How are some of Hawai‘i’s counties faring? Neighbor Island leaders have recently offered updates on the state of their counties.
Kaua‘i County Mayor Derek Kawakami delivered his 2025 State of the County address Thursday morning, while Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen Jr. delivered his own earlier this month.
Kaua‘i County
Here are five takeaways from Kawakami's remarks:
— Residents and businesses say that the lack of affordable housing on Kaua‘i is the most important challenge they face, the mayor said during the address.
“With credit to our Housing Agency and many partners, the County of Kaua‘i is now our island's largest affordable housing developer."
Kawakami said the county is nearly finished with the first phase of its Lima Ola master-planned community in ‘Ele‘ele, which includes 115 rental units and 38 single-family homes for sale.
He says this "represents a mix of supportive housing for houseless families, workforce housing and a senior housing project." Construction on the second phase, which will offer 175 more affordable homes, will begin later this year, according to the mayor.
Meanwhile, Kawakami said projects in Waimea and Kīlauea are near the end of community planning, with final environmental reviews and zoning applications to follow. These projects will bring 350 affordable units to Kīlauea and 250 to Waimea once they're finished, he noted.
Kawakami said, too, that the county also is looking for a development partner for its housing project in Puhi, which will create 60 units across from Kaua‘i Community College.
But the county can't make headway with its housing shortage without "dedicated, private development partners," Kawakami said.
"Despite suffering a dramatic fire that destroyed nearly 25 completed housing units last year, Kai Olino, a 75-unit project in Port Allen, remains on track with one building complete and two more under construction," he said. "Additionally, the 66-unit Rice Street Apartments will commence construction this summer. And Phase I of the Uahi Ridge workforce rental project will begin this month, providing nearly 100 additional rental units right here in Līhu‘e."
— Kawakami’s administration presented a proposed operating budget of $347.7 million and a capital improvement budget of $140.4 million to the Kaua‘i County Council for fiscal year 2026. It's a budget he says aims to care for the county's employees, the island and the community.
Revenues are anticipated to total $372.2 million, a “modest increase” of 5.3% over last year, the mayor said. This includes general excise tax revenue of $36.3 million to fund roadway improvements and transportation services, transient accommodations tax revenues remaining stable at $30.1 million, and a projected property tax revenue of some $241 million, an increase of 2.5%.
The “structurally balanced” budget does not depend on the fund balance for ongoing expenses, he said, and maintains a reserve fund of 30% of the general fund revenue from the previous year.
— All together, salaries and benefits account for nearly 75% of the county’s General Fund budget, leaving about a quarter of its general fund for core county functions.
— More than $7 million will be budgeted for large vehicles and equipment this year, the mayor said.
According to the mayor, the Public Works Department will replace four aging garbage trucks, the Kaua‘i Police Department will invest in a light armored vehicle, the Kaua‘i Fire Department will replace two fire engines, and the Ocean Safety Bureau will replace two 20-year-old lifeguard towers at Kealia and Lydgate Beach Park.
“These purchases are part of an annual vehicle replacement plan to ensure our team is equipped with a reliable fleet,” Kawakami said.
The county also is looking to purchase a new twin-engine helicopter to replace the Air 1 rescue helicopter acquired in 2011. In an announcement Thursday, the county said this will "enhance firefighting and rescue capabilities while drastically improving the safety of county rescuers and those they rescue."
Kawakami said the island has seen an increase in rescue service and fire response since acquiring its Air 1 rescue helicopter in 2011, “and an upgraded helicopter not only enhances our firefighting capabilities but drastically improves safety. Our rescuers risk their lives for others, and we must do everything in our power to reduce that risk.”
— The county will add three new positions to support its road crews across the island, as well as an early childhood coordinator position to the Mayor’s Office.
But Kawakami said recruitment continues to be a challenge and the county struggles to fill vacant full-time positions.
“To find creative solutions, we have proposed a budget initiative to convert full-time positions to two part-time positions, to attract people who may be eager to work but require flexibility,” he said.
He also told federal employees on Kaua‘i who might now be looking for work that, “We have a place for you, right here at the County of Kaua‘i. We are an employer that values our team, and we welcome you to join our ‘ohana."
Kawakami's address can be viewed here in its entirety. A transcript is available here.
Maui County
Bissen delivered his state of the county address on March 7, where he spoke on wide-ranging topics affecting the Valley Isle, including Lahaina’s recovery from August 2023 wildfires that destroyed much of the West Maui town and the county’s priorities for 2025.
Here are a few takeaways from that speech, the text of which can be found here. His address can also be viewed here.
— Bissen says housing continues to be one of the most "pressing challenges" for Maui County.
He noted that in an effort to support its rural communities, the county is working to develop an affordable housing project on Lāna‘i, and in West Maui, the county acquired the land for Kaiāulu o Kupuohi and partially funded the reconstruction of 89 multi-family units lost in the fire. That's set to open this summer.
Bissen said, too that planning continues for Kaiāulu o Napili, which will add over 120 affordable rental units, and the county also fast-tracked Kaiāulu o Kūkuʻia, a 200-unit multi-family project.
"These are just a few of the many housing projects contributing to nearly 620 completed last year, and over 1,200 new, permanent units coming online over the next two years," Bissen said.
In addition, the mayor said the county's draft Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery action plan is undergoing community review and input, but "proposes to allocate over $1.2 billion over the next six years toward the reconstruction, rebuilding and development of housing and housing-related infrastructure for our people. At the same time, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is expanding, including 161 new lots at Puʻunani Homesteads in Waikapū. "
— In discussing Lahaina, Bissen said the county has, over the past year, transitioned from emergency response to long-term recovery, and has established the Office of Recovery, which is led by Administrator John Smith.
“We are gaining momentum — coordinating county, state, federal and private sector resources to streamline and accelerate recovery efforts,” Bissen said. “We opened the Lahaina Recovery Resource Center at Lahaina Gateway, providing a centralized hub for essential services to support survivors.”
The county, he said, remains committed to a “community-led, government-supported recovery.”
A key milestone in this recovery, Bissen says, has been the development of the Lahaina Long-Term Recovery Plan, "a living document shaped by 3,800 residents and stakeholders through 11 community engagement events. More than rebuilding, this plan envisions a stronger, more resilient Lahaina, guided by the voices and hopes of its people."
— Bissen said the wildfires caused an estimated $7.7 billion in damages.
Maui County has secured more than $1.6 billion in Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development which, he says, will support housing recovery, infrastructure, public service and mitigation activities.
— Bissen said that all residential and commercial properties — a total of 1,538 lots — have been fully cleared of more than 400,000 tons of fire debris.
Debris was transported to a newly constructed temporary disposal site in Olowalu, but Bissen said a permanent disposal site was established 26 miles from Lahaina, adjacent to the Central Maui Landfill and the county is now preparing to transfer the wildfire debris.
— The county also has launched an expedited Disaster Recovery Building Permit system, and has issued 320 permits with another 290 more under review, Bissen said.
"The first homes in Lahaina and Kula were completed before Thanksgiving last year and today, over 200 single-family homes are being built."
A copy of Bissen's speech can be found online here, while the full address can be viewed here.
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi will deliver his State of the County address for the City and County of Honolulu at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 18, at Mission Memorial Auditorium. The address will be televised on ‘Ōlelo 49, K5, KHII and KIKU, a city spokesperson said.
Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
