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Hawaii County Council approves HUD funding, recovery grants and dozens of small appropriations in routine session
Summary
In a single session the council approved HUD funding for the 2026 action plan, the Kilauea Recovery Grant awards, and a long list of small grants and budget adjustments; officials answered questions about CDBG administrative allocations.
The Hawaii County Council approved a package of resolutions and bills covering federal HUD funds, disaster recovery grants and a large set of community grants and budget adjustments.
The council adopted Resolution 4-97-26 authorizing the mayor to enter an intergovernmental agreement with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to receive $2,970,000 in federal funds for projects in the 2026 annual action plan to be used by the Office of Housing and Community Development. During discussion, Royce Shurama of the Office of Housing and Community Development explained the county’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) administrative allocations, saying two positions are funded 100% and three staff are partially funded by the CDBG program and that administrative costs also cover shared rent, accounting support and software subscriptions. Shurama said monitoring obligations can last up to 10 years for some grantees and that travel out of state is limited to two personnel in the budget year.
The council also approved Resolution 4-95-26, which provides $501,100 in Kilauea Recovery Grant funds for nonprofit projects supporting recovery and resilience from the 2018 Kilauea eruption; members praised the recovery division and state support for the program.
Separately, the body adopted multiple small-grant and appropriation resolutions that funded local events, cultural programs, park improvements and nonprofit projects (many carried with recorded "aye" votes and one excused member). Examples on the docket included a $1,000,000 state planning grant for the Rainbow Drive affordable housing project, donation acceptance for an industrial dishwasher valued at $248,571 to support the 'Hoi' reusable dishware program, and dozens of community event grants ranging from $897 to several thousand dollars.
Most consent and grant items passed by voice or roll call with routine support; several council members offered short remarks in favor of specific community projects. Bills affecting the county operating budget and several land-use ordinances also advanced through their required readings.
Listed below are highlights of adopted items and recorded outcomes from the meeting.
