Keliʻi Akina, Ph.D.

Community Voices: ‘New’ HTA board taking off with same old baggage

A government entity tasked with both promoting and limiting tourism is always going to be compromised.

Two years later, too little rebuilding in Lahaina

Hereʻs how federal, state and county policymakers could go about speeding up the process for displaced residents and business owners.

Community Voices: Grassroot views on housing reform going mainstream

You might be surprised which U.S. Senator is taking the YIMBY approach — yes, in my backyard.

Community Voices: New cottage food rules can unleash innovation in Hawai‘i

The state Department of Health is about to release new rules to make it easier for cottage food entrepreneurs to sell their products.

Community Voices: Hawai‘i climate policy going overboard on cruise ships

The new climate roadmap from the state Department of Transportation calls for reducing cruise ship visitors to Hawai‘i by 2030 and possibly eliminating them completely by 2040.

Community Voices: Permitting progress prevails

Starting in 2026, new laws signed by Gov. Josh Green go into place to expedite home construction throughout the Islands.

Community Voices: Why I think the governor and Legislature deserve praise

The Hawaiʻi State Legislature has concluded the 2025 regular session, still more work to be done

Community Voices: A blue wave is helping rock the boat on Jones Act reform

Bipartisan support is growing in Washington and among different states to update the Jones Act and reduce the cost of shipping.

Community Voices: ‘Diversified ag’ rhetoric often doesn’t match reality

Hawai‘i's farmers often feel like their crops have to fight their way through a thick blanket of regulations, but there's some good news on that front from Maui County.

Community Voices: No, we don’t have low property taxes

Property tax bills are based on assessed values, and Hawai‘i has extremely high property values. So when you calculate the actual money owed, we’re closer to the middle of the pack. In addition, Hawai‘i is the only state that does not use property taxes to fund public education, so of course you would expect its county property tax rates to be relatively low.

Community Voices: Cleaning up Hawai‘i’s permitting mess

A new report from the University of Hawai‘i Economic Research Organization shows that Hawai‘i permit delays in 2024 were at some of the worst levels ever. But I’m glad to report policy changes at the state and county levels that could make a real dent in these delays.

Community Voices: Another chance to make things right on civil asset forfeiture

A plea for Gov. Josh Green to sign into law HB126, which would limit civil asset forfeiture to only cases in which the property owners have been charged with a crime.

Community Voices: Legislature on a housing-reform streak

Bills were passed this session that would cut back on the school impact fees, permitting delays, and layers of rules that impede housing.

Community Voices: Apply rebuilding waivers to all Lahaina fire victims

When disaster strikes, people want to rebuild what they lost. If that property is in a Shoreline Management Area, however, the law can get in the way, as hundreds of Lahaina homeowners have found out. A bill before the legislature would waive such restrictions, freeing people to rebuild their homes.

Community Voices: Turns out you can fight city hall — and win!

Trapped in Hawai‘i County permitting limbo, Shahzaad Ausman could neither live in his home nor renovate it. So he took officials to court. “If the government can wrongfully revoke my permit, it can revoke many other permits. We must hold officials accountable and stand up for our rights,” he said.

Community Voices: We can do more to help Hawai‘i businesses rebound

Hawai‘i’s anemic economic growth — the second slowest in the country — should be a sign that we haven’t done enough to help local business rebound since the Covid-19 lockdowns. If anything, it seems we’re doing the opposite. The major tax hikes that are still alive in the current legislative session all promise to be significant burdens on local businesses.

Community Voices: Lahaina future brighter, but keep pedal to the metal

Community Voices: Legislature poised to fix a state wrong?

First, local government shut down restaurants during the Covid-19 pandemic. Then the federal government offered them relief money to partially make up for their losses. Then state government taxed that relief as revenue. A bill in the Hawai‘i state legislature would undo that last step.