Listening First
My Priorities for Hawaiʻi Kai
House District 18 • Hawaiʻi Kai • Kalama Valley • Portlock
These priorities reflect what I hear directly from residents throughout Hawaiʻi Kai, Kalama Valley and Portlock, at the doors, through community surveys, at Neighborhood Board meetings, and in the emails and calls my office receives every day.
My approach is simple: listen first, understand the problem, bring the right people together and work toward a solution.
Fixing Our Electrical Grid & Aging Infrastructure
The Problem
The number-one concern I hear from Hawaiʻi Kai residents, through my community surveys and walking door to door, is the reliability of our electrical grid.
My district-wide Utility Reliability Survey received over 600 responses. 93% rated Hawaiian Electric’s reliability poor or fair, 87% reported three or more significant outages, and 92% supported PUC or legislative escalation if improvements aren’t made.
A big part of the challenge is aging infrastructure. Much of Hawaiʻi Kai was built decades ago, and our electrical equipment, underground cables, roads, water and sewer systems all require continued investment and maintenance.
We can’t wait for aging infrastructure to fail before we address it.
What I’ve Done
- Created and distributed the Hawaiʻi Kai Utility Reliability Survey to document what residents are experiencing and use that data to push for improvements.
- Brought Hawaiian Electric leadership directly to Hawaiʻi Kai multiple times so residents could ask questions and get answers about reliability, repairs and planned upgrades.
- Stay in regular contact with Hawaiian Electric regarding outages, equipment failures, repairs and upgrade timelines.
- During major storms, work directly with Hawaiian Electric and provide residents with frequent updates as conditions and outages change.
- Pushing Hawaiian Electric and the PUC to address aging electrical infrastructure, including regulatory barriers affecting the replacement of aging underground cables.
- Worked with City transportation officials on safety improvements at four Lunalilo Home Road intersections and with the State Department of Transportation on improvements near Kalanianaʻole Highway and Keahole Street.
Where I’m Focused Next
I’ll continue pushing for a more reliable electrical grid and greater investment in Hawaiʻi Kai’s aging infrastructure while holding utilities and government agencies accountable for getting the work done.
Making Hawaiʻi Kai Better Prepared for Disasters
The Problem
Hawaiʻi Kai faces unique challenges during a major emergency.
We have limited major routes in and out of our community, many kūpuna, and residents who depend on electricity for medical equipment and communications.
A hurricane, tsunami, wildfire, prolonged power outage or other disaster could quickly leave portions of our community isolated.
We shouldn’t wait until an emergency happens to figure out the plan.
What I’ve Done
- Provide residents with preparedness information and frequent updates before, during and after major storms, often multiple times each day as conditions change.
- Work directly with Hawaiian Electric and State and City emergency-management officials to get timely information to residents.
- Brought HI-EMA, Honolulu DEM, Hawaiʻi Kai Strong and KISCA directly to our community to discuss preparedness and answer residents’ questions.
- Revived the Hawaiʻi Kai Strong working group to improve coordination and communication before emergencies.
- Passed a resolution asking HI-EMA to assess whether designated emergency shelters can withstand hurricane conditions and develop a statewide plan for improving shelter capacity.
Where I’m Focused Next
I want Hawaiʻi Kai to become one of the best-prepared communities in the state.
That means better communication, stronger coordination, reliable emergency refuges and shelters, plans for residents who may need additional assistance, and a clearer understanding of what happens if roads, electricity or communications are disrupted.
Preparedness isn’t something we start when a storm is already on its way. It’s work we need to do year-round.
Keeping Hawaiʻi Kai Safe
The Problem
Hawaiʻi Kai remains one of the safer communities on Oʻahu, and I want to keep it that way.
Residents continue to raise concerns about car break-ins, property crime, homelessness in parks and public spaces, and whether we have enough police officers available when they are needed.
Hawaiʻi also faces a serious police officer shortage. Recruiting new officers is important, but we also need to retain the experienced officers already serving our communities.
What I’ve Done
- Speak regularly with police officers to better understand what is happening on the ground.
- Work with HPD regarding patrol presence and prevention around known problem areas.
- Introduced legislation addressing unauthorized entry into motor vehicles.
- Introduced HB1759 addressing organized retail crime and creating a task force to improve coordination between businesses and law enforcement.
- Helped champion HB2021, now Act 259, addressing e-bike safety.
- Brought professionals working directly on homelessness to community discussions about what can be done locally and statewide.
- Earned the endorsement of the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers, SHOPO.
Where I’m Focused Next
HPD is a City department, but the State has an important role in helping recruit and retain police officers.
One issue I continue to hear about directly from officers is the Tier 2 retirement system affecting officers hired after 2012. SHOPO has identified Tier 2 reform as an important part of long-term officer retention.
As a member of the House Finance Committee, I want to work with our officers, SHOPO, ERS and my colleagues to responsibly examine Tier 2 reform and make a career in law enforcement more competitive while protecting the long-term stability of our retirement system.
Supporting Small Businesses & Lowering the Cost of Doing Business
The Problem
Small businesses are the backbone of Hawaiʻi’s economy, but the cost of operating here continues to rise.
Those costs don’t stop with the business owner. They ultimately affect employees, consumers and the overall cost of living.
Locally owned businesses also help define the character of Hawaiʻi Kai.
What I’ve Done
- Helped build JPG Hawaii over more than two decades into one of Hawaiʻi’s leading commercial sign and large-format printing businesses.
- Serve on the House Economic Development & Technology Committee.
- Co-chair the Hawaiʻi State Legislature’s Small Business Caucus.
- Introduced legislation aimed at reducing costs and helping small businesses access resources available to them.
- Maintain relationships with Hawaiʻi Kai businesses, shopping center tenants and property managers to hear directly about the challenges they face.
- Serving on the founding committee of the East Honolulu Chamber of Commerce to help give businesses in our area a stronger voice.
Where I’m Focused Next
I’ll continue advocating for policies that reduce unnecessary costs and barriers, encourage local investment and make Hawaiʻi a better place to start and grow a business.
Strengthening Food Security & Local Agriculture
The Problem
Hawaiʻi imports the vast majority of its food.
Our geographic isolation means disruptions to shipping and supply chains can quickly become a serious problem.
Here at home, Kamilonui Valley contains some of Hawaiʻi Kai’s remaining working agricultural land, and expired leases have created uncertainty for local farmers.
What I’ve Done
- Brought State officials, agricultural leaders and local farmers together to discuss Hawaiʻi’s food-security challenges.
- Met directly with Kamilonui Valley farmers affected by expired leases.
- Brought the Department of Agriculture, Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau and other stakeholders together to work through the lease issue.
- Worked to connect local farmers with other Hawaiʻi Kai businesses.
- Supported policies aimed at increasing local food production and reducing dependence on imported food.
Where I’m Focused Next
We need to preserve agricultural opportunities, make it easier for farmers to remain in business and increase the amount of food we produce here at home.
Food security isn’t just an agricultural issue. It is also part of Hawaiʻi’s emergency preparedness and economic security.
Protecting Hawaiʻi Kai’s Coastline & Community Character
The Problem
Our coastline, beaches, open spaces and community character are a large part of what makes Hawaiʻi Kai special.
Years of deferred maintenance and pressure on our open spaces mean residents need a strong voice in decisions affecting the future of our community.
What I’ve Done
- Built a strong working relationship with HARD, Hahaione Advocates for Respectful Development, regarding proposed development at the former JAIMS property.
- Helped distribute community petitions and surveys and hosted an open house at the JAIMS property with other elected officials.
- Conducted a constituent survey regarding the proposed Koko Villas Phase II project so residents could weigh in.
- Worked with DOBOR on improvements at Maunalua Bay and continue participating in discussions regarding future improvements.
Where I’m Focused Next
I’ll continue working closely with residents and the Hawaiʻi Kai Neighborhood Board to protect our coastline, preserve our open spaces, and preserve the heart of what makes Hawaiʻi Kai such a special place to call home.