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Hawaii County Council approves final round of Kilauea recovery grants totaling nearly $6 million
Summary
The council voted to approve Resolution 4 59-26, releasing the final tranche of Kilauea Recovery Grant Program awards to nonprofits and community projects in Lower Puna after public testimony from multiple community leaders. The package directs roughly $6 million to infrastructure, cultural programs, and economic development projects.
The Hawaii County Council on March 4 approved Resolution 4 59-26, the final round of awards from the Kilauea Recovery Grant Program, advancing nearly $6 million in grants to nonprofit and community projects in Lower Puna.
The measure, introduced by Councilmember Kirkowitz, funds road restoration, cultural enterprises, stewardship projects and economic-development initiatives intended to help communities still recovering from the 2018 Kilauea eruption. Councilmember Kirkowitz said the awards represent community-led recovery: “When the county received this funding in 2019, I knew from the very beginning that the community needed to play an active role in designing and implementing its own healing,” she said.
Community leaders and project representatives urged approval during the public-comment period. Tim Rowan, president of Mālama Mokuna and Black Sands POA, told the council the grants “will help with the infrastructure, economic-development projects for many Puna communities devastated by the 2018 eruption” and thanked the recovery team. Deb Smith, board president of Vacationland Hawaii Community Association, said the funding would help restore roughly six miles of subdivision roads and allow members to use an SBA loan that had been suspended since 2020.
County staff described the application process and award portfolio. Recovery office staff reported 45 applications requesting nearly $12 million; the recommended awards included infrastructure repairs, cultural programs, a commercial shared kitchen and road reconstruction pass-throughs. Director-level staff told the council some projects still require fiscal-sponsor paperwork; members said staff would return next month with a follow-up resolution to finalize those awards.
Council members praised community participation and the long-running recovery effort. After debate, the council approved the resolution by voice vote (motion carried: 8 ayes, 1 excused).
The resolution directs the Planning Department to award the grants; staff said they will provide further documentation and a supplemental resolution next month for projects pending fiscal-sponsor confirmation.
