree removal over the next two weeks, starting on Monday, August 3, 2015 and finishing by Friday, August 14, or sooner if possible

The Hawai‘i Congressional Delegation announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded $14,252,365 in various grants to support the development of affordable workforce housing for low and moderate-income persons, address homelessness, and provide housing assistance and supportive services for low-income individuals living with HIV/AIDS and their families.

Upon an agreement by the Mayor and the County Council, the Department of Planning has levied fines totaling half a million dollars against Michael Baskin, the owner and operator of three vacation rentals in Paia. This is the largest fine in the history of the department, resulting from numerous violations of the Short Term Rental Home, SMA, zoning, and building codes laws. All told, the county issued 30 Notices of Violation

Hawaii Governor David Ige and Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) for Clean and Efficient Energy Development and Deployment during the “Hawaii-Okinawa Energy Innovation Forum,” a historic event held on July 10, 2015, in the Chamber of the State House of Representatives, Hawaii State Capitol

The expansive six year transportation bill passed today by the Senate includes two provisions introduced by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i). The first provision supports investment in transit-oriented development and the second promotes safer streets and communities

News Conference announcing Governor’s Leadership Team on