[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6607525,"mediaKeyId","2952690-d815532d3fd536b381ebf1f6ae9682a5","parentId",2952690,"title","Housing office outlines $53.3 million operating request, lists projects, urges continued focus on rental assistance and affordable production","audioSeconds",1134,"startMs",9806000,"endMs",10940000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2952690-d815532d3fd536b381ebf1f6ae9682a5&start=9806&end=10940","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2952690-d815532d3fd536b381ebf1f6ae9682a5/thumbnail_9806000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6607525/Hawaii-County/Hawaii/Housing-office-outlines-533-million-operating-request-lists-projects-urges-continued-focus-on-rental-assistance-and-affordable-production","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607525-856282a0f285752696d271b75451cb4e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174779&Signature=R7A8feNXKOIMUDYI79idB28DJ~A0SCLaY-gsgIbAOvU-fU7t85GlufkSyg~LkMhOuTCRbLrFYlltQLS0kJRyS~O9RIM5-YdkxQr~jjDvABdXBUz7lVbESsnxa-XUj-yyNzxvZjQaz-FJN1qhd3kjlgg6Pp9-0WmbPsW9a~qcJi3rXjA96NQav8i5-~j3jzs0C~q2d4UqQJhbVR3WjF2UdssQgwP~zivbD2RFX9ORXKacuHBIpI~lvjxrQHrYpYlkiXMTpeUyyx4Ji0LREM--RwQdCLTZ75bLNfxbmg2Wv-u1HRcIpiLrYEd~F2gW2PC2YYHcHq-jC-1Bc4V5zDTVKQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Hawaii County","date","2025-04-08T08:23:00Z","article","Office of Housing and Community Development Administrator Kehau Costa and senior staff briefed the Committee on OHCD programs, spending and priorities as the finance panel considered the mayor's operating and capital proposals.

Costa told the committee OHCD's proposed operating budget for fiscal year 2025–26 totals $53,274,413. The office told the committee roughly $43 million of its planned activity in the coming year will come from federal awards (CDBG, HOME, HTF, ESG and other federal housing grants), while the operating request includes county subsidies and revenue from county-owned rental properties.

OHCD highlighted ongoing activity across multiple project types: the department reported 39 units under construction, completion of about 200 units in the fiscal year to date, renovations at county-owned elderly housing (Kula Imano), ongoing planning and procurement for Kukuiola emergency shelter and renovation work at other county-owned assets such as O'uli Ekahi. Costa said the office administers approximately 2,300 monthly Section 8 housing choice vouchers and an expanding roster of special-purpose vouchers and project-based voucher contracts that help developers finance affordable units.

Assistant Administrator Keiko Mercado and division managers said the department handles several federal grants and emergency rental assistance funds, and that ERAP funds are being used in part for permanent supportive housing and short-term shelter costs as required by federal rules. The department said it is working to spend remaining ERAP funds by federal deadlines and to proceed with projects such as Kukuiola support services and housing design that will absorb those dollars.

Costa said the mayor's proposed capital and operating packages include priorities for affordable housing production and rental assistance, and she urged council members to preserve funding lines that allow OHCD to begin design or engineering for important projects. Assistant Administrator Mercado described plans to expand mentoring and staff training to soften staff turnover pressures in a department that manages complex grants and multi-year development projects.

Why it matters: OHCD manages major federal grant flows and the largest single rental-subsidy program in the county; its capital-program requests and federal spending deadlines shape how quickly housing projects and emergency shelters are built and operated.

Sources: OHCD presentation and Q&A, Hawaii County Committee on Finance, April 8, 2025. Figures cited by Administrator Kehau Costa and division managers.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Hawaii County - Special Committee on Finance - Apr 08, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD) told the committee it is managing roughly $43 million in federal awards and presented a $53,274,413 FY26 operating request focused on rental assistance, affordable housing production, and homelessness interventions.","taxTitle","Hawaii County, Hawaii","taxId",12825,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6607528,"Planning director outlines CIP timeline and funding mix; committee asks for clearer project status dashboard",605,8304000,8909000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2952690-d815532d3fd536b381ebf1f6ae9682a5&start=8304&end=8909","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2952690-d815532d3fd536b381ebf1f6ae9682a5/thumbnail_8304000.jpg","/articles/6607528/Hawaii-County/Hawaii/Planning-director-outlines-CIP-timeline-and-funding-mix-committee-asks-for-clearer-project-status-dashboard","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607528-38f6b2137e7cdb8ce57069adbf8e087e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174779&Signature=aJiqrNHVW9-ujDyCdSyFw1StWCUGO59ptAKg7EnPIhHxj0Vp2ElxunvezUQ74pEAt015Go0ew3vu0XNkuAXOY3Hr4BV7putUoAomTKYHgSa8BzeIegqAtKNXkSUgnnkIXytYv~VOC-qLNaR14~tI32JN5A3rfiHfsvRLqoyIOAFIr~dOaV0676kKj2hslMbpos~3WY9AEBLT0rC41ryrRi9AmXeQFwTh1~uv2SDdIUWuaXf2u-oMsKlItT3hqzgNpYwI5DRwXzl9DDyEOe4CEG2j96ErEGHxM2UjD~w8H3gxFdH9Srh42zddIPtlkeUnNUvM0hcrGlNGZ7nmbcgoTQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hawaii County Planning Department briefed the finance committee on how the capital improvements program (CIP) is prepared, prioritized and presented to council, and outlined the timeline the department follows to collect project requests and to advise the mayor.

Planning Director Jeff Darrow said agencies submit capital project requests and financial impact statements; the planning director meets individually with departments to review priorities and the mayor then submits an annual capital budget and a six-year capital program to council. The CIP, Darrow said, includes capital projects that are non-recurring, generally have a useful life of 10 years or more and cost $25,000 or more.

Darrow reviewed the mayor's prioritization principles and the CIP calendar: agencies orient liaisons during December, submit draft financial impact statements in early January, the planning director meets with departments in January, the mayor submits the first CIP package by March 1, agencies may revise requests through March–May, and the mayor submits any amendments the council will consider by May 2.

Darrow also reviewed proposed funding sources for the mayor's capital package presented to the committee: he recited the administration's figures that total appropriation for FY26 CIP was approximately $555,000,000, of which the mayor described $514,600,000 as intended to be funded in whole or in part by bonds, $36,750,000 by federal grants and $3,700,000 by community benefit assessments or other sources.

Committee members asked planning and finance staff for a clearer,
concise status report that shows appropriations from previous years still in force, which projects are already allotted or encumbered, and which requests are merely proposed. Darrow said planning expects to improve next year's CIP submittal to provide more clarity and that the administration is recruiting a CIP manager in finance to provide consolidated oversight.

Why it matters: Councilors said the CIP often looks like a 'wish list' because the public and some council members do not see the two prior years of appropriations and how projects roll over; members asked for a dashboard-style report so decisions about new appropriations can be made with a fuller picture.

Source: Planning Department presentation and Q&A, Hawaii County Committee on Finance meeting, April 8, 2025.","Planning Director Jeff Darrow reviewed the county capital-improvement program process and timeline, telling the finance committee how projects are prioritized and funded. Members pressed for clearer, multi-year reporting showing appropriations already made and what remains allocated or encumbered.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6607532,"Waikoloa residents press council for $2.5 million to start second-access road engineering",283,109000,392000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2952690-d815532d3fd536b381ebf1f6ae9682a5&start=109&end=392","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2952690-d815532d3fd536b381ebf1f6ae9682a5/thumbnail_109000.jpg","/articles/6607532/Hawaii-County/Hawaii/Waikoloa-residents-press-council-for-25-million-to-start-second-access-road-engineering","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607532-cbe9d3437ba74f1e5a572e09578d7494/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174779&Signature=hS-xDWDR8i7dRwpygc9Jd77rdkh-~YLw6-8AMUC2SOTj8qvG6ODrFkAxSZ5ZsjpFimRAOHH-5VoEWULDqzyuZMqVrrPDinj-QWnxoU~~zX8dKZcNbcgfIsaXc-VmEmnNvy-~WaiGBjFxwmKznPaOjI7HD2R7QjD08pudcXOd7ErdoM6jVMeEqVyAW5mUr3u70NZi2CjPgEYxNBGWbgQSp2qitlwTQqfNYQWntoHQtEkRO0kqDzYoFfX~1kNd96R7X5BvS68IFpKekSRAYsvL7N4CjPVVdKBj1~U-LK3ilhA6H-AJrC4kyNkO5nFSTYlcsJ-jj-FHDF7LAlTg4HVPjA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several Waikoloa Village residents and wildfire-safety advocates spoke during the committee's public-testimony period, urging the county to fund preliminary engineering for a proposed second access route from Waikoloa Village.

Aslan Chalker, introduced himself as a longtime Waikoloa Village resident, told the committee the village needs a second road to relieve evacuation pressure during wildfires. '2uring the 2021 Mana fire, my husband and I were out of our house in less than 10 minutes and we still got stuck in traffic,' Chalker said. He described a 15-minute, half-mile jam at the village exit during that event and told the committee the community has been asking for a second road for more than a decade.

Matt (Matt/Matthew) Chalker, identifying himself as executive director and cofounder of Wildfire Safety Advocates of Waikoloa and a village resident, told the committee he and supporters are seeking $2,500,000 in the capital improvements budget for engineering plans and design work that would let the county and state pursue federal grants. '2e need to have a two-lane road that fire trucks can drive up from the station while residents drive down,' he said.

Bob Yunki, government affairs representative for Wildfire Safety Advocates Waikoloa, told the committee that county planning documents dating back to 2008 rate a second permanent road for Waikoloa Village as a very high priority. Yunki said he and others are working with HDOT and federal partners but that the county must 'start this process' to get an engineering report and cost estimate required to chase federal funding.

A longtime Waikoloa resident, Julia Allos, reminded the committee that prior community development plans ranked the second-access road a top local priority and told members the community is 'on edge' about wildfire risk and evacuation. 'It is not a matter of if, but when,' she said of a serious wildfire risk.

What they asked for: Speakers repeatedly asked the committee to include $2.5 million in the proposed capital budget for engineering and design so the county can produce cost estimates and begin the process of securing federal and private contributions.

Why it matters: Waikoloa Village residents say the village has a single primary egress route; during past evacuations that road has experienced long backups, and local advocates warn that growing development in higher fire-risk areas increases the need for a second permanent access route.

Sources: Public testimony delivered at the Hawaii County Committee on Finance meeting, April 8, 2025. Quotes are the speakers' words as recorded in the meeting transcript.","Residents and local wildfire advocates told the committee that Waikoloa Village needs a second permanent access road, asking the county to fund $2.5 million for engineering and design in the capital budget to begin a years-long project to improve evacuation routes.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6607536,"Finance committee forwards county operating and capital budgets, highlights wastewater and capital pressures",507,3794000,4301000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2952690-d815532d3fd536b381ebf1f6ae9682a5&start=3794&end=4301","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2952690-d815532d3fd536b381ebf1f6ae9682a5/thumbnail_3794000.jpg","/articles/6607536/Hawaii-County/Hawaii/Finance-committee-forwards-county-operating-and-capital-budgets-highlights-wastewater-and-capital-pressures","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6607536-617283fba5222eb1c05b96c738b6e891/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174779&Signature=mD2btGf98-2It3Y5oclGSrMysjFuEHj85aNJOK-iJdmkSpyjAE~2DjmAx-OIkdnLSioKr4~Q~J9HJwWlR55Qu6qq0lEaWHuv1ZknnhBqJA5EY9D-Bq9RUn24gpbRRfJs3GjF-D4HWZg2Fe7mYMw5uxmUoNmkMkP~zA6JXqg4G4yhZYMd~sdjFrYQaOWqBpsE0ExW6KhtgidV6CFdNzSoLfGUsMtx3h-IBP~nh~nBKyh1Xq05MRTSpQ8O2jfWU~TOVAB1XJxoeXLCCylibGW4SennzrlQRILV4ZckPUC32WMFnU3S~EcZFzfjev3cl7o4aJktFHYjEqSiPIFqG0FCdQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hawaii County Committee on Finance voted April 8 to forward the mayor's proposed operating budget and the proposed capital improvements program to the full County Council with favorable recommendations. Committee members moved to advance Bill 31, the operating budget, and Bill 32, the capital budget, after presentations from the mayor and finance staff and public testimony.

The proposed operating budget for fiscal year 2025–26, introduced by Mayor C. Kimo Alameda, totals $937,740,471 in estimated revenues and appropriations, a 1.8% increase compared with the current year, Alameda said. Finance Director Diane Nakagawa told the committee that about $660 million of that total is taxes and that about 80% of that tax total is property taxes.

The proposed capital improvements program includes 81 projects and a stated appropriation package the mayor presented as approximately $555,000,000 in total appropriations, of which the administration has identified roughly $514,600,000 intended to be funded in whole or in part by bonds, about $36,750,000 by federal grants, and about $3,700,000 by community benefit assessments and other sources.

Committee discussion centered on big, multiyear obligations that will limit the county's capacity to pay for new projects. Nakagawa and Alameda emphasized large, legally required capital work on wastewater systems as a principal driver of the county's finances: Alameda told the committee that about $337,000,000 is already being allocated for a major wastewater repair program.

'20This administration has prioritized public safety and infrastructure while trying to hold the line on taxes,' Alameda told the committee. Finance staff said the county's bond rating has been affirmed (double-A plus) and that the county had developed a debt-capacity model to assess the timing and scale of future borrowings.

The committee voted to forward both bills with favorable recommendations. For Bill 31 (operating budget), the motion to forward was made by Council Member Inava and seconded by Council Member Villegas; for Bill 32 (capital budget), the motion to forward was made by Council Member Reynaldo and seconded by Council Member Eustace. In committee the actions were recorded as motions carried to send the bills to full council with favorable recommendation and to file related communications; no full roll-call council votes were held during the committee session.

Why it matters: Finance staff and the mayor emphasized that the county faces a multi-year capital squeeze. Committee members repeatedly asked staff to produce clearer, multi-year CIP (capital improvement program) prioritization and status information that shows which previously appropriated projects remain active, which have lapsed, and which funds are actually allocated and encumbered. Nakagawa told the committee the county is establishing a CIP manager position and working on an assets/tracking dashboard to provide that clarity.

What comes next: The committee referred both bills to the full council for consideration. The council will consider the mayor's proposed operating and capital budgets, review departmental corrections and requests, and may propose amendments before final readings and adoption.

Sources: Budget presentations and Q&A at Hawaii County Committee on Finance meeting, April 8, 2025. Quotes and figures attributed to Mayor C. Kimo Alameda and Finance Director Diane Nakagawa.","Hawaii County Finance Committee voted to forward Mayor C. Kimo Alameda's proposed operating budget (Bill 31) and capital budget (Bill 32) to the full council with favorable recommendations, while members and staff flagged rising wastewater obligations and heavy capital borrowing needs that will shape spending priorities.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Housing office outlines $53.3 million operating request, lists projects, urges continued focus on rental assistance and affordable production

Planning director outlines CIP timeline and funding mix; committee asks for clearer project status dashboard

Waikoloa residents press council for $2.5 million to start second-access road engineering

Finance committee forwards county operating and capital budgets, highlights wastewater and capital pressures