Committee advances climate resiliency fund to public hearing after administration outlines uses and preliminary revenue estimates

The Honolulu City Council Budget Committee amended and advanced Bill 15 of 2025, which would create a climate resiliency fund to receive and expend monies to support resilience projects, to second reading and scheduled a public hearing after presentations from administration officials and OCCSR.

Andy Kawano, director of Budget and Fiscal Services, told the committee the fund would be seeded from the real property tax set‑aside approved by voters and that "based on our current real property tax revenue estimates, we're looking at about $9,000,000 per year" for the fund. Kawano said the amount would provide initial planning and seed money but that long‑term liabilities from sea‑level rise, storms and other climate impacts will be far larger.

Ben Sullivan, executive director of the Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency, outlined program priorities including integrating climate adaptation into city planning, preparing for capital projects that will be driven by the city’s One Water plan, and building community partnerships and resilience hubs. Sullivan told the committee the fund should accelerate projects already underway and seed new work; during his remarks he illustrated scale by saying, "We're suggesting $1,500,000,000 this year to be able to assure that projects as they hit these new criteria aren't stopped because of a lack of funding." The committee noted Sullivan's figure as an example of potential large capital needs and recognized the remark as a policy illustration rather than an approved appropriation.

Roger Babcock, director‑designate of the Department of Environmental Services, said the department supports using portions of the fund to help homeowners with sewer hookups and cesspool conversions in areas where sewers are planned or feasible. "It is possible that this kind of grant could assist homeowners ... and it could be beneficial for some of the ratepayers," Babcock said, noting prioritization would likely focus on coastal cesspools exposed to sea‑level rise and groundwater inundation.

Council members pressed for details about whether the city would run grants through a portal similar to other mitigation funds and whether the fund should target low‑income households, vulnerable communities and projects that reduce costs for residents while cutting emissions. Councilmember Kea‘aina urged prompt action and said the fund could directly help families with needed conversions and other adaptation work.

The chair amended Bill 15 to the posted CD1 and recommended it be reported out for second reading and scheduling of a public hearing. Committee members asked OCCSR and the Department of Environmental Services to return with additional implementation details, including grant program design, project prioritization and how the fund would interact with state and federal programs.