2026-10-21 - County Council

01:43Oh

02:37Okay, staff, are we ready?

02:41>> Okay, good morning everyone.

02:44Today is October 21st, 2026.

02:48It's 51 the 51st session and we're at

02:51the West Hawaii Civic Center. The time

02:54is

02:569:01 a.m. Okay. Right now, can I have um

03:04Rabbi Levi Gerinski from Chabad Jewish

03:09Center to give the inov invocation.

03:13Thank you.

03:21Almighty God, when you created the

03:24world, you deliberate deliberately made

03:27it imperfect

03:29so there would be room for people

03:31created in your image to improve it.

03:34Every time a person betters the world,

03:36he becomes your partner in the ongoing

03:39project of creation with the ultimate

03:42goal of a perfect world that will

03:44acknowledge your sovereignty and live

03:47under your rule. You know the heart of

03:50each person and you know that each

03:52council member seeks to make a better

03:54Hawaii for all, thus bringing your

03:57creation a bit closer to perfection.

04:01Almighty God, please bestow upon the

04:03leaders of this big island the wisdom

04:06and understanding to continue in the

04:08path of justice and goodness. Bless

04:11these individuals elected by the people

04:14in whom faith and confidence have been

04:16placed to legislate laws and make

04:19decisions that will affect the lives of

04:20their citizens. Let them recognize that

04:24it is not only a great honor and civic

04:27responsibility

04:28but but a holy endeavor as well.

04:31Almighty God, grant these assembled here

04:36awareness of your presence as a one and

04:38only God. And may we continue to prosper

04:41with the message of freedom and may we

04:43bring justice and kindness to all. May

04:46we merit the coming of the final

04:48redemption speedily in our days. and let

04:51us say amen.

04:55>> Thank you very much.

04:58>> Okay, let's call this meeting to order.

05:00Mr. Clerk, roll call.

05:02>> Council member Gmba

05:04>> here.

05:05>> Council member Huis,

05:06>> present.

05:08>> Cherry Naba.

05:10Council member Kagiada

05:12>> here.

05:12>> Council member Connley Kleinfelder

05:14>> here.

05:15>> Council Kirkowitz,

05:16>> present.

05:17>> Council member Campbell

05:18>> here. Councelor Viegas,

05:21>> Vice Chronishi

05:22>> present.

05:23>> Okay. Vice Chronishi be acting as chair

05:25today. Correct.

05:26>> Okay. Thank you, Mr. So you have seven

05:28members present. You have quum.

05:29>> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Can you lead

05:31us in the pledge of allegiance? For

05:32those who cannot stand, you can you

05:34remain seated. Thank you.

05:43>> United States of America and to the

05:46stands. One nation under God,

05:49indivisible, with liberty and justice

05:52for all.

05:55>> Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Okay, Mr. Hustes

06:01presentation.

06:05>> Thank you, Vice Chair Onishi. Um, I have

06:08the privilege this morning of of

06:10recognizing our Hav award recipient for

06:13October 2026.

06:15Uh, vice chair, we need just a couple

06:17minutes for this for this matter,

06:18unfortunately.

06:19>> Sure.

06:20>> Okay. Apologies. Should we come back to

06:21this at some point then in five minutes?

06:24>> Okay. So,

06:26Mr. Clerk,

06:29we will take the statements

06:32from the public and then we can

06:34>> we can begin that process and then um

06:37>> then come back.

06:38>> Yes. When when um it's okay. The person

06:41is available. Yes. As long as uh that's

06:43okay with the rest of the council.

06:45>> Is it okay? Okay. Thank you. Okay. For

06:49the public for testimony for today,

06:51we'll be taking two minutes per per

06:54item. So, as [snorts] you change over,

06:57please let um let the clerk know that

07:00you are switching to the next item.

07:03Okay.

07:04Okay.

07:06Mr. Arelli, can you proceed and I'll

07:08follow your lead.

07:09>> Thank you so much, Mr. Clerk. With that

07:12being noted, chair, we have one

07:14testifier in POA along with the number

07:17of testifiers we have via Zoom and here

07:19in the Kona chamber. So, what we'll do

07:20is we'll start in uh POA, transition to

07:24two Zoom testifiers, then to two here in

07:26Kona before redoing that cycle. With

07:29that being said, Gloria, if you could

07:30please start us off with your testifier

07:32in POA, please.

07:34>> Good morning everyone. We have Corey

07:37Kazy here with Locahi Treatment Center

07:40commenting in support of bill 192 draft

07:443. Please restate your name for the

07:46record. You have two minutes. Corey Poy.

07:49Aloha. Members of the Hawaii County

07:51Council, my name is Corey Pausy and I

07:53serve as director of operations for

07:55Loahi Treatment Centers. I am testifying

07:58in strong support for bill 192 draft 3

08:01extending the homelessness and housing

08:03fund through 2029.

08:06At Lukahi, we see firsthand how

08:08homelessness, substance use, mental

08:10health challenges, and housing

08:12instability are connected, and many

08:14individuals we serve are not yet living

08:17on the streets, but are at risk of

08:20becoming homeless. Some are temporarily

08:23staying with family or friends where one

08:25crisis could leave them leave them

08:27without shelter. Through this fund,

08:31Lokai has integrated housing

08:33stabilization and homelessness

08:35prevention into our treatment services,

08:38helping individuals focus on recovery,

08:41find employment, and rebuild family

08:43relationshipships, and work toward

08:45permanent housing. The strength of this

08:48fund is the coordinated system of care

08:52that it supports. No single agency can

08:56address homelessness alone, and our

08:58Nonprofit organizations work together to

09:01connect individuals with housing,

09:03treatment, and essential support

09:05services.

09:07Disrupting one part can impact others

09:11because housing does support recovery

09:13and recovery supports housing.

09:17Bill 192 draft 3 provides a responsible

09:20path forward and it preserves essential

09:22services while allowing the council time

09:25to review the audit and make informed

09:28decisions. Most importantly, it allows

09:30organizations like Wuhai to continue

09:33helping individuals before they become

09:35homeless, supporting lasting recovery

09:38and housing stability here on Hawaii

09:40Island. I respectfully urge your support

09:43for bill 192 draft 3. Mahalo for your

09:46time and consideration. Thank you.

09:52>> Thank you so much to our testifier in

09:54POA. [clears throat] Up next, we'll take

09:56two Zoom testifiers. For our Zoom

09:58testifiers, again clarifying, you'll

09:59have two minutes. At the when you have

10:0230 seconds left, you should hear a bell.

10:04And then at the end of your two minutes,

10:06we will move forward with the next

10:07testifier. With that, our first Zoom

10:10testifier is Dell Otsuka testifying on

10:12bill 147 and 197 to be followed by Grace

10:16Bastuk. Dell, when you're ready to

10:18begin, please introduce yourself and

10:19you'll have two minutes per agenda item

10:21if you can clearly transition. If not,

10:23it will be two minutes total. Thank you.

10:25>> Okay. Thank you. I'm here today again to

10:27give oral testimony and opposition of

10:30bill 147. In short, the county is

10:32intentionally shifting the goalpost from

10:34changing the legal definition over short

10:36term from 30 to 180 days. County claims

10:40that close enforcement loopho to close

10:42enforcement loopholes, but in reality,

10:45it creates a net that traps compliant

10:47local residents and operators and does

10:50nothing to address the illegal

10:51operators. Protecting local housing

10:54inventory.

10:57How blind is this? It will do just the

10:59opposite. comparing oceanfront condos or

11:01ohana unit will not suddenly become a

11:04long-term rental.

11:06Also claim to create a unified legal

11:09framework. This completely erases the

11:11critical distinction between a

11:13commercial off island investor buying up

11:15entire divisions subdivisions and a

11:18local resident resing out a spare room.

11:22Also, county claims that complying with

11:25state mandates and tax codes, the tax

11:27the state tax code is designed to

11:30collect revenue, not to dictate county

11:32land use or community housing needs.

11:35Using a tax state tax definition as an

11:38excuse to override local zoning

11:40oversteps the county's core

11:41responsibility. Also claims establishing

11:44clear evidence standards. This

11:46completely strips property owners of due

11:49of due process.

11:52also claimed that funding the

11:54enforcement infrastructure. The county

11:56is forcing law-abiding permitted

11:58operators to financially subsidize the

12:00policing of their illegal competitors.

12:03If the software is as as effective as

12:05the planning department claims, the

12:07county should fund its department by

12:09aggressively finding the actual illegal

12:12operators. Also claim to mitigate

12:15neighborhood nuisance. The county

12:17already has noise ordinances, traffic

12:19laws, and parking codes on the books.

12:21They have failed to enforce existing

12:23basic county codes for decades. Passing

12:25a bill does not magically create

12:27enforcement. It just adds a secondary

12:29layer of redundant bureaucracy that only

12:32punishes the operator.

12:33>> Miss Tuka, the first two minutes are up

12:35if you'd like to transition. If not,

12:36will you can move on?

12:38>> Transition to

12:41>> I apologize.

12:45transitioning to

12:46>> bill 197.

12:49>> Uh, no.

12:51>> Okay. Well, thank you for your

12:53testimony. Our next testifier will be

12:55Grace Bostic, testifying on bills 186

12:58and 187. Grace, when you're ready to

13:01begin, if you could please unmute,

13:03introduce yourself, and you'll have two

13:04minutes per agenda item. If you can

13:06clearly transition, if not, it will be

13:07two minutes total.

13:10>> Hi, my name is Grace Bosto. Thank you,

13:12council members, for meeting this

13:13morning. Um, I will begin my testimony

13:16against bills 186 and 187. I'm going to

13:20keep it quick. Essentially, my qual with

13:22this project is how underresarched it

13:24is. Um, the we have not done an

13:28environmental impact report for bills

13:31186 and 187. The Waloa Greens project is

13:35underresarched and the idea that we are

13:37going ahead with the new development

13:39without having done a proper

13:42environmental impact research report or

13:44without properly informing the Himea

13:47residents where our aquafer water will

13:49be used and will be diverted to. We are

13:52currently under a notice to use less

13:55water um since the storms happened on

13:58Big Island and we have not had with the

14:02ongoing Oly Farms development. We have

14:04not had a reliable

14:09information gathered regarding

14:12how sustainable our YA aquifer is for

14:15these larger developments.

14:18Um,

14:20sorry, pardon me.

14:23Another qual with this project is the

14:25fact that no secondary

14:29sorry that no secondary evacuation route

14:31will be built from Waloa. We've we've

14:34seen in the past with uh sudden fire

14:37evacuations the bottleneck that has

14:39caused Waloa. uh the with Iron Man last

14:43week, we can see that those roads are

14:46not as well manned as they should be and

14:49that people can very easily get trapped.

14:52Um

14:53under the Hawaii Environmental

14:55Protection Agency, a Environmental

14:58impact research report is required. I am

15:01appalled at my council member James

15:03Hustus who I voted for who claims to be

15:06supporting supporting the Ya community

15:09at large who has

15:13decidedly

15:15supported these two bills without

15:19so thank you so much for your testimony

15:22and with that we can come to Kona for

15:24our next two testifiers

15:26>> uh Visali Hankin Tolantino please come

15:28forward by testimony on bill 92 and

15:31Arlene Larura, please come forward by

15:34testimony on bills 186 and 187.

15:40Miss Tolantino, please proceed when you

15:43are ready and start by introducing

15:44yourself. You'll have two minutes and

15:46you'll hear that bell at the 30 second

15:47warning. You just have to push that

15:49button on the microphone with the green

15:52sticker on it and you are good to go.

15:55Hi, my name is Visa Elie Hankin

15:57Tolentino and I go by the name of Elely.

16:01I myself is a justice live experience

16:04person. I am here to represent Recovery

16:07of Hawaii and my partners who are who

16:12are in need of this assistance. We've

16:15been operating Transition Housing for

16:17Men for almost three and a half years.

16:20I'm here because I don't want the

16:22funding to stop and also um we have to

16:26think about the men and women that are

16:28coming out from incarceration that needs

16:31homes. These funds can be used for women

16:35for detox. We don't have a detox

16:38for women here in Hilo or the big

16:41island. Also for the youth, you know,

16:44I'm going to tell you a little story

16:46about the youth. My granddaughter had to

16:49be flew fly out to Honolulu at this

16:52place called Serenity Homes for the

16:55youth and um she was away from us for

16:59two years. She's back now. But you know

17:03this is the big island. We need

17:05facilities for the youth. Also we need

17:09moms and babies facilities too. when

17:12they coming out from prison, they got to

17:14unify with their children and it sucks

17:18because they have to go to foster care.

17:21We want them to connect with their

17:23parents. They made a mistake and you

17:27know it's up to us to help them. Thank

17:30you for letting me share.

17:32>> Thank you for your testimony. Miss Rua,

17:34please proceed.

17:36>> Aloha, chair. Good morning, council

17:37members. My name is Arlene. I'm also go

17:40by Lonnie Larua. I'm president of the

17:43Waloa Village Association and I'm

17:46speaking for more than our 3,000

17:48members. I'm also the founding pastor of

17:51Abundant Life Ministries and a volunteer

17:54Hawaii Police Department chaplain

17:56certified in mental health first aid.

17:59Though today I do not speak for the

18:01department. Four generations of my

18:04family call Walo home. myself, my

18:07children, my grandchildren, and now my

18:09great-grandchild.

18:11We support housing. Our kei, our capuna,

18:14and the people who work here need places

18:16that they can afford. My own family is

18:19among them. But more than 7,000

18:22residents depend on one public road in

18:24and out, backed by only a gated,

18:28one-lane emergency route. We have lived

18:30what that means. In August 2005, nearly

18:345,000 of us were ordered out and my

18:36family fought the fire with garden

18:38hoses. [snorts]

18:40In 2021, during the Monroe fire, some

18:43family sat in traffic for two hours.

18:46This July at the other fire, we stayed

18:48to help communicate if there was going

18:51to be a an evacuation.

18:54As a police chaplain and a pastor, I sit

18:57with residents still carrying the trauma

19:00of those evacuations.

19:02Families who sat in gridlock watching

19:04smoke come closer. Capuna who could not

19:06move quickly. Kiki who now panic at the

19:09smell of smoke. Post-traumatic stress is

19:11real in our community and it was made

19:13worse because there was only one way

19:14out. The county's July study suggested a

19:17second road might not shorten

19:19evacuation, but in a real fire, those

19:22roads are closed. Every new home built

19:24without a second arterio road adds more

19:27families to that route and to that

19:28trauma. Our position is simple. We can

19:31support new development once there is a

19:33funded scheduled commitment to a second

19:36arterial road, not another study on a

19:38shelf. So until then, I respectfully

19:41respectfully ask you to defer these

19:43bills. My family has given four

19:45generations to Waloa. I want the fifth

19:48to grow up here safely.

19:49>> Thank you.

19:50>> Please help us be safe.

19:51>> Thank you for your testimony. Chair vice

19:53acting chair onishi would like to

19:54proceed with a presentation the havo

19:56award.

19:57>> Yes right now we will stop on testimony

19:59and do our presentation. So go ahead

20:01council memberis.

20:03>> Thank you vice chair. I appreciate the

20:05time and appreciate the opportunity to

20:06present uh this month's October Havo

20:09award. Uh joining us today we have

20:11assistant chief Aman Wilkins and captain

20:15hanoa. Please join us up in the front.

20:16And I'd love to give assistant chief you

20:19some time to really share about Captain

20:21Huno and his service here with the

20:22department. Thank you.

20:25>> Just if you could turn it back on.

20:27Sorry. Sorry. Good morning. Thank you

20:28for this opportunity. Um this is Captain

20:31Pernel Hanoa. He's assigned to our Cahoo

20:33District. Um he's been in the department

20:36for about 21 a little over 21 years.

20:38He's worked out there as the captain. Uh

20:41he's been the lieutenant out there. He's

20:42been a sergeant out there. and he's been

20:44a patrol officer out there. Uh,

20:46additionally, he's also worked here in

20:48Kona as a detective in the criminal

20:49investigation section and the juvenile

20:51aid section. I think that's all of his

20:54assignments. Um so as you all know the

20:56devastation that um occurred on this

20:58island uh particularly in the Cahou

21:01district on um August 15th, Hurricane

21:04Lala. Um yeah, we're here today just to

21:08to document or just to um you know talk

21:12about how uh Captain Hanoa who managed

21:15the district, how well he did it um

21:17under the under the circumstances. I

21:19don't know how many of you have had an

21:21opportunity to go out there and see the

21:22district in person since um since the

21:25storm. Um we've all seen videos and

21:27photos, but unless you've seen it in

21:29person, um it's it's hard to um really

21:32um fathom the the damage, the

21:34destruction that's been out there. Um

21:38Captain Hoa lives out in the district.

21:40You know, not every officer lives in the

21:42the district where they work. Um so he's

21:44got a special connection with the

21:45district. Um he's lived there with his

21:48who's here today for for quite some

21:50time. He grew up out there and so he's

21:53got a special connection with the

21:54community, not just being a, you know,

21:55police officer out there and the leader

21:57of the district, but also um you know,

21:59his friends and neighbors and family

22:00live out there as well. Um obviously um

22:04the effects of Hurricane LA were um much

22:08worse than than you I think maybe we

22:11anticipated. you know, a lot of storms

22:13come close to the island and a lot of

22:15times we get very lucky and they kind of

22:16just, you know, um, you know, kind of

22:19pass us and we get minimal effects, but

22:21this one was the real deal. Um, and like

22:25I said, I mean, the the district was was

22:27devastated and they'll be recovering

22:29from it for a long time. His uh

22:31leadership out there during these trying

22:33times was was remarkable. Um, you know,

22:36we me and Major Valera would check on

22:38him, you know, periodically a couple

22:40times throughout the day. And I mean,

22:42the guy never guy was as cool as he

22:45could be. Um, never sounded stressed

22:47out. Basically said he had everything

22:49everything under control. If he needed

22:51any assistance with anything, he let us

22:53know. Um we did send extra manpower out

22:56there because one of the big issues with

22:57all the road uh destruction and road

22:59closures is um a good portion of the

23:02officers who were assigned to the

23:04district actually live in Hilo Puna and

23:06Volcano. So um getting those officers

23:09for a couple days was very to the

23:11district was very challenging. They

23:12actually had to go over Saddle Road

23:14through Kona to get there. Um and um we

23:18actually had a couple officers, you

23:20know, who got stuck out there, but um

23:22you know, just generally speaking about

23:24Captain Hanoi, he's done an outstanding

23:26job out there through this uh storm and

23:29and otherwise. And um you know, about a

23:32week after Hurricane Lala and you know,

23:36trying to get trying to get everything

23:38squared away, then we had to start

23:39preparing for um Hurricane Mo, which was

23:42headed headed our way. Um, one last

23:45thing, um, you know, not not only does

23:48Captain Huno work in the district and

23:50live in the district, but, um, he was

23:52also without, um, electricity and water

23:55at home for for over a week, which

23:57obviously we all know, you know, you go

23:58to work all day, you want to go home and

24:00take a hot shower and have a hot meal,

24:02you know, with your family. And that was

24:03also something um, you know, that he

24:06didn't have the the luxury of having for

24:09for a little while. So, um, he just did

24:11an outstanding job. And I I thank you

24:13guys for this opportunity and this

24:15recognition of him.

24:16>> Thank you chief. I just also want to

24:18recognize captain your families here in

24:19the chambers with us. We have your wife

24:21Alani and your Kiki Umi and Na. Correct.

24:25So

24:26>> so captain if you would like to share a

24:27few words please make sure you press

24:28your button there and uh share what

24:30you'd like to with the council today.

24:32Thank you for joining us.

24:33>> Uh well uh first and foremost uh like

24:36the assistant chief mentioned uh thank

24:38you guys. Uh, this is a real honor for

24:41me. Um, I'm usually used to, you know,

24:45maybe nominating and recognizing

24:46officers that work under me that I

24:49believe deserve recognition for a good

24:51work they do. Um,

24:54so this is not something I'm used to

24:56being in this seat now. But uh uh

24:58regarding you know the the reason why

25:00I'm here and more specifically uh the

25:03efforts that were put towards uh

25:05safeguarding and doing the best job we

25:07could uh during and after the hurricane.

25:10Um not to sound cliche about this but um

25:14again it's a it's a true honor to to

25:16receive this but I'd also like to make

25:18it known that it's not it's not just me.

25:21Something that I I'm going to receive

25:23and uh I just want to give credit where

25:25credit's due. And this was truly truly

25:28accomplished. The obstacles that we

25:29faced and had to overcome was truly the

25:32result of of the teamwork. Um I'm

25:35blessed to have, you know, good men and

25:37women Hawaii Police Department uh

25:39specifically with the Naku Patrol

25:41Division that showed up every day and

25:43selflessly did the best they could uh to

25:45help the community that they sort of

25:47serve and protect. And um that's

25:51basically what I what I have to say.

25:53>> Thank you, Captain. I appreciate those

25:55words. Before I pass it over to my my

25:57colleagues and uh present the award to

25:59you, I just wanted to share some remarks

26:01here in terms of what what the

26:02certificate kind of notes about your

26:04career and your work in community. Um,

26:07Captain Hanoa is a 20-year veteran with

26:10the Hawaii Police Department. You were

26:11born and raised in Caou, and you have

26:14dedicated your career to protecting and

26:16serving the community that you call

26:17home. And throughout your career, you've

26:20received you've served in numerous roles

26:22as chief has mentioned on patrol,

26:25criminal investigations, and the

26:26juvenile aid section before you became

26:28the captain of the Caou district.

26:31What stands out about Captain Hanoa is,

26:33you know, not only your commitment to

26:34public safety, but as you shared, you

26:36know, your leadership and your

26:38appreciation of those you serve

26:39alongside.

26:41Over the years, you've made it a point

26:43to recognize the accomplishments of your

26:45fellow officers, highlighting their

26:47character, their compassion, and their

26:49dedication to their community. And that

26:51speaks volumes about the leader you are

26:53in community. So, mahalo. And of course,

26:56during Hurricane Law, as was shared with

26:57us here this past August, Captain

27:00demonstrated those same qualities under

27:02extraordinary circumstances. you know,

27:04despite your own family, you know, being

27:07impacted by the storm, you continued

27:09leading your officers, going door to

27:11door to check on residents and helping

27:13community throughout this difficult the

27:15difficult conditions.

27:17And then just days later, you and your

27:19officers preparing for other approaching

27:21storms. So, your steady leadership, your

27:24compassion, and your deep connection to

27:26the people of Caou truly embody the

27:28spirit of the Hava Award.

27:31So on behalf of the Hawaii County

27:32Council, we'll present this, but I'd

27:34love to share the floor with my

27:36colleagues if they have any other

27:36remarks at this time.

27:43[clears throat]

27:44>> Congratulations, Captain Hanoa. Um,

27:48yeah, we've known each other quite a

27:50while and yeah, it's just it makes me

27:52happy to see you getting this award.

27:54It's, you know, very very much deserved.

27:57Thank you for making the trip or your

27:59family making the trip here. Um

28:04it's uh you can't even say how deep your

28:07family's roots are in Cahoo. I mean it's

28:11you are Caou like blood and bone and

28:14everything. And uh

28:18so

28:20I know that you like so many have really

28:23suffered through these hurricanes to see

28:26what happened to our like wohino where

28:29we live and other places. Um so I just

28:34wanted to say recognize that and we've

28:37but we've we've come through and I think

28:40we're slowly healing.

28:43It's very nice not to have a hurricane

28:45every week so that you can start to

28:47heal. [laughter]

28:49Um, thank you so much for your your

28:52steady leadership. We we experienced

28:55things that are hard to really explain

28:57to people who haven't um been there. Um,

29:02but

29:03I know we're going to come out of it and

29:07share some of our experiences so that

29:10people can be better prepared for these

29:12kinds of events that may come again.

29:16Thank you so much to you and your

29:18family.

29:23>> Council member Kirkwood.

29:25>> Thank you, Council Member Hustus. Um,

29:27Captain, you said it's an honor to

29:29receive the award, but really it's an

29:32honor for the council to present it to

29:34you. Um, I I can't even underscore

29:39the fact that you were you and your

29:41ohana were survivors of a devastating,

29:45life-changing event.

29:47And in those fight or-flight moments,

29:50you chose to not only do your job, but

29:53go above and beyond to take care of the

29:56community of Caou. And that is

29:58incredibly significant because,

30:02you know, I represent the district of

30:03Puna. We went through the volcanic

30:05eruption

30:07and it's just in those moments of crisis

30:09where you really see what people are

30:11made of and you are salt of the earth

30:16kind of individual. So, thank you for

30:18going above and beyond to not only take

30:20care of your family and your neighbors

30:22but the entire community. I think the

30:25recovery work is going to be a very long

30:29undertaking. Um, but knowing that folks

30:32like yourself are in the department that

30:35are committed to being there and going

30:37to help shape that recovery, um, I think

30:40you guys are going to be more than okay.

30:42So, thank you. But also, mahalui to your

30:44family, to your beautiful wife and

30:46children for for being his rock, for

30:49being there, because you really do need

30:51a strong family unit to support your

30:54partner so that he can go out and give

30:56the very best to his community every

30:59single day. So, thank you. And again,

31:00congratulations.

31:02>> Thank you, Council Member. Appreciate

31:04that. Council Connley Kleinfelder.

31:06>> Thank you, Chair. Uh, thank you,

31:08Assistant Chief Wilkins and Captain

31:10Hanoa. Um, Assistant Chief, thank you

31:13for recognizing Cap and Captain, thank

31:16you for being here, what you did. Um, we

31:20we all experienced different

31:24repercussions of the storm.

31:26Um, what I saw a lot was and what I got

31:29a lot was phone calls letting me know

31:31that people were out of power. And while

31:34we in government strive to do everything

31:36we possibly can to make sure our

31:38communities are safe, ultimately I do

31:41see a disconnect between the people and

31:44the folks in government because the the

31:46automatic thought is everyone in

31:48government is fine. We all have a warm

31:50house. We all have power. We're all

31:52taken care of. But throughout the

31:54storms, I'm continuously reminded that

31:57our linesmen, our police officers, our

32:00civil defense folks, our firefighters

32:03[snorts] are responding to everything

32:04that's going on. All the emergencies,

32:08rain or shine, and yet when they go

32:10home, they don't have power, they don't

32:12have water, and they're just like

32:14everybody else. So, thank you for being

32:16so steadfast in your response to help

32:19community, as Miss Kima said, where you

32:22have a that's that's your ohana's home,

32:25but going back to your household, not

32:28even having hot water to take a shower

32:31and continuing to show up for your

32:32community. So, thank you. And then thank

32:34you, Fahana, for coming in today and I

32:36appreciate your resolve and your

32:38commitment to service for our community.

32:40Thank you.

32:42>> Thank you, Council Member Vice Chair.

32:44>> Thank you, Chair.

32:49Congratulations, Captain Hano. You know,

32:51it's really awesome to hear that you're

32:54born and raised in Cahoo in your

32:56community and you serving your district

32:59now. So, it's the most ideal. I think

33:02you knowing your community, you know

33:04where that whole district, right? So,

33:06you can really help them and it's not

33:08like someone from another area coming

33:11into there and learning all what the

33:13culture is and how the community works,

33:15right? So, I'm really happy to hear

33:18that. And now it's like just like you're

33:20giving back to your community and your

33:22district. So that's awesome. And to your

33:25family, thank you very much for your

33:26support. And hopefully they're athletic

33:29and they're playing in Hypal. [laughter]

33:31So

33:33I got to push that, right? But yeah,

33:36congratulations again. Thank you for all

33:38your hard work.

33:40>> Thank you, Vice Chair.

33:42Uh well, Captain Hanoa, you know, this

33:46really this really denotes and notes

33:49your many years of dedicated service to

33:50the department and your community and

33:52for the example you lead for your fellow

33:54officers. So, on behalf of the county

33:55council, thrilled to present this award

33:58for October 2026 to you. If all could

34:01join me in a sincere aloha and

34:04congratulations to Captain Hanoa and a

34:06hearty cheer. Mahalui.

34:21This this uh council meeting is in

34:23recess for about 10 minutes. [snorts]

34:43You should stay down there.

37:16papers.

37:19>> Well, no homework. I already did the

37:21homework.

37:41Mr. Cler, I'm going to call this meeting

37:43back to order and we can continue with

37:44our testimony. Go ahead.

37:53>> Thank you, Acting Cher Nishi. Mr.

37:55Aselli, please proceed with testimony.

37:59Understood.

38:02Chair, your next two testifiers will be

38:04via Zoom. The first of which is

38:08Hannah Preston Peta testifying on Bill

38:10192 to be followed by Michelle Stfan.

38:13Hannah, if you could please unmute your

38:15mic and introduce yourself. You'll have

38:17two minutes to provide your testimony.

38:24Aloha, Vice Chair Onishi and members of

38:26the county council. My name is Hannah

38:28Preston Pet of the Big Island Substance

38:30Abuse Council and I want to approach

38:32this testimony a little bit differently

38:33today. For me, Bill 192, draft 3 is

38:37really about protecting the capacity

38:38that has been built in our community. At

38:41BISAC, the fund has allowed us to

38:43respond to gaps that had existed for

38:45many, many years. We were able to

38:47strengthen social detoxification

38:49services and develop Mohalla Family

38:50Center so that individuals and families

38:53could access support before their

38:54situation became even more unstable.

38:57With the vision of moving forward with a

38:58female detoxification program due to

39:00recent need, BISAC continues to service

39:03the most vulnerable populations

39:04islandwide. What I have seen through

39:06this process is that the homelessness

39:08cannot be addressed by one program or

39:10one agency. People often need several

39:13things at once. treatment, housing, case

39:15management, basic nec necessities,

39:17behavioral health care, and someone to

39:19help them navigate what comes next. And

39:22behind every program or service is a

39:24person trying to re regain some

39:25stability in their life. Sometimes

39:28success is not immediate permanent

39:30housing. Sometimes it is complex or

39:32completing detox, re reconnecting with

39:35family, entering treatment, securing

39:37identification, accessing benefits, or

39:39simply taking the next step. Those steps

39:42matter because they are often what makes

39:43long-term stability possible. I also

39:47want to address accountability. There

39:48have been a lot of discussion in the

39:49community and I think it is important

39:51that those discussions are based on

39:52accurate information. In fact, we are

39:55currently undergoing a county audit at

39:56this time to demonstrate compliance and

39:58accountability. As funded organizations,

40:01we have ongoing reporting requirements

40:03and contractual obligations. BISAC

40:05always underos external financial

40:07audits, annual license l licensing,

40:09accreditation reviews, quality

40:10assurance, and other compliance

40:11processes. I support continued review,

40:14transparency, and improvement. But I

40:16also believe that we should recognize

40:18what has already been built and what

40:19could be lost if the capacity

40:21disappears. Can you imagine how our

40:23county will look without this funding?

40:25Who will take the lead if nonprofits are

40:26not able to do so? This fund has allowed

40:29our community to respond in ways we

40:30could not before. For that reason, I

40:33respectfully ask you to support Bill

40:34192, draft 3, and allow us to continue.

40:36>> Thank you so much for your testimony.

40:38Your two minutes are up, so we have to

40:40move on. Chair, your next testifier via

40:42Zoom is Michelle Stfanic, testifying on

40:44bills 186187.

40:46Michelle, when you're ready to begin,

40:47you can unmute yourself and you'll have

40:48two minutes to provide your testimony.

40:51>> Thank you. Aloha, chair and council

40:54members. My name is Michelle Stfonic and

40:56a resident of Woah village testifying in

40:59opposition to bill 186 and 187. The land

41:03the LAC has already forwarded this bill

41:06186 and un with an unfavorable

41:09recommendation. Rather than repeat

41:11concerns you've already heard throughout

41:13this process. I want to focus on what

41:15remains unresolved. Before changing

41:18additional land from agriculture to

41:20urban, we should know that Walawoa can

41:22safely support the cumulative growth

41:25already approved or being proposed.

41:28After 18 years, we still don't have a

41:30permanent second road that was already

41:32identified as a very high priority by

41:34the county back in 2008. If the Daniel

41:37K. Inui highway extension that

41:39Councilman Hustus brought up during the

41:41LAAC meeting on October 6 is being

41:44relied upon as part of the solution, we

41:46need to be clear about what it actually

41:48provides. First, it is not a guaranteed

41:51nearterm solution. HOT is still in the

41:55environmental review with construction

41:57currently projected between 2031 and

42:002035. More importantly, based on the

42:04alternative studies to date, it does not

42:06create a new independent directly exit

42:10directly from Waloa village. Residents

42:13would still have to leave the village

42:14using the same existing Waloa road

42:17before reaching it. If the county

42:19believes this future highway will

42:20materially improve Walo evacuation, then

42:24demonstrate that through a cumulative

42:26wildfire evacuation study first. include

42:30current residents, projected regional

42:32growth, realistic wildfire, road

42:35closure, and the proposed highway, and

42:37show us how much evacuation time it

42:40actually saves. I'm not asking one

42:43developer to solve Wolo's regional

42:46infrastructure problems. I'm asking the

42:48council not to authorize additional

42:50growth before government demonstrates

42:53the community can safely support it.

42:56Please uphold L the LL Lac's unfavorable

43:00res.

43:01>> Thank you so much for your testimony,

43:02Mr. Stefanic.

43:03>> The two minutes are up, so we're going

43:05to move on. Thank you so much.

43:07>> Yeah, I'm going to transition now to

43:10187. Is that okay?

43:11>> Yeah.

43:12>> Okay. For bill 187, I want to focus on

43:15whether the condition added to this

43:17project actually protects the entire

43:20community. Wildfire mitigation, water

43:23conservation, drainage requirements, and

43:26other conditions within Wallo Greens are

43:29positive steps, but they do not solve

43:31the regional problems. Water

43:33conservation within one development does

43:35not establish whether the Yha aquifer

43:38can sust sustain support uh current

43:42residents previously approved

43:44development white greens and future

43:46growth during the October 6 LAC meeting.

43:50The Commission on Water Resource

43:52Management told you there is not a

43:54completed and approved Yimea water use

43:57development plan that accurately

44:00establishes the aquafers authorized plan

44:03use. They also acknowledge limitations

44:06in tracking future demand from

44:08developments approved through county

44:10land use decisions and estimated current

44:13withdrawals together with potential

44:15withdrawals from the two non-reporting

44:18wells at approximately 91% of the

44:20aquifier's current sustainable yield.

44:23Before authorizing more demand, we need

44:26to not only we need to know not only

44:30what's being pumped today, but what has

44:32already been committed to for future

44:34developments. Additionally, Waloa school

44:37is has approximately 725 students with a

44:40capacity of 702. Additional housing

44:43means more students.

44:45Realistic wildfire evacuation for those

44:48students still remain unresolved. I'm

44:50not asking you to stop development. I'm

44:52asking you to sequence it responsibly.

44:55Complete the commun cumulative water

44:57analysis. Address school capacity,

45:00student evacuation, complete the commun

45:03cumulative wildfire evacuation study and

45:06establish an enforcable path towards

45:09adequate roadway infrastructure. Then

45:12add more residents. Please uphold the

45:14LAAC's unfavorable recommendation and

45:17vote no for bill 186 and 187 or defer it

45:21until the fundamental safety and

45:23resource questions are answered. Mahalo

45:26for the opportunity to testify.

45:28>> Thank you so much. And with that we can

45:30come back to Con.

45:32>> David Foster, please come forward to

45:34testify on bills 1861 187. And Donald

45:38Elder, please come forward testify on

45:40the same

45:46Mr. Foster, please press the button to

45:48activate the microphone. Start by

45:50introducing yourself.

45:52Please proceed.

45:56Uh, good morning, council. Um, my name

45:59is David Foster. I'm representing the

46:01wildfire safety advocates of Waloa. I

46:04want to uh read some excerpts from uh

46:07electronic testimony that we uh

46:09submitted. It doesn't replace or change

46:12anything in that document. I just want

46:14to highlight some of the sections that

46:16uh we call out. Wildfire Safety

46:19Advocates of Waloa wants to see new

46:22housing built in Waloa. Our community

46:25urgently needs homes that working

46:27families can afford. But families should

46:30never have to choose between an

46:31affordable home and their safety. They

46:33deserve both. This testimony is about

46:36how we get there. and we will work with

46:38anyone in common cause to do it,

46:41including Waloa Green. Waloa village has

46:44one way out. The county has called a

46:47second road a very high priority since

46:492008, and 2045 general plan designates

46:52the village as a high-risisk wildfire

46:54area. Bills 186 and 187 adds up to 777

47:00homes and lots to that same road. While

47:04has heard promises about a second road

47:06for nearly two decades, what it has not

47:08seen is a commitment that is written

47:10down, funded, and enforcable. Until that

47:13commitment exists, our positions on

47:15bills 186 and 187 can't remain

47:18unchanged.

47:20We are not asking for a finished road

47:22before a single new home is house is

47:24built, but we have to take first steps.

47:27And that's a journey we can't walk

47:29alone.

47:30We need you to be with us. Here are four

47:34necessary steps. Advance the $2.5

47:37million approved for a second road

47:39design and cost estimation. We can't

47:41make progress without clarity. Conduct a

47:44cumulative regional evacuation capacity

47:46and traffic analysis encompassing the

47:49entire Waloa community. We cannot

47:52understand the consequences of growth by

47:54evaluating each development application

47:56in isolation. I'm going to translate uh

47:58transition to 187.

48:01Develop an equitable regional funding

48:04plan with shared contributions from

48:06developers, commercial interests,

48:09major land owners, government, and

48:11residents and integrate wildfire safety

48:14into Waloa's zoning and permitting

48:16framework so future growth does not have

48:18to outpace community safety. Kauaii

48:21offers some possible models for that.

48:24These are intercon interconnected steps

48:27towards a safer, more resilient waloa.

48:29We are ready to do our part. We ask the

48:32council to join us in turning these

48:34steps into a practical plan of action.

48:38Our community should not have to choose

48:39between housing and the ability to

48:41escape a wildfire. With real commitment

48:44in place first, it won't have to. Mahalo

48:47for listening.

48:49>> Thank you for your testimony. Please

48:50proceed, Mr. Elder.

48:53>> Hi. Uh my name is Donald Elder. I'm live

48:56in Walawa Village. I'm speaking in

48:59opposition to bills 186 and 187. Um just

49:05first of all want to repeat how

49:07harrowing the uh evacuation from the

49:10Mona Road wildfire in 2021 was. The

49:15winds were strong, keeping helicopters

49:18out of action, and only a change in that

49:21wind enabled the firefighters to keep

49:24the fire from sweeping down through the

49:26community. Uh there were still people uh

49:29trying to exit the village 6 hours after

49:32the initial evacuation order went out.

49:35Um the uh general plan approved in June

49:39of this year clearly spells out the

49:42council's responsibility to avoid

49:45expansion of residential capacity before

49:49fire risk is definitively assessed and

49:52addressed. And I recommend that you

49:55support the committee's dis unfavorable

49:58vote on this issue. Thanks.

50:04Thank you for your testimony. Please

50:06proceed. Mr. Rose Ariselli.

50:10>> Thank you so much.

50:14>> Chair, your next testifier.

50:16Seems like there's an issue with our

50:18camera. Sorry. Our next testifier is via

50:21Zoom. Bob Bhorquiz testifying on Bill

50:25147 to be followed by Lester Estrella

50:27testifying on Bill 192. Bob, when you're

50:30ready to begin, if you could unmute your

50:32mic, introduce yourself, and you'll have

50:34two minutes.

50:40Bob, I just sent you a request to please

50:43unmute

50:44to provide your testimony.

50:48Oh,

50:51there you go. If you could click that.

50:54Sorry, we can hear you. We can see you,

50:56but we can't hear you. I'm asking you to

50:58unmute. if you could click that.

51:03Nope, we cannot hear you.

51:10We'll come back to you. In the meantime,

51:12we will try and take up less less

51:14Estrella. If you're ready to provide

51:15your testimony, please introduce

51:17yourself and you'll have two minutes.

51:20Hello,

51:20>> council members. I'm Les Estrella,

51:22president and CEO of Going Home Hawaii

51:24and convene the Hawaii Island going home

51:26consortium. I'm here in strong support

51:29of Bill 192 and the continuation of the

51:31homelessness and housing fund. I know

51:33personally what's at stake. I've been

51:35homeless. I've been involved in the

51:37justice system. 26 years ago, I got a

51:40second chance. There were people who

51:43believed in me and helped me move

51:44forward. Today, I'm in a position to

51:46help others. From January to June, our

51:49Hilo and Kona programs received 260

51:52referrals and helped 91 people secure

51:54housing. With HHF support, we've

51:57expanded our housing capacity to more

51:59than 120 beds islandwide. This means

52:02that someone has a place to sleep

52:04tonight, a place to get ready for work

52:06tomorrow, a chance to reconnect with

52:08family, for someone who has been living

52:10on the street or coming out of jail with

52:12nowhere to go. That can change

52:14everything. Our staff help people access

52:17treatment, find employment, and work

52:19through the problems that can put them

52:20back on the street. Our Justice

52:22Navigator reaches justice involved

52:24people in the downtown area before

52:26another crisis becomes another emergency

52:28room visit or another arrest. Office of

52:32Housing and Community Development and

52:34our nonprofit partners have built

52:35something together that our community

52:37needs. We need to sustain it. We support

52:40the audit. We welcome accountability.

52:43Let's use the findings to improve

52:44services while keeping people housed and

52:46supported. Continuing this funding gives

52:49us the ability to follow through with

52:50people. We cannot ask someone to commit

52:52to rebuilding their life while leaving

52:54the support they depend on uncertain.

52:56The need will continue beyond 2029.

52:59Let's use this extension to build a

53:01dependable funding plan 40 years ahead.

53:03>> Seconds, please.

53:04>> Please pass bill 192. Mahalo.

53:07>> Thank you so much for your testimony. At

53:10this time, if we could go back to Bob.

53:11Bob, if you could unmute. I just sent

53:13you a request to unmute. If you just

53:15click that, you should be able to unmute

53:17at this time.

53:25Unfortunately, it Oh, there it goes.

53:27Seems like we can hear you now. If you'd

53:29like to try, you can introduce yourself

53:31and you'll have two minutes.

53:33>> Sorry. I had um inform them that I would

53:36be using my husband's tablet. So, I'm

53:38I'm Julie Elias and I'm uh testifying on

53:42Bill 147 today. Um, my husband and I

53:46operated a hosted transient vacation

53:48rental on Kohala Ranch, which is zoned

53:50agriculture. We decided to rent out a

53:53portion of our home to help us meet our

53:55monthly home expenses. Due to increasing

53:58costs, the dis the decrease in Hawaii

54:00tourism, and the high increase in

54:02property taxes that we must now pay

54:05because we operate a TVR, our net profit

54:08was only $1,000 in 2025,

54:12which is a substantial reduction in the

54:14amount we previously earned. This amount

54:16of money is hardly worth going through

54:18the registration process, the SUP

54:20process, and the associated fees we will

54:23be be required to pay. Therefore, we are

54:27considering terminating our TVR

54:29business. I do not think that the county

54:31intended to put people out of business

54:33that are just trying to make ends meet

54:34in a very expensive state in which to

54:36live. However, this is the result of the

54:39ownerous and expensive process. If we do

54:42decide to continue renting, the special

54:45use permit process is our primary

54:47concern. It's unclear to us if we need

54:50an SUP, how much obtaining an SU will

54:53cost, how long it will take, and whether

54:55we can continue to operate our rental

54:57while we undergo this process. We would

54:59like to know which application on the

55:01county website we would need to

55:03complete. Is it the SUP for bed and

55:05breakfast even though the term bed and

55:07breakfast no longer applies to our

55:09rental? Please clarify this in the bill

55:11so that we have a clear process to

55:13follow. We believe that operators with

55:16pre-existing rental should have an

55:18easier

55:20>> and cheaper method to obtain the SUP.

55:24>> Higher cost could potentially put us out

55:26of business. So, please make clear

55:30definitions and a clear permitting

55:32process pathway.

55:35Thank you.

55:36>> Thank you so much for your testimony. We

55:38can come back to Kona for our next

55:39testifier. Ania Null, please come

55:42forward by testimony bill 147. And

55:45Kathleen Keane, please come forward by

55:47testimony bill 186187.

55:51Yes. No. Okay, your microphone is

55:53activated. Just get a little bit closer

55:54so make sure we can hear you. Please

55:56proceed and start by introducing

55:58yourself.

56:00>> Good morning. My name is Ana No and I

56:02live in Kona. I'm here today because I'm

56:05worried. I was born and raised in a

56:07communist Poland, families and tourist

56:09area, rented rooms to the visitors,

56:12helping support their household. Isn't

56:15it ironic that even in under that

56:18system, ordinary people could rent rooms

56:20to travelers? They weren't treated like

56:23a commercial businesses or subject to

56:25overregulations.

56:27I came to America believing in a private

56:29property, personal responsibility, and

56:32the freedom to earn a living. That's why

56:35Bill 147 troubles me. My husband and I

56:38both work full-time jobs. The income

56:40from the hosted rental is not a luxury.

56:44It helps keep us keep our home. I

56:47respectfully oppose Bill 147 limiting

56:50hosted rentals to one unit. Takes away

56:53my property rights. I have two small

56:56separate rooms with bathrooms that are

56:58not suitable for long-term rentals. More

57:01importantly, the bill assumes

57:03restricting hosted rentals will create

57:05affordable housing. Let's be realistic.

57:08Over the last several years, property

57:10taxes, insurance, and other ownership

57:12costs have increased dramatically. Our

57:14modest home value went from 400 to 1

57:17million in this market. The mortgage

57:19expenses are 5,000. Insurance 1,200 a

57:22month. Property taxes went to 1.4 uh to

57:2613,000. utilities.

57:29This the math simply doesn't work. It

57:31will not it's not worth anymore. The

57:33county assumes every vacation rental

57:35removed from the market will become

57:36affordable housing. That simply isn't

57:38true. Many properties will be likely

57:40sold to somebody else. My rentals

57:44support local jobs. I hire cleaners,

57:46landscapers, and maintenance workers.

57:49The income stays in this community. The

57:52claim that hosts do not pay taxes is

57:54simply not true. You cannot list a

57:57property on Airbnb without a GE tax. In

57:59real re in reality, we are among the

58:02most heavily taxed property owners in

58:04Hawaii County. Thank you so much for

58:06your time.

58:07>> Thank you for your testimony. Is

58:08Kathleen Keane available?

58:14>> Hold on to that one and move forward to

58:15John Pelier for testimony on bill 147

58:20and 2011.

58:26Aloha, New Kako. Aloha, chair, members

58:28of the council. John Peliter, resident

58:30of Kona, and I'll start my testimony on

58:32bill 147. Uh, just providing comments.

58:35Uh, I wanted to mahalo the council for

58:37incorporating the amendments that were

58:39originally proposed by the Kona

58:40Community Development Plan Action

58:41Committee, removing RM and CN zoning

58:44from the list of allowable areas where

58:48uh unhosted short-term vacation rentals

58:49can operate. These amendments were

58:51supported by the planning department.

58:52both planning commissions and the Office

58:54of Hawaiian Affairs. So, I want to mahal

58:57you all for recognizing that broad

58:58support. And I know there's a lot more

59:01to work on with the bill. It's a big

59:03one. I hope we can come to a consensus

59:05on it and um get something passed that

59:08really works for the community. Uh

59:11transitioning to bill 2011. Um

59:13testifying in support of 2011. Uh,

59:16Council Member Viega said at the last

59:17meeting um how much how terrible the

59:22current park and ride situation is in

59:23Kona. It's frankly an embarrassment on

59:26our community. You know, there's no

59:29shelter. It's it's off streetet parking

59:32on street parking with no bus shelter in

59:35the hottest part of the island. I've

59:36taken the bus out of there and I've

59:37gotten sunburned. So, I think it's

59:40really great that Mass Transit is moving

59:41forward with a plan to create first the

59:45new park and ride facility to really

59:47correct that necessary thing and then

59:49continue to build up a hub, you know, as

59:52time goes on. Uh, we didn't get a lot of

59:54information at the committee meeting,

59:55but the location sounds great. Um, and I

59:58hope we will get some more information

59:59at this meeting. I'd just like to

1:00:01highlight that in the Kona community

1:00:03development plan, there's transportation

1:00:05policy 1.6, Six, the redevelopment of

1:00:08Kyua should include a plan to create an

1:00:10intraona transportation service with

1:00:12Kyua or Makao village as the hub or

1:00:15transit center and transportation action

1:00:181.6A is determine the location design

1:00:21and function of the major transit hub.

1:00:24The timeline on this was supposed to be

1:00:25about 15 years ago, so it's a little bit

1:00:27late, but better late than ever. And I

1:00:29really hope uh we can get some support

1:00:30on this and mass transit can move

1:00:32forward. So mahal for the opportunity to

1:00:34testify

1:00:35>> and thank you for your testimony. Please

1:00:36proceed. Mr. Arelli,

1:00:38>> thank you so much. Chair, your next

1:00:40testifier is via Zoom, Michelle Manalo,

1:00:43testifying on bill 192 to be followed by

1:00:46Linda Halbertter. Michelle, when you're

1:00:47ready to begin, please introduce

1:00:48yourself and you'll have two minutes.

1:00:50>> Thank you. Aloha Cherry Onishi and

1:00:53members of the Hawaii County Council. My

1:00:55name is Michelle Manalo representing

1:00:57Going Home Hawaii and I am here in

1:00:59strong support of bill 192 draft 3 to

1:01:03continue the homelessness and housing

1:01:05fund through June 30th, 2029.

1:01:08Through our work, we see firsthand the

1:01:10challenges individuals face when

1:01:12returning to our communities after

1:01:14incarceration.

1:01:15Many are trying to rebuild their lives,

1:01:17reconnect with their families, and find

1:01:20meaningful employment. Yet something as

1:01:22basic as having a safe place to call

1:01:24home remains out of reach. We hear from

1:01:28individuals who want nothing more than a

1:01:29second chance. Imagine being released,

1:01:32determined to do better, but having

1:01:34nowhere safe to sleep, no stable address

1:01:37to apply for a job, and no place to

1:01:39begin rebuilding your life. For many,

1:01:42this is the reality of re-entry.

1:01:45Housing is more than a roof over

1:01:46someone's head. It provides dignity,

1:01:49stability, and the foundation for

1:01:50lasting change. When people have access

1:01:53to housing and supportive services, they

1:01:56have a better opportunity to succeed. We

1:01:59recognize the importance of

1:02:00accountability, transparent reporting,

1:02:03and responsible stewardship of public

1:02:05funds. But reducing these critical

1:02:08services will not eliminate

1:02:10homelessness. It will only make the

1:02:12journey towards stability more

1:02:13difficult. At Going Home Hawaii, we

1:02:16believe that successful re-entry

1:02:17strengthens families, improves public

1:02:20safety, and builds healthier

1:02:22communities.

1:02:23>> 30 seconds, please.

1:02:25>> Thank you. I respectfully urge the

1:02:27council to support Bill 192, draft 3.

1:02:30Continue this essential funding through

1:02:32June 30th, 2029, and preserve the full

1:02:35continuum of care. Mahalo for your time

1:02:38and your commitment to our Hoy Island

1:02:40community.

1:02:41Thank you.

1:02:42>> Thank you so much. Our next testifier is

1:02:45Linda Halbrer. Linda, when you're ready

1:02:46to begin, please introduce yourself and

1:02:48you'll have two minutes.

1:02:50>> Aloha, council members. I'm Linda

1:02:52Halbrer. My husband and I are both in

1:02:54our 80s and have lived on the Big Island

1:02:57for 45 years. We raised our two boys in

1:03:00North Kohala. They graduated Kohala High

1:03:03School in 84 and 87. My husband is

1:03:06disabled and our vacation rental income

1:03:09is what helps us get along with get by

1:03:14along with our social security and small

1:03:16pension. We live on a fixed income and

1:03:19with the cost of everything going up,

1:03:21every dollar matters. I'm asking for you

1:03:24to please consider how Bill 147 will

1:03:28affect people like us who have worked

1:03:30hard all of our lives and depend on this

1:03:33income to stay financially secure. My

1:03:36first concern is the rule allowing only

1:03:40the TVV per prop only one per property.

1:03:44Many homes have separate bedrooms or

1:03:47living spaces that can be rented

1:03:49independently.

1:03:51We should be we should

1:03:55property be why should property be

1:03:58limited to just one rental when it has

1:04:01fewer than five bedrooms for us. This

1:04:04will cut our income in half. At our age,

1:04:07we cannot simply go out and find another

1:04:09job to make the difference. We need to

1:04:12we need you to responsibly limit the and

1:04:15allow existing rentals to continue

1:04:17operating. My second concern is the new

1:04:21requirements on vacation rentals on

1:04:23agricultural land. We have been

1:04:26operating paying tax

1:04:29>> and at tax and I understand the county

1:04:33needs the rules but those rules should

1:04:35not be fair to people who have been

1:04:38operating in good faith.

1:04:41I respectfully ask to reconsider these

1:04:45provisions in bill 147.

1:04:48>> Thank you for your testimony. We can

1:04:50come back to Kona for our next

1:04:51testifiers.

1:04:52>> As Lynn Chalker, please come forward by

1:04:54testimony bill 186187. And Martina,

1:04:59I'm sorry I can't read the last name.

1:05:01There's two Martinez. Raise your hand.

1:05:03If there's not, Martina, please come

1:05:04forward by testimony bill 147.

1:05:10Miss Chalker, please proceed. Start by

1:05:11introducing yourself. You have two

1:05:13minutes.

1:05:14>> Aloha, members of the council. My name

1:05:16is Alen Chalker. I'm here today to

1:05:19testify on bills 186 and 187. First, I

1:05:22want to be clear that I have nothing

1:05:24against this development or the people

1:05:26behind it. I am not here to say no. I'm

1:05:30here to say yes if.

1:05:33I understand the need for housing. We

1:05:35all know that housing is critical. But

1:05:38every new home adds more people and more

1:05:41cars to the single public road that

1:05:44serves Waloa village. That is currently

1:05:47not enough in an evacuation for the

1:05:49people who currently live there today.

1:05:53Yes, we have a new emergency route

1:05:55coming, but it is not enough. I implore

1:05:58you to see that adding growth before the

1:06:00infrastructure is in place continues to

1:06:03put the current residents in harm's way.

1:06:06So before this resoning can take place

1:06:08to pave the way for new development,

1:06:11Waloa needs a second road funded and

1:06:14planned. The county already has $2.5

1:06:17million allocated for the design and

1:06:20planning, but that money continues to go

1:06:22unspent. We need a cumulative impact

1:06:25study for the entire region, not one

1:06:28project at a time. There is tension

1:06:31between housing and safety on our

1:06:33island, but I have yet to see a plan

1:06:36that addresses the safety of the people

1:06:38of Waloa village. And until I do, my

1:06:41community and I will keep speaking up

1:06:43for the people who live there now and

1:06:45the families who will move there next.

1:06:47Please vote no or defer these bills

1:06:50until the risk is reduced so we can all

1:06:52get out. Mahalo.

1:06:54>> Thank you so much.

1:06:58[clears throat] Aloha chair and council

1:06:59members. My name my name is Martina Wing

1:07:02a big island resident for over 25 years

1:07:04testifying as an individual on bill 147

1:07:06in opposition. Our own house and Kalua

1:07:09Kona live in it and host guests under

1:07:11the same roof. I've been testifying for

1:07:13many years since council member Kimble

1:07:16uh started this process. Um how often

1:07:19can I come here and speak and is anybody

1:07:22listening? However, I'm still here. I

1:07:24stay engaged and I continue to feel

1:07:26trapped. I'm an intelligent woman

1:07:29running a small company and I cannot

1:07:30forward this bill as it changes. The

1:07:33last latest draft reads again like

1:07:35patchwork. More amendments were added

1:07:37this morning. Um continue to be

1:07:40confused. To those who sit here now in

1:07:43committee, you voted 5 to four against

1:07:45bill 147. Please hold to that caution

1:07:47and stop this madness. To the incoming

1:07:50council members, if this bill does not

1:07:52die before you arrive, be ready for

1:07:54continued push back. Bill 147 tries to

1:07:57clean up 50 or 50 or 60 years of poor

1:07:59planning and weak enforcement by piling

1:08:01on requirements so heavy that hosts will

1:08:03be forced out. We just heard a

1:08:06constituent saying that even though it

1:08:08never calls itself a ban.

1:08:10That is the complete opposite of what

1:08:12Kimble said at the beginning of this

1:08:14process. I've spent hours on Zoom or

1:08:17here in chambers only to earn my three

1:08:18minutes. Today I only have two. This is

1:08:21the most important part of the of

1:08:23anything I say right now. Please use

1:08:26your time wisely. Let Bill 147 die now

1:08:29and work on a resolution to postpone the

1:08:31December 31 registration deadline.

1:08:34Council has moved it before and the same

1:08:37reasons apply again. Asking people to

1:08:39register for a process that no one can

1:08:41describe is not fair to anyone. Please

1:08:43work for the people. Hosts are not

1:08:45asking to avoid regulation. We're asking

1:08:47for rules that are clear, final, and

1:08:49possible to follow. I pay my taxes on

1:08:51time and this is my retire retirement.

1:08:54Mahalo.

1:08:57>> Thank you so much. Our next two

1:08:58testifiers via Zoom chair are

1:09:02Dominique Miles to be followed by

1:09:04Raymond Dangaran. Both testifying on

1:09:06bill 192. Dominique, when you're ready

1:09:08to begin, please introduce yourself and

1:09:10you'll have three minutes.

1:09:15>> Aloha chair and council members. My name

1:09:18is Dominique Miles and I'm the director

1:09:19of human resources with the Big Island

1:09:21Substance Abuse Council and I'm here

1:09:23today in support of Bill 192 draft 3. I

1:09:27had the opportunity to testify before

1:09:29you previously and I wanted to come back

1:09:31today to once again express my support

1:09:34and share a little more about why why

1:09:36this funding is so important to our

1:09:39community. One thing I've learned

1:09:41through the work that we do at BISAC is

1:09:43that homelessness is not always just

1:09:46about someone not having a place to

1:09:48live. There are often so many other

1:09:50challenges that come along with it.

1:09:52Whether it's substance use, mental

1:09:54health, incarceration,

1:09:56family struggles, or simply not having

1:09:59the support system that many of us

1:10:01sometimes take for granted. And I think

1:10:04sometimes we forget just how difficult

1:10:06it can be to someone to rebuild their

1:10:09life when they're trying to overcome all

1:10:11of those challenges at once. We often

1:10:14talk about wanting people to make better

1:10:16choices to get treatment, to find

1:10:19employment, and to become pro productive

1:10:21members of the community. But we also

1:10:24have to ask ourselves, are we giving

1:10:26them the resources and opportunities

1:10:28they need to actually do those things?

1:10:31Because the reality is we cannot expect

1:10:34people to become stable when everything

1:10:36around them is unstable. In my work,

1:10:39I've had the opportunity to see

1:10:41individuals at some of the lowest points

1:10:43in their lives. But I've also had the

1:10:45privilege of seeing what happens when

1:10:47someone believes in them, when they have

1:10:49access to services, and when they're

1:10:51given the opportunity to make a change.

1:10:54And that's something I don't think we

1:10:55can put a price on. When we invest in

1:10:58programs that provide housing,

1:11:00treatment, and supportive services,

1:11:02we're not just helping one individual.

1:11:04We're helping families. We're helping

1:11:06our communities. And we're helping to

1:11:07break cycles that have sometimes

1:11:09continued for generation. That's why I

1:11:12support bill 192 draft 3 and the

1:11:14extension of the homeless and housing

1:11:15fund through 2029. Continuing this

1:11:18funding gives organizations and services

1:11:20service providers the opportunity to

1:11:22keep doing this important work and gives

1:11:24individuals and families continued

1:11:27access to to the support they need. So

1:11:30as you make your final decision today I

1:11:32respectfully ask for your support of

1:11:34bill 192.

1:11:35>> Thank you so much for your testimony.

1:11:37Sorry we have to move on.

1:11:39>> Chair your next testifier is Raymond

1:11:40Dongaran. Also testifying on bill 192

1:11:43and then we can come back to Kona for

1:11:44our next testifiers. Raymond, when

1:11:46you're ready to begin, please introduce

1:11:47yourself and you've got two minutes.

1:11:51>> Aloha members of the Hawaii County

1:11:53Council. My name is Raymond Dangran and

1:11:56I serve as the health and safety manager

1:11:58at the Big Island Substance Abuse

1:12:00Council. I urge you to sustain the

1:12:03Hawaii County Homeless and Housing Fund,

1:12:05an investment that saves lives,

1:12:08strengthens families, and supports our

1:12:10community. I'm testifying today in

1:12:12support of the bill 192.

1:12:15This fund connects shelter, treatment,

1:12:18recovery, and housing. It helps

1:12:21establish BISACS Mahala Family Center

1:12:24and Hawaii Island's first detox program,

1:12:27filling critical gaps in care for

1:12:30someone rebuilding their life. These

1:12:32services offer a path to treatment,

1:12:35sustained recovery, employment, renew

1:12:39family connections, and a safe place to

1:12:42live. Together, they help people move

1:12:45from crisis toward stability. We must

1:12:48continue to measure results and improve

1:12:51services. Yet, persistent homelessness

1:12:54does not mean these programs have

1:12:56failed. Cutting services does not

1:13:00eliminate the need. It shifts the burden

1:13:02and cost the emergency rooms, law

1:13:04enforcements, and shelters.

1:13:07Please sustain the county of Hawaii

1:13:09homelessness and housing fund. Behind

1:13:12this fund are people longing for a safe

1:13:14place to sleep, a chance to heal, and a

1:13:18way back to their families.

1:13:20Recovery is more than getting through

1:13:22crisis.

1:13:23>> It is rebuilding a life with dignity,

1:13:26hope, and a sense of belonging.

1:13:29Please protect the services that make

1:13:31that journey possible. Keep the door

1:13:34open to recovery, to home, and to the

1:13:37chance to begin again. Mahalo for your

1:13:39time and commitment to the community.

1:13:45>> Thank you for your testimony. Bob Yunki,

1:13:47please come forward to provide testimony

1:13:49on bill 186187.

1:13:51And Nathan, it looks like Egg, please

1:13:55come forward to testify on bill 147.

1:13:59Good morning, Mr. Chairman and members

1:14:01of council. I came I've come today to

1:14:04thank you to thank you especially for

1:14:07the no vote on 186 and 187 two weeks

1:14:11ago. what and and to share with you what

1:14:14I'm hearing from the community from the

1:14:16senior center members for example that I

1:14:19meet with regularly and with our members

1:14:22for wild fire safety they're saying they

1:14:26really care about us they really want to

1:14:29save lives in our community they want to

1:14:33make sure that we have a way out so we

1:14:36are here to thank you for that vote and

1:14:40to continue on this path

1:14:42You started on this path thanks to our

1:14:45council member last year uh by adopting

1:14:48a $2.5 million appropriation in the SIP

1:14:52budget to actually plan the engineering

1:14:55for this second road. And the only

1:14:59reason we are here today to oppose 186

1:15:02and 187 is because that money isn't

1:15:05being spent to advance this project.

1:15:09There is conversation in the community

1:15:12about using chapter 32 to pay for this

1:15:15road from the community. We are not here

1:15:19to ask the rest of the county to build

1:15:21this road for us. We are here to ask you

1:15:25to advance the process. And the first

1:15:27thing that we need is a clear design for

1:15:31the road, the engineering work done, so

1:15:34we know what the budget item is to put

1:15:37in for a bond under chapter 32. That's

1:15:41that's why we're here. That's why we're

1:15:43asking you to vote no right now on the

1:15:45housing to make sure that we can move

1:15:48forward with what we need to protect our

1:15:51community. And so far you've done what

1:15:55we need and we can ask you please to

1:15:58continue uh helping us make progress in

1:16:02this project. Thank you.

1:16:04>> Thank you for your testimony.

1:16:09>> Please proceed by stating your name. You

1:16:10have two minutes.

1:16:12>> Hello. My name is Nathan Aen. Um and

1:16:15thank you to the chair and council

1:16:16members for hearing my testimony. Um,

1:16:19I've been watching the Bill 147 and its

1:16:22predecessor process unfold for what

1:16:25feels like close to 10 years now,

1:16:27starting with the previous bill 108 and

1:16:29its regulation of unhosted vacation

1:16:31rentals.

1:16:33I've tried to follow those twists and

1:16:35turns and I still strongly oppose bill

1:16:38147 in its current form and ask the

1:16:41council to return it for substantial

1:16:43revision

1:16:44particularly in its treatment of

1:16:46existing operations and property rights.

1:16:48With bill 108, there was a clear NU

1:16:51process for people that didn't meet the

1:16:53new criteria that were being introduced

1:16:55at that time. There's no such uh process

1:16:58that's clearly delineated in this bill

1:17:00uh 147 for residents of this island who

1:17:04aren't getting the same type of

1:17:06treatment as people who may not even

1:17:08live on the island received in 2018. The

1:17:11county planning department has issued,

1:17:13you know, general approval of people who

1:17:15lived on their properties continuing to

1:17:17rent those properties without a permit.

1:17:20And now people specifically on eggland

1:17:22are being told that to continue doing

1:17:24what they've done for years, they're

1:17:26going to have to go through a complex

1:17:28permitting process that can cost tens to

1:17:31hundreds of thousands of dollars. And at

1:17:33the same time, somehow we're suspending

1:17:36the performance guarantee of the

1:17:38planning department to actually hear and

1:17:39approve those permits. So you're putting

1:17:42people into a quagmire where they don't

1:17:44know how they will continue to be able

1:17:46to operate and run their businesses. I

1:17:49also specifically think the one unit per

1:17:51TVR or one TVR per property really

1:17:55doesn't align with what the types of

1:17:56buildings that the planning department

1:17:58has approved over the last 50 years.

1:18:00Many houses are distributed into lots of

1:18:03structures and many people rent those

1:18:05individually. And then finally, I think

1:18:07that the limitation on bedrooms really

1:18:09needs some sort of uh reflection of the

1:18:12reality of how homes are on Hawaii

1:18:14County. Thank you for hearing my

1:18:16testimony. Thank you for your testimony.

1:18:19>> Thank you so much. Our next testifiers

1:18:21via Zoom are Kristen Alice testifying on

1:18:23Bill 192 to be followed by Adrien Sosk

1:18:28on bill 147. Kristen, when you're ready

1:18:30to begin, please introduce yourself and

1:18:31you'll have two minutes.

1:18:33>> Aloha council. My name is Kristen Alice

1:18:36and I am the director of community

1:18:37relations for Hope Services Hawaii. I am

1:18:40here today to testify in strong support

1:18:42of bill 192 to extend the homelessness

1:18:45and housing fund until 2029. And I first

1:18:48just want to thank you folks for your

1:18:49support and commitment for our community

1:18:51members who are experiencing

1:18:52homelessness and housing insecurity and

1:18:55for taking this creative measure to try

1:18:59something new, see how it works. um

1:19:01enact accountability and do what you can

1:19:04to make sure that the people who are our

1:19:06neighbors on Hawaii Island can have a

1:19:09place to call home because housing is a

1:19:11human right and we all deserve that. Um

1:19:14so first I just want to say homelessness

1:19:16is it requires a coordinated response.

1:19:18So, as you've seen over the last few

1:19:20years, we've worked together with not

1:19:22only our fellow service providers, but

1:19:24also with uh the county, with local

1:19:27government, state governments, federal

1:19:28governments, also local businesses, and

1:19:30philanthropy. Um, if this fund were to

1:19:33disappear, the problem wouldn't

1:19:36disappear. All you have to do is look on

1:19:38Zillow and see the prices of housing

1:19:39going up um to see why people are

1:19:42getting displaced. And that problem

1:19:44would be continue to be borne by

1:19:46emergency rooms, by um local service

1:19:49provide, other local service providers,

1:19:51um by emergency services, local

1:19:53businesses, parks, all of us um will

1:19:57fill it in some way or another. So, it's

1:19:59really great that you folks are taking

1:20:00this proactive step to address it um and

1:20:03to ensure that this funding can continue

1:20:05in these programs that are

1:20:06>> seconds, please. funded. Um, every

1:20:10dollar that you invest helps to attract

1:20:12also funding from other sources such as

1:20:14the federal government. Um, for example,

1:20:17our medical respit program has a high

1:20:19success rate of getting folks into

1:20:21permanent housing. We're the only

1:20:23certified medical respit provider on

1:20:25Hawaii Island um that has achieved uh

1:20:28that has achieved accreditation from uh

1:20:31that has achieved the accredit certain

1:20:32accreditation and that just helped us to

1:20:35receive $1.78 million in the state award

1:20:38to expand our care up to 40 beds. So

1:20:40folks who are in the hospital and need

1:20:42>> Sorry Kristen, your two minutes are up

1:20:44so we're going to have to move on. Thank

1:20:45you so much for your testimony. Chair,

1:20:48thank you.

1:20:48>> The last testifier we have via Zoom at

1:20:50this time is Adrien Sosk. Adrien, at

1:20:53this time, if you'd like to provide your

1:20:55testimony on Bill 147, you can unmute,

1:20:57introduce yourself, and you'll have two

1:20:59minutes.

1:21:05>> My name is Adrienne Suchek and I am

1:21:07testifying against draft bill 147. While

1:21:11I understand the county's desire to

1:21:13address affordable housing, the impacts

1:21:15of this transit accommodation risks real

1:21:18harm to rural communities and the small,

1:21:21locallyowned businesses that depend on

1:21:23tourism. In many rural areas of Hawaii

1:21:27Island, visitor accommodations provide

1:21:29income not only for property owners, but

1:21:31for cleaners, maintenance workers,

1:21:33landscapers, etc. Tourism is our largest

1:21:36economic engine currently and

1:21:38restricting participation

1:21:41um in putting it in hands of those that

1:21:43can afford commercial properties or

1:21:46living in large um zoned areas is

1:21:49unfair. These bills raise serious

1:21:52concerns about property rights and

1:21:54fairness as well. People have made

1:21:56significant financial decisions based on

1:21:58the laws and regulations currently in

1:22:00place and this undermines those

1:22:02investments and the financial security

1:22:04of local families. Property owners

1:22:06should be treated fairly with clear

1:22:08rules. I ask the council to consider

1:22:10whether this trip bill is truly pono,

1:22:13listening to all sides, recognizing the

1:22:16diversity of our islands communities,

1:22:18and avoiding solutions that benefit some

1:22:20residents at the expense of others.

1:22:22Rural property owners deserve a voice

1:22:24and a fair opportunity to participate in

1:22:27Hawaii Island's visitor economy just as

1:22:30larger businesses do. I urge the council

1:22:32to reject the current draft bill 147 in

1:22:35its current form and pursue solutions

1:22:37that protect housing opportunities

1:22:40without unfairly restricting property

1:22:42rights, undermining rural economies, or

1:22:44excluding local families from our

1:22:46island's largest economic sector. Mahalo

1:22:48for your time.

1:22:50>> Thank you so much. And with that, we can

1:22:52come back to Kona.

1:22:53>> Joe Schneckenberger and Caitlyn Miller,

1:22:56please come forward by testimony in bill

1:22:58147.

1:23:07Mr. Schneckenberger, you may proceed.

1:23:09Your microphone is already activated.

1:23:11Please start by introducing yourself.

1:23:13You have two minutes. I'm Joe

1:23:15Schneckenberger from Kyua Aakona and

1:23:18listening and watching over the years

1:23:21appears that Bill 147 is kind of a hot

1:23:23mess. Even Heather agrees and keeps

1:23:26changing it around from day to day and

1:23:28it's not a necessary thing at all.

1:23:31Something you should definitely

1:23:33dis discontin continue till next year.

1:23:36Put it off forever.

1:23:38Um, another thing related to bill 147

1:23:41was the law 2550 which has been delayed

1:23:44and sort of 147s maybe trying to fix

1:23:47some of the things that are still wrong

1:23:48in 2550. I would encourage you to spend

1:23:51your time perhaps postponing or

1:23:53repealing 2550.

1:23:56What has happened in the year since it's

1:23:58been delayed?

1:24:01Nothing. Nobody's died.

1:24:04Nobody's had to move off the island

1:24:06because of the law hasn't taken effect

1:24:08yet. It's not a necessary law. Neither

1:24:11147 nor 2550 are necessary. I [snorts]

1:24:14encourage you to think about that and

1:24:16impose 147 today and think about perhaps

1:24:20postponing maybe for a year or two or

1:24:22delaying forever 2550 as well. Thank you

1:24:26for your time, council.

1:24:28>> Thank you for your testimony. Miss

1:24:29Miller, please proceed. Start mentioning

1:24:31yourself. You have two minutes.

1:24:33>> Aloha. Council members Caitlyn Miller on

1:24:35behalf of the Hawaii Mid and Short-Term

1:24:36Rental Alliance. Hi mass appreciates the

1:24:39efforts of the planning department and

1:24:40council members to address concerns with

1:24:43bill 147. It's important to acknowledge

1:24:45how we arrived here. Ordinance 2550 was

1:24:48presented as a straightforward

1:24:50registration process. However, its

1:24:52implementation revealed broader

1:24:54permitting and enforcement implications

1:24:56for existing operators that were not

1:24:58fully understood or communicated when

1:25:00adopted. These unintended consequences

1:25:02are a significant part of why we are

1:25:04here today. While Bill 147 addresses

1:25:07some challenges, concerns remain

1:25:08regarding hosted rental definitions and

1:25:10agricultural land permitting

1:25:12requirements. Importantly, we've been

1:25:14advised that if Bill 147 fails, existing

1:25:17hosted rentals that have operated for

1:25:19years without permits will now be will

1:25:21now be expected to obtain them. The only

1:25:23available permitting pathway is costly

1:25:25and burdensome, creating significant

1:25:27uncertainty for residents who have

1:25:29operated in good faith. Bill 147

1:25:31provides protections for certain hosted

1:25:34rentals that would otherwise face those

1:25:36requirements. We also acknowledge that

1:25:38state land use requirements exist

1:25:40independently of bill 147, including

1:25:42special use permits for certain

1:25:44agricultural land operators. While the

1:25:46bill provides exemptions in some

1:25:48circumstances, other residents will

1:25:50still need a reasonable, streamline, and

1:25:52attainable pathway regardless of the

1:25:55outcome. This places everyone in a

1:25:57difficult position. We cannot overlook

1:25:59the remaining concerns, but allowing

1:26:01Bill 147 to fail does not necessarily

1:26:03protect residents. We urge council to

1:26:05pursue the path that creates the least

1:26:07harm, recognizing that additional

1:26:08collaboration and likely further

1:26:10legislation will be necessary regardless

1:26:12of today's outcome. If more time is

1:26:15needed, we encourage consideration of

1:26:17extending the registration deadline to

1:26:19allow these issues to be addressed.

1:26:21HIMASS remains committed to working

1:26:23collaboratively toward practical

1:26:25solutions that protect residents and

1:26:26existing operators. Thank you for your

1:26:28time today.

1:26:31>> And thank you for your testimony.

1:26:32Josephine Kilipio, please come forward

1:26:34by testimony bills 1861 187. And I'll

1:26:37ask again if Kathleen Keane is available

1:26:40and if so, please come forward. If not,

1:26:42Miss Kelly EPO, please activate the

1:26:44microphone and uh start by introducing

1:26:46yourself and you'll have two minutes per

1:26:48item if you transition um noticeably.

1:26:54So, my name is Josephine Kilipio. I I've

1:26:57been living in Kyloakona for almost 40

1:26:59years, but before that I came from Hilo,

1:27:03the Kyokaha community.

1:27:07Um although I live in Kaigo Kona, the

1:27:10wildfire issue really caught my

1:27:13attention after what happened in Lahina.

1:27:17My mom was born and raised in Lahina and

1:27:20I still have cousins living there. The

1:27:23way in which the fire spread so rapidly

1:27:27down Lahina Luna road and then veered to

1:27:31the south all the way to Puamana condos

1:27:35and then north to Wahikuli

1:27:38was absolutely shocking.

1:27:44I don't think we want something like

1:27:46that happening in Waloa. Wo is a very

1:27:49windy area already

1:27:51and um what a few months ago

1:27:55you know they had to evacuate.

1:27:58So I am strongly in opposition of both

1:28:01bills 186 and 187 based on all the

1:28:05excellent testimonies provided by the

1:28:07people of Waloa.

1:28:09Please vote no or defer both bills until

1:28:12the requests of the villagers at Waloa

1:28:16are met. Mahalo

1:28:18>> and thank you for your testimony, Miss

1:28:20Kipio. Chair, those are all the

1:28:22testifiers we have. We may proceed with

1:28:24the agenda.

1:28:25>> Okay. Thank you very much, the clerk.

1:28:28Okay. So, we're doing approval of

1:28:30minutes. Anyone has any amendments?

1:28:35Hearing or seeing none, minutes are

1:28:36approved for um sorry for July 23rd, 26

1:28:43and August 5th, 26.

1:28:47Okay, Mr. [clears throat] Clerk, I'm

1:28:50going to take some bills out of order.

1:28:53Okay. And so, let's do Bill 186 and 187.

1:29:14Yeah. Go ahead.

1:29:16Bill 186 amends the state land use

1:29:18district boundaries map by changing

1:29:20district classification from agriculture

1:29:22to urban at white koa south kohala

1:29:24Hawaii covered by portion of tax map key

1:29:2668002016

1:29:30and bill 187 draft 4 amends section

1:29:3225-8-14

1:29:34koa village district zone map article 8

1:29:36chapter 25 of the Hawaii county code

1:29:382016 edition as amended may change

1:29:40district classification from residential

1:29:42agriculture 1 acre and open to multif

1:29:44family residential 1,500 ft² family

1:29:48agriculture 1 acre agriculture 10 acres

1:29:50and open at Waloa South Kohala Hawaii

1:29:53covered by a portion of tax map key

1:29:54680016

1:29:56applicant Waloa green LLC area 14.868

1:30:00868 acres. Later planning commission for

1:30:02a federal recommendation for this

1:30:04amendment to state land use boundaries

1:30:05map for the and for the requested change

1:30:07of zone which allow applicant to develop

1:30:09a 400 unit multiple family housing

1:30:11complex with the clubhouse related

1:30:13improvements properties located the

1:30:14southeast side of Pilia Street

1:30:16approximately 810 ft south of his

1:30:18intersection with white glow road. Both

1:30:20bills are introduced by request um by

1:30:23council member Kimble

1:30:26Houston.

1:30:26>> Thank you chair. Uh motion to approve

1:30:29bill 187 draft 4 at first reading.

1:30:32>> Second.

1:30:32>> Okay. Motion by Mr. Houston, second by

1:30:34Miss Kirkwood. Go ahead, Mr. Houston.

1:30:36>> Thanks, Vice Chair. Appreciate the time

1:30:38here. Uh and I appreciate everyone's

1:30:40opportunity to join us today uh and

1:30:42provide testimony. Just for the record,

1:30:44I want to briefly reflect on where we've

1:30:46come throughout this process. Michael

1:30:48Green has generate discussion about

1:30:50housing, wildfire safety, evacuation,

1:30:54uh, water, drainage, flooding, and

1:30:56infrastructure that's necessary to

1:30:57support future growth in our

1:30:58communities. These are important

1:31:00concerns, and I appreciate the

1:31:02residents, agencies, community

1:31:05organizations who have participated in

1:31:06this ongoing conversation.

1:31:09We have worked as a body to strengthen

1:31:11the proposal through several amendments

1:31:13that have been adopted on wildfire

1:31:15resilience. We established a requirement

1:31:17for the development to achieve and

1:31:19maintain compliance with Fire Wise USA

1:31:21principles or an equivalent county

1:31:23approved wildfire resilience plan.

1:31:25Something of which we have not really

1:31:26seen in some of our reszone applications

1:31:28before. On water conservation, we

1:31:31required a water conservation plan with

1:31:33a goal of reducing residential potable

1:31:35water demand by at least 30% compared to

1:31:38a new typical construction while

1:31:40emphasizing greater efficiency and the

1:31:42use of alternative and non-pottable

1:31:44water sources. And on drainage and

1:31:46flooding, we strengthen the conditions

1:31:48to address concerns identified in the

1:31:50South Paula flood study, including

1:31:52upstream runoff and potential impacts on

1:31:54surrounding and downstream properties.

1:31:56This body also supported an amendment

1:31:58strengthening sequencing of affordable

1:32:00housing obligations as that development

1:32:02progresses through its stages. Uh these

1:32:05amendments really establish an important

1:32:06requirement and a greater accountability

1:32:09through that development approvals

1:32:11following whatever happens to these uh

1:32:13these bills going forward.

1:32:15At the same time, there are broader

1:32:17infrastructure challenges that remain

1:32:19unresolved, particularly for the need of

1:32:21a second arterial road for White Cola

1:32:23village. The state continues its work on

1:32:26additional emergency eress route and

1:32:28this body, as was shared by testifiers,

1:32:31and as you know wholeheartedly, secured

1:32:33$2.5 million in appropriations for the

1:32:35design and engineering of a permanent

1:32:37arterial road for the community. But

1:32:39additional work on financing and

1:32:41regional partnerships is an ongoing

1:32:43conversation. We've also continued

1:32:46receiving questions about regional water

1:32:48resources and the cumulative impacts of

1:32:51future developments. Uh these

1:32:52discussions do deserve continued

1:32:54attention and should also include

1:32:56engagement with our state agencies.

1:33:00Lastly, the need for housing across our

1:33:02island is significant. I think you all

1:33:04know that particularly for working

1:33:06families seeking opportunities to live

1:33:08closer to where they work as we attempt

1:33:10to address cost of living challenges.

1:33:13Our responsibility is to find a balance

1:33:15between meeting those needs and

1:33:17carefully evaluating the impacts of

1:33:19future growth. This is an important part

1:33:22of our land use planning process which

1:33:24provides opportunities to establish

1:33:25conditions and ensure that appropriate

1:33:28safeguards are met as development

1:33:30progresses.

1:33:32And these amendments that we've we've

1:33:33adopted reflect that approach and

1:33:35recognize that responsible growth

1:33:37requires both meaningful project level

1:33:39requirements and continued investment in

1:33:41our broader community infrastructure.

1:33:45Vice Chair, I I recognize that the

1:33:46applicant is seeking additional time and

1:33:49opportunity to continue these

1:33:50conversations and address some of the

1:33:52concerns raised by community. So with

1:33:54that, I move to postpone bill 187

1:33:58to July 7th, 2027.

1:34:01Okay. Motion by Mr. Houston, second by

1:34:04Miss Kirkowitz. Discussion on the

1:34:07postponement. Members

1:34:10Oh, M. Kirk, go ahead.

1:34:12>> Um, thank you, acting chair. Thank you

1:34:14for that. Uh, council member Hustus, you

1:34:17know, I was revisiting the South Kohala

1:34:20um community development plan,

1:34:21specifically the section on Walawa

1:34:23Village, and I noted four policies.

1:34:26providing infrastructure for a growing

1:34:28community, preserving open space,

1:34:31providing transportation and circulation

1:34:33improvements, and encouraging affordable

1:34:36housing and smart growth.

1:34:41There has been a lot of work by the

1:34:43developer to engage community and that

1:34:46is not something that's always very

1:34:47typical. often they come to the council

1:34:50without having met community and in this

1:34:52instance there was a lot of time spent

1:34:54trying to figure out what to do. I don't

1:34:57think that council is the proper forum

1:35:01to hash out what's needed by community.

1:35:03The most important venue for that is in

1:35:06community and with community. And so I

1:35:07fully support council member Huis'

1:35:10motion to defer this bill to

1:35:14a later date so that the applicant can

1:35:16work genuinely with the community to

1:35:19figure out issues related to circulation

1:35:21and the wildfire risk and water

1:35:24availability.

1:35:25I think that there are a number of

1:35:28funding mechanisms that can be explored.

1:35:30There was a particular note in the Waloa

1:35:33village plan section that talked about

1:35:36the county working in partnership with

1:35:38the community association and community

1:35:39in general and area developers to fund

1:35:42these solutions. We have things like

1:35:45community facilities and improvement

1:35:47districts that can really be something

1:35:50viable to get the infrastructure that's

1:35:53necessary that's necessary for this

1:35:55community. So I hope that um this is

1:35:59sufficient time for the applicant to

1:36:01work genuinely again with the community

1:36:03to resolve issues so that the next time

1:36:06you're here before council um you can be

1:36:09in support of solutions that the

1:36:11community and the applicant have agreed

1:36:12to together. Thank you chair.

1:36:14>> Okay. Any other members? Oh

1:36:18>> uh thank you chair. Uh to the

1:36:20applicant's

1:36:23person Mr. Pippen. Uh, thank you for

1:36:25being here this morning. I don't I don't

1:36:26have any questions for you. Thank you.

1:36:28Uh, I appreciate the want to postpone.

1:36:32Uh, for the testifiers, thank you for

1:36:34making time to come in today. Uh, and

1:36:37for the past what, six weeks and showing

1:36:40up and testifying. I think your voices

1:36:42uh have been heard appropriately

1:36:45and decision-m can proceed in the

1:36:47future. I I would caution the folks of

1:36:50White Kaloa uh in two different fronts.

1:36:54One uh next year you will sit in front

1:36:56of a completely new council with a

1:36:59minimum of four new members and you will

1:37:02have four new thoughts going into

1:37:05whether or not this development should

1:37:07proceed or not. And then two, the

1:37:11conversation regarding roads. Uh many

1:37:14years ago, I met with the previous

1:37:18director of the shipping group and

1:37:21interesting as we talked about how to

1:37:23improve our my district, Puna, uh the

1:37:27comment came up, well Matthew, you do

1:37:29understand when you build more roads,

1:37:32you invite more people to the community.

1:37:36It took me a while to figure that out.

1:37:37To me, I see roads is the improvement,

1:37:39but I would just caution

1:37:41as you improve your roadways and create

1:37:44new roadways to service your community,

1:37:46you also will invite more development

1:37:48into those roadways. And if the road is

1:37:51the concern that is being addressed by

1:37:53the community as the safety mechanism

1:37:56for a oneway in, one way out, if you

1:37:58create a new road, you no longer have

1:38:02your argument to lean on on why you

1:38:04shouldn't put more homes in Waloa. So

1:38:06think about how you're going to proceed

1:38:08in the future with the new council with

1:38:10that in mind.

1:38:12I look forward to the postponement. I

1:38:14think it's appropriate and I'll be

1:38:15supporting it. Thank you.

1:38:19>> Okay. Any other members? No, Mr. Cler.

1:38:23Let's go a roll call.

1:38:24>> Very good. On the motion to postpone

1:38:27bill7 draft 4 to July 7, 2027. Council

1:38:31member Galima.

1:38:32>> I.

1:38:34>> Council member Hust. Hi,

1:38:36>> Cherry Naba.

1:38:37>> Hi,

1:38:38>> Council Member Kagiada.

1:38:40>> Hi,

1:38:41>> Council Member Connie Lee Kleinfelder.

1:38:42>> Hi,

1:38:43>> Council Member Kirkowitz.

1:38:44>> Hi,

1:38:45>> Council Member Campbell.

1:38:46>> I council Viegas.

1:38:48>> Acting Chair Onishi,

1:38:50>> I.

1:38:51>> Acting Chair Onish, you have seven votes

1:38:52in favor with council member Zinab Vegas

1:38:54absent and excused. The motion carries.

1:38:57Bill 187, draft 4 is postponed to July

1:38:597, 2027.

1:39:02Okay. So, let's go back to bill 186.

1:39:05>> Yeah. Move to approve bill 186 at first

1:39:07reading.

1:39:08>> Okay. Motion by Mr. Houston, second by

1:39:10Miss Kirkowitz. Go ahead, Mr. Houston.

1:39:12>> Thank you, Vice Chair. Motion to

1:39:14postpone bill 186 to July 7th, 2027.

1:39:18>> Okay. Motion by on postponement to July

1:39:2120 July 7th, 2027

1:39:24by Mr. Houston. Second by Miss Kirkwitz.

1:39:27on the post movement

1:39:29Kleinfer

1:39:30>> now to the applicant letting you get up

1:39:32I'm gonna make this statement

1:39:3414

1:39:36nine whatever acres is extremely close

1:39:40to 15 acres and I would hope the next

1:39:45body reviewing this request

1:39:48would look at the entire

1:39:51system of parcels being requested and

1:39:55hopefully

1:39:58that number can be pushed up to 15 where

1:40:00I think it should be at so it can be

1:40:02reviewed by the land use commission.

1:40:04Thank you.

1:40:05>> Okay. Any other members? Okay, Mr. Clerk

1:40:09roll call

1:40:11>> on the motion to postpone bill 186 which

1:40:14is at first reading to July 7, 2027.

1:40:17Council member Gimba

1:40:19>> I.

1:40:19>> Council member Hues

1:40:20>> I.

1:40:21>> Cherry Nava.

1:40:22>> Council member Kagiada.

1:40:24>> Hi. Council member Connie Lee

1:40:25Kleinfelder.

1:40:26>> Hi.

1:40:27>> Council member Kirkowitz.

1:40:28>> Hi.

1:40:28>> Council member Kimble.

1:40:30>> Hi.

1:40:31>> Council member Viegas.

1:40:32>> Acting Cher Nishi.

1:40:34>> I.

1:40:34>> Acting Cher Nish. You have seven votes

1:40:35in favor with two absent excuses. Those

1:40:38being council members Inaba and Viegas.

1:40:41The motion carries. Bill 186 is

1:40:43postponed at first reading to July 7th,

1:40:472027.

1:40:48>> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Can you

1:40:50reading read in bill 147 draft 2?

1:41:05Is there any additional testimony for

1:41:06bill 147 draft 2?

1:41:10Hearing none. Bill 147 draft 2 amends

1:41:13chapter 2 and chapter 25 of the Hawaii

1:41:15County Code 1983 2016 edition as amended

1:41:18relating to transient accommodations.

1:41:20Establishes operational standards and

1:41:22use regulations for hosted and hosted

1:41:24trans vacation rentals. Allows hosted

1:41:27TBRs is permitted use in the single

1:41:29family residential, double double family

1:41:31residential, multiple family

1:41:32residential, residential, commercial,

1:41:34mixeduse, resort hotel, neighborhood

1:41:35commercial, general commercial, village

1:41:37commercial, special downtown, Hilo

1:41:39commercial zoning districts. Allows

1:41:41hosted TVRs as a permitted use in

1:41:43certain agriculture zoning districts

1:41:44under certain conditions. Allows

1:41:46unhosted TVs as a permitted use in the

1:41:49resort hotel, general commercial,

1:41:50village commercial, and special downtown

1:41:52Hilo commercial zoning districts. allows

1:41:54unhosted TVRs in certain areas of the

1:41:56neighborhood commercial or residential

1:41:58zoning districts under certain

1:41:59conditions. It's introduced by council

1:42:01member Kimble with communication 806.9

1:42:04from council member Heather Kimble dated

1:42:06September 1, 2026 transmitting a

1:42:09document entitled B&B hosting scenarios

1:42:11in SLOU agricultural district. Kimble

1:42:14>> chair motion to approve bill 147 draft

1:42:17two at first reading.

1:42:19>> Okay. Motion by Miss Kimble, second by

1:42:22Miss Kakiwara. Miss Kimble,

1:42:24>> thank you. Um,

1:42:27I want to state very clearly what my

1:42:29objective is today, which is to get at

1:42:32least five of you to yes on this. Um, it

1:42:34is critically important that we move

1:42:38this bill forward. Um I'm I'm

1:42:41disappointed that some of the testifiers

1:42:43left that are frequent flyers on this

1:42:45particular issue because there's a a

1:42:47fundamental

1:42:49piece of this which is that if 147 does

1:42:53not pass then we go to the language in

1:42:57the code as it is now but has not been

1:43:00enforced by the department. So to

1:43:03reiterate that the definition of a bed

1:43:05and breakfast in the code as it stands

1:43:07now is m means any single family

1:43:11dwelling andor guest house pursuant to

1:43:13section 25-4-9

1:43:16which have been permitted on a building

1:43:18site in which overnight accommodations

1:43:20and only breakfast meals are provided to

1:43:22a maximum of 10 guests for compensation

1:43:25for a period of less than 30 days. So

1:43:28that's the definition. Anything rented

1:43:31less than 30 days is a is a bed and

1:43:33breakfast in our code. Now, section

1:43:3625-4-7

1:43:40defines bread and breakfast

1:43:42establishments and what they are. It

1:43:45says that they are permitted in RD, RM,

1:43:50RCX, V, CN, CG, CV, and CDH districts.

1:43:56Permitted. You can operate a bed and

1:43:58breakfast. No further steps needed.

1:44:01They may be permitted in an RS district,

1:44:05R A F A district within the state land

1:44:09use urban

1:44:11provided that a use permit is obtained.

1:44:14So in any of the residential districts

1:44:16that I just listed, you will need a use

1:44:19permit under the current code to

1:44:21continue operating a bed and breakfast.

1:44:23That is what the law says right now

1:44:27in

1:44:29um a special permit, so an SUP shall

1:44:32also be required for any bed and

1:44:34breakfast located in either state land

1:44:36use rural or agricultural.

1:44:39So, bill 147 actually proposes that in

1:44:42state land use rural, no use permit or

1:44:45special use permit would be needed. The

1:44:48only time that we are requiring a

1:44:50special use permit under bill 147 is on

1:44:53state land use a that is post 1976

1:44:57because of the Rose Hill decision and

1:44:59the definition in state law of a farm

1:45:01dwelling.

1:45:03Those taken in conjunction 147 has a

1:45:07less stringent requirement with respect

1:45:10to bed and breakfasts

1:45:12or hosted rentals depending on what

1:45:14terminology you use than what is

1:45:16currently in the law now and will be

1:45:18enforced moving forward. I will also

1:45:21note that under this section it is clear

1:45:23that a bed and breakfast is five

1:45:25bedrooms under under our code right now.

1:45:28Anything more than five bedrooms has to

1:45:30be permitted under another structure as

1:45:32a lodge, as an inn, as an apartment,

1:45:34hotel. Now, the commercial districts,

1:45:37again, those are permitted uses. And so,

1:45:39you do not need to get a special use

1:45:40permit or use permit in any of those

1:45:42districts.

1:45:44So, it is um section, let's see, where

1:45:48are we? Um

1:45:53section uh B4 of that section. So B4 of

1:45:57section 25-4-7

1:45:59limits bed and breakfast establishments

1:46:01to no more than five guest bedrooms for

1:46:04rent to guests. That is in the existing

1:46:07code. Now it is not an addition with

1:46:09147. We're just having that consistency.

1:46:12Um, I did want to ask the um, director

1:46:17to come up and just express again the

1:46:20importance to the planning department of

1:46:22having 147 pass in terms of what it's

1:46:26going to mean with respect to compliance

1:46:29and enforcement. Um, and why I need to

1:46:34again get at least five of you to yes

1:46:36today. Um, and I so I I want to give the

1:46:41director a chance to speak to that. But,

1:46:44um, before I do, um, I do have the one

1:46:49question to ask you, director, that came

1:46:51up in some of the testimony today, which

1:46:53is why do we register only one TVR per

1:46:57property? And if you can answer that and

1:46:58then follow up with the importance of

1:47:01the passage of 147 to your department.

1:47:03Thank you.

1:47:05Aloha,

1:47:06Chair Onishi, members of the Hawaii

1:47:09County Council, Jeff Darl with the

1:47:11planning department. Uh, I would just

1:47:13like to begin by saying I agree with

1:47:16everything that council member Kimble

1:47:19has said. Uh it is uh vital that we move

1:47:23this bill forward to assist in our um

1:47:29regulation of hosted rentals, B&Bs,

1:47:33whatever we're going to call them, uh

1:47:35especially in light of uh chapter 6 uh

1:47:40that has been passed and is uh currently

1:47:43active as of September 1st. Um to

1:47:47address the question, uh it we allow

1:47:51only one TVR uh based on the uh current

1:47:56code as well as um uh the proposed code.

1:48:01You're only allowed one TVR per building

1:48:04site unless that particular property is

1:48:08uh condominiumized or CPR. Uh typically

1:48:12you'll find apartments, condos, hotels

1:48:16that may be CPR. Uh we have a number of

1:48:20them in the RM zoning. In the original

1:48:24bill 108, it allowed for SDVRs in the R

1:48:29RM zoning as long as they were CPR. Um

1:48:33so that's uh hopefully that answers that

1:48:35question. if I could if I could address

1:48:39a few comments that were made. Um,

1:48:43chair, if that's okay. Oh, thank you.

1:48:46>> Uh, so there was um a few comments that

1:48:50said they only allow one uh it sounded

1:48:54like the testimony was one bedroom that

1:48:58this bill is saying you can only have

1:49:00one bedroom and not more than that. This

1:49:03this bill allows up to five bedrooms on

1:49:07the the building site. So whether it's

1:49:10in one dwelling or two dwellings or a

1:49:12guest house or detached bedrooms, you

1:49:15have a maximum of five bedrooms. Similar

1:49:19uh as we have now with bed and

1:49:21breakfast. Um, another um issue that was

1:49:26brought up was uh bill uh or ordinance

1:49:302550.

1:49:32Uh that is amended now by ordinance 2663

1:49:37which is currently within our chapter 6,

1:49:40our business code. Um that is codified

1:49:44and we follow that. Um that particular

1:49:47bill has a deadline to allow a grace

1:49:51period up to December 31st

1:49:54um to register. After that, the

1:49:57department will move uh with

1:49:59enforcement.

1:50:01What our main goal here is, again, as

1:50:05council member uh Kimbo said, if this

1:50:09bill doesn't pass, then we're obligated

1:50:12to follow the current code, which would

1:50:15require

1:50:17every um hosted rental or BNB, which at

1:50:21this point it wouldn't be hosted. would

1:50:23be bed and breakfast to uh either get a

1:50:27use permit in residential zonings or a

1:50:31special permit in agricultural zonings.

1:50:34If this bill passes, it will allow those

1:50:38that are operating in residential zones

1:50:41to be permitted and just register.

1:50:44It will also allow on pre76 agricultural

1:50:48lots operating in a single family

1:50:51dwelling to be permitted. Um there is uh

1:50:55the caveat of the farm dwelling which um

1:50:59is one of the amendments that's

1:51:01proposed. I know at our last hearing we

1:51:04had a lot of discussion on the clarity

1:51:07of defining uh those particular uses in

1:51:11the agricultural zoning and I believe

1:51:14we've gotten it much clearer uh with one

1:51:17of the communications. I just want to

1:51:20also uh appreciate the time and effort

1:51:23uh for um the clarity that's been

1:51:26brought to the new amendments uh to bill

1:51:30147 um so that it can just be a little

1:51:33bit clearer as we move forward. Um I'm

1:51:37uh uh here for questions if anyone has

1:51:41any questions in regards to the

1:51:44amendments or uh draft two. Thank you,

1:51:47>> director. Thank you. Um at this time I I

1:51:51still have the floor. Yes.

1:51:52>> Yeah, I understand.

1:51:53>> Um I would like to go ahead and make um

1:51:56a motion to amend bill 147.

1:51:58>> Okay.

1:51:58>> Okay. So motion to amend bill 147 draft

1:52:012 with the contents of communication

1:52:03806.18.

1:52:06>> Okay. Motion by Miss Kimble, second by

1:52:09Miss Kima. Go ahead on the amendment.

1:52:12>> Yes. Thank you. So we will we will will

1:52:14uh colloially reference this as the Matt

1:52:17amendment. Um this is to provide clarity

1:52:21around the language with regard to farm

1:52:25dwellings and what would require a

1:52:27special use permit and what wouldn't.

1:52:29So, we've we've modified this language

1:52:31here to make it very clear that if you

1:52:33are operating a hosted TVR within a

1:52:37dwelling that is on a lot creator prior

1:52:40to 1976,

1:52:42um no special permit is required. Um if

1:52:46however you are operating the hosted

1:52:48rental within a farm dwelling, a special

1:52:51permit is required and the host must

1:52:53live in that farm dwelling. Again, that

1:52:55is um a consequence of the Rose Hill

1:52:58decision based on the definition of a

1:53:00farm dwelling in the HRS. Um so

1:53:03hopefully this language provides some

1:53:05clarity, Mr. Connie Clanfelder. And um

1:53:09I'm happy to take any questions from the

1:53:11body on it.

1:53:13>> Okay. On the amendment, any discussion?

1:53:16Oh,

1:53:18go ahead.

1:53:18>> Thank you. Uh I did meet with the

1:53:20planning department and thank you for

1:53:22bringing this forward. While the other

1:53:24language could have been sufficient, I

1:53:27think this language is much clearer and

1:53:29easier for the public to understand,

1:53:32especially when we're discussing so many

1:53:35subjects in such a compact

1:53:38two sentences. the difference between a

1:53:40single family dwelling, a first farm

1:53:42dwelling, a primary farm dwelling,

1:53:45pre76, post76, all based on the was it

1:53:50Rosen Rosen

1:53:52>> Rose Hill? Sorry, I'm thinking Rosenberg

1:53:55Rose [laughter]

1:53:57Gary I'm thinking about Gary uh the Rose

1:54:00Hill decision and all the complexities

1:54:02involved in that. Thank you for

1:54:04providing this wording. I'll be

1:54:05supporting.

1:54:07Okay. Any other members on the

1:54:09amendment?

1:54:11Okay. Let's have a roll call

1:54:14>> on the motion to amend bill 147 draft 2

1:54:17per the contents communication at

1:54:18806.18.

1:54:21Council member Glima

1:54:22>> I.

1:54:23>> Council member Hustus

1:54:24>> I.

1:54:26>> Cherry Naba. Council member Kagiada.

1:54:28>> Hi.

1:54:29>> Council member Connelly Kleinfelder.

1:54:31>> I council Kirkowitz.

1:54:33>> Hi.

1:54:34>> Council member Campbell.

1:54:35>> Hi. Council member Viegas. Acting Chair

1:54:38Onishi,

1:54:39>> I.

1:54:39>> Acting Chair Onishi, you have seven

1:54:40votes in favor with council members

1:54:42Inaba and Viegas absent and excused.

1:54:44Motion carries. Okay, so we're back to

1:54:47bill 147 as amended.

1:54:54Mr. Huice.

1:54:55>> Thank you, Vice Chair. Thank you,

1:54:56director. Thank you, Council Member

1:54:58Kimell, for the ongoing conversation

1:54:59here.

1:55:01Going to ask this question again. I

1:55:02always ask it of you. How are we doing

1:55:04in our registration uptick?

1:55:07>> I apologize. I didn't look at it this

1:55:09morning. We were uh running around doing

1:55:13meetings quite early. I I I it's been

1:55:17steady. They've been continually coming

1:55:19in. I would say um just a guesstimate I

1:55:23would say it's over 300 now at this

1:55:26point.

1:55:27>> Okay. I know your response in the past

1:55:29has been

1:55:31communities watching how this how this

1:55:32unfolds and what the conversation is

1:55:34here. So I recognize that of course. Um,

1:55:38when I met with you, you showed

1:55:41kind of the the overall use and impact

1:55:46of vacation rentals across the island

1:55:48and those that, you know, combing

1:55:50through all the data, all the all the

1:55:52information that's out there on the

1:55:53internet about who's in compliance or

1:55:55potentially in compliance or where their

1:55:57issues and I think you recognize that

1:55:59it's it's it's going to be a hurdle for

1:56:02sure. I think regardless of the

1:56:04direction all of this goes,

1:56:07I I still think there's um I know there

1:56:09are limitations with uh Rose Hill and

1:56:13other issues with our egg lands and

1:56:15that's that's still something I think we

1:56:17need to try and find some sort of

1:56:19direction through it all and what we can

1:56:21possibly do because you hear from a lot

1:56:23of our users and operators, property

1:56:25owners about that the a zoning

1:56:27challenges. Um, and we we do need to

1:56:30look for some sort of path with that

1:56:31that farm-based sort of mechanism for

1:56:34those that are looking for some uh costs

1:56:37to offset their operations or really

1:56:39help our agricultural industry, those

1:56:41sort of things to really help on some of

1:56:42those costs. So, that's definitely a

1:56:44conversation I I think we should

1:56:46continue to have. I do have a couple of

1:56:48amendments, vice chair, on the floor

1:56:49here at the table. So, I'd love to kind

1:56:51of begin that conversation. Um,

1:56:55first up is I would I move to amend bill

1:56:58147 as amended with the contents of

1:57:00communication 806.17.

1:57:04>> Okay. Motion by Mr. Houston, second by

1:57:08Miss Kirkowitz. Go ahead.

1:57:09>> Thank you, Vice Chair. This amendment

1:57:12specifically speaks to the applicability

1:57:14section of section 254A. It's intended

1:57:17to simplify and clarify the provisions

1:57:20within bill 147. you know, chapter 6

1:57:23already identifies. So, this is what

1:57:26established in 2550. It establishes that

1:57:28certain accommodations and rental

1:57:30activities that are exempt from the

1:57:32transient vacation rental regulations.

1:57:34So, rather than repeating those

1:57:35exemptions separately in chapter 25,

1:57:38this meant just references those

1:57:40existing provisions under section six.

1:57:43Uh and the intent is just to maintain

1:57:45consistency between the two chapters and

1:57:48really avoid any sort of duplication or

1:57:50potentially conflicting language in the

1:57:52in the chapters there. Just provide some

1:57:54clarity for residents. Thank you.

1:57:57>> Director, do you have any comments on

1:57:58that?

1:58:00>> Uh completely in support of it. Thank

1:58:03you,

1:58:03>> Mr. Kimble.

1:58:04>> Yes, also in support. Appreciate um the

1:58:08improvement in consistency to not have

1:58:10things duplicated in two locations. Um,

1:58:13I would also say that by putting the

1:58:15main language in chapter six, if we need

1:58:19to pivot and make changes, it's going to

1:58:21be a little bit easier to do it there

1:58:22than it will be here in chapter 25. So,

1:58:24fully supportive of the amendment. Thank

1:58:26you for bringing that forth.

1:58:28>> Any other members?

1:58:31Mr. Clair

1:58:34>> on the motion to amend bill 147 draft 2

1:58:36as amended per communication 806.17.

1:58:39Council member Galima.

1:58:44Sorry. Council member Hustus.

1:58:46>> Hi.

1:58:47>> Council member Nava.

1:58:48>> Council member Kagiada.

1:58:50>> Hi.

1:58:50>> Council member Connie Kleinfelder.

1:58:52>> I.

1:58:52>> Council member Kirkowitz.

1:58:54>> I.

1:58:54>> Council member Kimbo.

1:58:55>> I.

1:58:56>> Council member Viegas.

1:58:58>> Acting chair Nishi.

1:58:59>> I.

1:59:00>> Acting chair Nishi have six votes in

1:59:02favor with council members Gimmaba

1:59:04and Viegas absent and excused. B for the

1:59:07motion to amend carries. Okay, we're

1:59:10still on bill 147 as amended. Mr.

1:59:12Custus.

1:59:13>> Thank you, vice chair. Uh move to

1:59:15further amend bill 147 with the contents

1:59:17of communication 806.19.

1:59:21>> Motion by Mr. Houston, second by Miss

1:59:23Kirkwood. Go ahead, Mr.

1:59:24>> Thank you. We had some conversation

1:59:26about this in our last hearing and I I

1:59:28brought it back for further

1:59:29consideration with some refinements in

1:59:31here. This amendment is intended to

1:59:33provide a clearer, more consistent

1:59:36process when the planning department

1:59:38identifies uh any alleged violation of

1:59:41the of chapter 25 relating to transient

1:59:43vacation rentals. Uh given significant

1:59:46administrative penalties contemplated

1:59:48under this legislation, I believe it's

1:59:50important that property owners receive a

1:59:51clear notice uh identifying the specific

1:59:54violation, the factual basis uh for that

1:59:57allegation, and an opportunity to

1:59:59respond or correct that issue before the

2:00:01fines are assessed. So, this amendment

2:00:04establishes that process while

2:00:05preserving the department's enforcement

2:00:07authority. It allows the owner uh to

2:00:09demonstrate compliance, correct the

2:00:11violation, or provide information

2:00:13showing that that that alleged violation

2:00:15did not occur. And it's really just

2:00:17wanted to really present a clear,

2:00:19transparent process that provides

2:00:21clarity for both property owners and the

2:00:23planning department. So, I'll leave it

2:00:25there. Chair, thank you.

2:00:26>> Director,

2:00:28>> completely in support

2:00:31members.

2:00:34>> M Kimble.

2:00:34>> Yeah. just um will reiterate that I'm

2:00:37I'm fully supportive of this amendment

2:00:40um and appreciate um council member

2:00:42Husse's um reflection on this the second

2:00:46half of the amendment that he had

2:00:47proposed last time. So fully supportive

2:00:48of this port portion and um thank you

2:00:51for putting it forward. Thank you

2:00:53>> Mr. Ker.

2:00:58Um Jeff, right now on the amendment,

2:01:03what what is the current process right

2:01:05now? If someone was violating

2:01:10if it was in violation of our current

2:01:11laws, what happens?

2:01:13So it's it's not uh codified but

2:01:16typically um what what happened was when

2:01:22um we we have [snorts] certain

2:01:25regulations in the state land use

2:01:27agricultural district under state law

2:01:30and we have different regulations under

2:01:33the county code. The state regulations

2:01:36require that we send out a warning

2:01:38letter before we issue a notice of

2:01:42violation within the state land use

2:01:44agricultural district. So because there

2:01:48was this uh complication as far as

2:01:51process, we ended up uh making it a

2:01:54requirement that before we issue a

2:01:57notice of violation, we send out what we

2:02:00call a courtesy letter, which is very

2:02:03similar or uh synonymous to a warning

2:02:06letter. Basically, we're informing the

2:02:09applic the the proposed uh violator that

2:02:12we've received a complaint. this is what

2:02:15the complaint alleges. Um, we're asking

2:02:18to set up a site inspection and we're

2:02:22asking you to submit information that

2:02:25may help us in our investigation. So,

2:02:27it's a type of warning letter, but in

2:02:30this particular case, this amendment

2:02:32makes it even clearer as far as that

2:02:36process. So, it'll codify it. Um, but

2:02:40basically, it is very similar to what we

2:02:42do right now. Why why did the state add

2:02:45that warning letter in?

2:02:47>> I I it sounds like they wanted uh the

2:02:51opportunity for anybody that was going

2:02:54to receive a violation to have time to

2:02:58fix it before they were issued a

2:03:00violation.

2:03:01So if you read uh HRS 20513, it goes

2:03:05into detail as to uh that particular

2:03:09process. Uh it doesn't really say why

2:03:12they put that in there, but it's it

2:03:15gives them this period of time up up to

2:03:1860 days to resolve the violation before

2:03:21we issue

2:03:23uh an actual violation notice.

2:03:26>> Are are the laws not clear regarding who

2:03:29can and cannot do vacation rentals on a

2:03:32land right now?

2:03:35there. That's a big reason why we're

2:03:39trying to implement this. Right now,

2:03:41it's uh more bed and breakfasts. Uh we

2:03:45have SDVRs, but the on lands those were

2:03:50limited to the non-conforming use

2:03:52certificates. Anybody operating a SDVR

2:03:56on a land at this point would be in

2:03:58violation.

2:04:00And so again, regardless if it's

2:04:03vacation rentals or a a junkyard or auto

2:04:07repair, whatever the violation is, we're

2:04:11required by law to send out a viol a

2:04:14warning letter in the state line use act

2:04:17district.

2:04:20Part of me likes the we'll warn you

2:04:23first, but the other part of me thinks

2:04:25if you're doing something that's

2:04:26illegal, I mean, most most most

2:04:29of us don't like to do illegal things,

2:04:31so we don't do them because we know

2:04:33there's a repercussion. So, I find these

2:04:36interesting

2:04:39as we look to warn people they may be

2:04:41doing something illegal and it's pretty

2:04:42clear that it is. Yeah.

2:04:48Okay.

2:04:50Okay.

2:04:56I thank you. Okay. Mr. Witz.

2:04:59>> Nope. You don't have to. Okay. See

2:05:02hearing none. Okay. Mr. Clerk. Call

2:05:05>> on the motion to amend bill 147 draft 2

2:05:08as amended per communication 806.19.

2:05:12Council member Gimba.

2:05:14>> I.

2:05:15>> Council member Hustus. Hi

2:05:17>> Cherry Naba.

2:05:18>> Council member Kagiada.

2:05:20>> Hi.

2:05:20>> Council member Connelly Kleinfelder.

2:05:22>> Hi.

2:05:23>> Council Kirkowitz.

2:05:24>> Hi.

2:05:24>> Council member Kimell.

2:05:25>> Hi.

2:05:26>> Council member Viegas.

2:05:28>> Acting Chair Onishi.

2:05:29>> I.

2:05:29>> Acting Cherish. You have seven votes in

2:05:31favor of council members Inaba and

2:05:32Viegas absent any excused. The motion to

2:05:35amend carries.

2:05:36>> Okay. So we're still on bill 147 as

2:05:40amended. Mr. Houston.

2:05:41>> Thank you vice chair.

2:05:43>> Go ahead. Uh move to amend bill 147 as

2:05:46amended with the contents of

2:05:48communication 806.20.

2:05:51>> Second.

2:05:53>> Motion by Mr. Houston, second by Miss

2:05:55Khalima. Go ahead, Mr. Houston.

2:05:57>> Thank you, Vice Cherishi. Uh this

2:05:59amendment, you know, we've had some

2:06:01conversations about and we heard from

2:06:02community on um uh the bedroom uh limits

2:06:07and capacity there. So, this amendment

2:06:09addresses the five-bedroom limitation

2:06:11contained uh within the proposed

2:06:13definition of transient vacation rental.

2:06:16Uh specifically across our resort and

2:06:19resort node areas, there are existing

2:06:22larger homes with six or more bedrooms

2:06:25that are currently offered as vacation

2:06:27rentals. My office has identified at

2:06:30least 30 with such properties that have

2:06:34bedrooms above that scale.

2:06:37These areas are already designated for

2:06:40resort related activity and have

2:06:42established visitor have an established

2:06:43visitor presence. So this amendment

2:06:45recognizes that the five-bedroom

2:06:47limitation may not be appropriately

2:06:49refle reflect the character of those

2:06:51existing resort communities. So the

2:06:53proposed change here would allow

2:06:55qualifying properties wholly situated

2:06:58within the general plan designated

2:06:59resort or resort nodes those areas to

2:07:02fall within the definition of a TVR

2:07:04regardless of the number of bedrooms or

2:07:06suites. Uh that this does not eliminate

2:07:09any applicable building fire or other

2:07:12land use requirements. It addresses the

2:07:14bedroom limitation within the TVR

2:07:16definition while retaining the broader

2:07:18regulatory sort of framework that's

2:07:20established in 147. So, thank you.

2:07:23>> Okay, Miss Gimbo. Okay, Miss Kimbo.

2:07:28>> Yeah, thank you. Um I think this

2:07:31represents kind of the best functioning

2:07:33of this council because this was raised

2:07:36as a problem that some of these resort

2:07:38areas um particularly like Monolani

2:07:41Monet resort area had these larger homes

2:07:45and I didn't actually really have a good

2:07:47idea to solve it and I think you have

2:07:49done so very simply and eloquently here

2:07:51in this amendment. So I am supportive um

2:07:55because you know despite what some of

2:07:57the commentary has has reflected I'm

2:07:59actually trying to make this as easy as

2:08:01possible for our residents and um this

2:08:05um this is it it's sometimes being

2:08:09simple is difficult when you have such a

2:08:13a convoluted state that we're having to

2:08:15to accommodate. Um, as you mentioned,

2:08:19regardless of this land use policy

2:08:22change here that's proposed in the

2:08:24amendment, um, land owners should be

2:08:26aware that the building division is

2:08:28going to require potentially some of,

2:08:31um, additions or changes to buildings

2:08:34based on the building code and the

2:08:36number of rooms for rent and that

2:08:39triggering a a change in the um,

2:08:42assignment of the type of building code

2:08:44that applies. Um, I can't really speak

2:08:46too in depth to that, but folks should

2:08:49just be aware that that's still going to

2:08:50apply regardless of this amendment. But

2:08:53thank you, James, for um figuring this

2:08:56out. Appreciate it.

2:08:57>> Sorry, D. Do you have any comments?

2:08:59>> Just want to uh show my support again.

2:09:03Really appreciate uh thinking out of the

2:09:05box on this one. I know we have received

2:09:08a lot of inquiries at planning and this

2:09:11should help uh a lot of those issues

2:09:14that are occurring. Thank you Mr.

2:09:18>> Um thank you chair.

2:09:21I'm in support of this amendment

2:09:23director. Thank you for um also

2:09:26providing the department's view on this.

2:09:29I just want to make sure that it's been

2:09:30reviewed and vetted by corporation

2:09:32council and that there are no legal

2:09:33issues with this amendment.

2:09:37the uh we do have corporation council

2:09:40available through zoom. Uh she did

2:09:42review both the or all three of the all

2:09:46four of the amendments that came

2:09:47through. There was a question uh when

2:09:50this came up uh because our focus is on

2:09:54dwelling units and the concern was this

2:09:57falls into that definition of hotels in

2:10:01motel but when it when something is

2:10:06permitted as a dwelling that's what

2:10:08we're looking at. It's not permitted as

2:10:10an inn or a hotel or a motel. This is

2:10:13what we're focusing on. And as

2:10:16Commissioner, I'm sorry, Council Member

2:10:18Houston said, in the resort nodes, we'll

2:10:21see a lot of these much larger dwellings

2:10:24that I mean could have uh 10 maybe even

2:10:28more bedrooms. Um so this would be um

2:10:32applicable. It does in this particular

2:10:36section state very clearly this applies

2:10:39to a dwelling unit.

2:10:41>> Thank you. Deputy, was there anything

2:10:43else you wanted to add?

2:10:45Um, no. I reiterating what um the

2:10:48director said. I I h I did review this

2:10:50and on further review noticing the use

2:10:54of the term dwelling unit in here, I

2:10:56have no legal concerns. I think it

2:10:57accomplishes what it's intended to do.

2:11:00>> Okay. Fantastic. Thank you. And then

2:11:02director, as far as the applicability of

2:11:05this, because we are going through

2:11:06registration process,

2:11:09um, how is this going to be woven into

2:11:12that dynamic? Should this pass?

2:11:15>> Yeah, we'll we'll need to adjust and

2:11:17include these as part of the

2:11:19registration process because these are

2:11:22being identified as TVRs.

2:11:25>> And is that a pretty simple fix with the

2:11:28vendor that's been secured to build out

2:11:30that form and help us manage

2:11:32registrations?

2:11:33>> It it would be with them. I think we may

2:11:36need to do a minor adjustment to chapter

2:11:38six. Uh I'm sorry. Yeah, chapter six. Uh

2:11:42but again, we'll uh come back with that

2:11:45pretty quickly.

2:11:46>> Okay. Thanks for the context. I yield,

2:11:48chair.

2:11:49>> Okay. Any other M Kimble?

2:11:50>> Yeah, I I was just going to add that

2:11:52this will require a followup with an

2:11:55amendment to chapter six, but that was

2:11:56going to have to happen anyway. There's

2:11:58going to be some clean up just to make

2:11:59everything align. And I do want to do

2:12:02what um Council Member Hust did, which

2:12:04is not have things in two places, but

2:12:07now it'll refer like chapter 6 will

2:12:09refer to the chapter 25 definition of a

2:12:11TBR. I think is that an amendment we'll

2:12:13need to make to move this forward, but

2:12:15they can proceed without that um being

2:12:18done. Thanks.

2:12:21>> Okay. Any other discussion? Mr. Clerk,

2:12:23roll call

2:12:24>> on the motion to amend bill 147 draft 2

2:12:26as amended per communication 806.20.

2:12:30Council member Galima.

2:12:31>> I.

2:12:32>> Council member Hustus.

2:12:33>> I.

2:12:34>> Cherry Naba.

2:12:36>> Council member Kagiada.

2:12:37>> Hi.

2:12:37>> Council member Connley Kleinfelder.

2:12:39>> Hi. Council Kirkowitz.

2:12:41>> Hi.

2:12:42>> Council member Kimell.

2:12:44>> Hi.

2:12:44>> Councelor Viegas. Acting Cher Nishi.

2:12:47>> I.

2:12:47>> Acting Cher Nishi. You have seven votes

2:12:49in favor with council members Inaba and

2:12:51Viegas absent excused. The motion to

2:12:53amend carries.

2:12:54>> Okay. So, we're back to the main motion

2:12:57140 bill 147 as amended. Any more

2:12:59discussion?

2:13:01Mi.

2:13:02>> Thank you. Just a quick clarification.

2:13:04Director. Um, you said when you were

2:13:07explaining why this is so important

2:13:08earlier, you said at this point it would

2:13:11be BNB not hosted.

2:13:14Um, so I just want to clarify that if

2:13:17this were not to go through currently

2:13:20stands as BNB

2:13:22for all vacation rentals that have an

2:13:25on-site host. Is that correct? Is that

2:13:28what you were referring to?

2:13:29>> Yes. We do not have uh in our code or

2:13:32rules uh a term hosted rentals. So they

2:13:36would revert back to bed and breakfasts

2:13:39or uh the other term we have is

2:13:42short-term vacation rentals commonly

2:13:44called unhosted.

2:13:46>> Okay. Thank you. I just wanted to be

2:13:47clear because I know that was an

2:13:49important distinction for a lot of

2:13:50people that I talked to. um they really

2:13:52would prefer to not be to um to be BNBs

2:13:58but to be hosted rentals and I I do

2:14:01believe this is uh being fixed in this

2:14:03bill. So thank you. That's all I have. I

2:14:06yield.

2:14:07>> Any other Miss Kimble? Yeah, just again

2:14:10um I would I would like to ask as a

2:14:13courtesy for any of my colleagues that

2:14:15are still uncertain about whether or not

2:14:17they can support this to voice that and

2:14:20voice their reason so that I may either

2:14:22offer explanation um further amendment

2:14:26um whatever is needed um because

2:14:30for the department um and again this for

2:14:35the department it's critical that this

2:14:36moves forward um so that we can have an

2:14:39efficient and enforceable process. So

2:14:41just ask my colleagues for that

2:14:43courtesy.

2:14:45>> Okay, Mr. Confer

2:14:48you're on the main motion.

2:14:50>> Yes.

2:14:51>> Okay.

2:14:52Um

2:14:58trying to say this in a in a tactful

2:15:00way.

2:15:06I forget when, but during the course of

2:15:10all of these bills,

2:15:12uh, a statement was made that these

2:15:15bills can pass independently of each

2:15:17other

2:15:19with no effect on any of the other

2:15:21bills.

2:15:24And I listened to that statement very

2:15:26carefully.

2:15:28As we proceeded to go through the

2:15:30different votes for the different

2:15:31measures brought forward, I realized

2:15:33that they do actually have an effect on

2:15:36each other and they are not independent.

2:15:39Listening to the planning director's

2:15:41concerns about the effect of

2:15:44the amount of

2:15:47applications they will receive and field

2:15:49if 147 doesn't pass. Given the

2:15:53registration bill that we passed, these

2:15:56all do go together.

2:15:58And I

2:16:01as I begin to understand

2:16:04the complexity of what we are dealing

2:16:06with

2:16:08and seeing that they do actually

2:16:10interlock,

2:16:12it is frustrating

2:16:14to go through the process

2:16:17but to have it based on these can go

2:16:21forward or not with no effect on each

2:16:24other. And as I watched it be completely

2:16:29not true, it was very hard to

2:16:33walk through the bill with an open mind.

2:16:36And that was part of my

2:16:38concern and issue and and seeing the

2:16:41amount of amendments today.

2:16:46I'll be supporting,

2:16:48but I I wanted to provide that to the

2:16:51maker for food for thought. Statements,

2:16:55small or big, during the proceedings,

2:17:00they they can I mean, of course, they

2:17:03can affect the vote, but when you hear

2:17:05something like that, these can all move

2:17:06forward or not independently, and it has

2:17:08no bearing on what's going to happen.

2:17:10And I when I'm faced with the the drive

2:17:14home and I got to talk to myself for two

2:17:16hours about that that quote,

2:17:19it it wears on me and I I can't I cannot

2:17:22I can't really explain that well, but it

2:17:23just it just wears on me that I have to

2:17:27make a decision

2:17:29listening to testifiers and then do

2:17:32what's best for our community

2:17:35when the logical statement was never

2:17:37true to begin with.

2:17:40So, uh, supportive of what we have in

2:17:43front of us today, understanding that

2:17:45the department is concerned about the

2:17:47impact of 147 not passing because we

2:17:51pass other legislation that directly

2:17:54impacts the department if we don't pass

2:17:56147.

2:17:58It's complex.

2:18:00Uh, it deserves attention.

2:18:03And, uh, today we're on what? We're on

2:18:06second. First, second.

2:18:07>> First,

2:18:08>> we're on first. Okay. But I wanted to

2:18:10make sure the public has a chance to

2:18:12digest what we have done before we

2:18:14proceed any further and make sure we're

2:18:16not on the second and final reading.

2:18:17Okay. Uh so support of what we did

2:18:20today. Just food for thought in the way

2:18:23things are presented especially when

2:18:25something complex across three or four

2:18:26different measures is brought to the

2:18:28council and the public for

2:18:31digestion and with such an impact

2:18:34potential impact on livelihoods and

2:18:36economy. Thank you. Okay, Miss Kimble.

2:18:41>> Yes, if I if I may. Um, you know, there

2:18:43there was never any intention on my part

2:18:46to be misleading. Um, maybe it is a

2:18:49question of semantics and nuance. Um,

2:18:52when I say that each of these things,

2:18:54whether it's the registration process,

2:18:56this land use portion, the tax bill, um,

2:19:00and the fact that they could be passed

2:19:02independently and it wouldn't impact

2:19:04each other. So, for example, if we don't

2:19:07pass 147, the registration process can

2:19:10still happen. Um, if we didn't pass the

2:19:13registration process, this land use

2:19:15piece still could have happened. If we

2:19:17didn't pass either, the tax piece still

2:19:19could have happened. They do play

2:19:21together and that's inevitable. And

2:19:23there is a relationship. In this case,

2:19:26um the the registration process has been

2:19:28passed. If 147 doesn't pass, that

2:19:31registration process will still exist.

2:19:33it'll just be a little bit more

2:19:34burdensome. So never I never imply that

2:19:37there wasn't a relationship between all

2:19:38of these. But I did imply that they

2:19:41could pass or not pass independent of

2:19:43each other and still serve their

2:19:45function that the individual bills

2:19:46themselves. So I I hope that provides

2:19:49some some clarity because I wasn't ever

2:19:51trying to be disingenuous. If anything,

2:19:53I have tried to be exceedingly

2:19:55transparent with this process in terms

2:19:56of all of the webinars we put out there,

2:19:58the podcast, all the things. Um, so I

2:20:01hope I hope that provides some some

2:20:02clarity and I do appreciate your support

2:20:04of moving this to second reading today.

2:20:06So, thank you,

2:20:08>> Mr. Kirkowitz.

2:20:10>> Thank you, chair. Um, director, so I'm

2:20:14looking at the bill section 254 C

2:20:17regarding unhosted TVs and where they're

2:20:19permitted. So, there was a a change um

2:20:22made in committee when we last met

2:20:25removing RM and some changes to where CN

2:20:29applies. I'm curious if the maker or the

2:20:33planning department has reached out to

2:20:36property owners in these particular

2:20:38zoning districts to let them know of

2:20:40this change.

2:20:44I'm trying to understand the impact

2:20:47because not everybody reads the paper,

2:20:49not everybody's, you know, tuning into

2:20:50council meetings. Not everybody checks

2:20:53their email. And so a lot of folks have

2:20:55made business decisions based on laws

2:20:59that have been on the books. And so I

2:21:02just I want to understand what sort of

2:21:04community engagement has happened. Um

2:21:06and if there's anyone that might be

2:21:08falling through the cracks with this new

2:21:10language.

2:21:14Well, I I can't say that we did um

2:21:19separate outreach in regards to this

2:21:21particular section of the bill. We had

2:21:24received uh a tremendous amount of uh

2:21:28testimony and phone calls from people

2:21:31that were concerned that they would be

2:21:33losing um their short-term vacation

2:21:37rentals uh seeing what was happening to

2:21:40the bill. um we

2:21:43uh expressed to them that they already

2:21:46had their their STVR, this bill wouldn't

2:21:50affect them. Um my understanding is that

2:21:54the reason why we're um at the language

2:21:57we have here is because of testimony

2:22:00that came in requesting that RM be taken

2:22:03out and CN. I think a balance was

2:22:07reached where if you look at section A4

2:22:12that it says that if um there is RM

2:22:17zoning and they've received their plan

2:22:19approval, which means basically they're

2:22:22existing currently. So you have

2:22:24condominium units, you have something

2:22:27that's being constructed that did

2:22:29receive plan approval, they would be

2:22:31able to be permitted. It looks like this

2:22:34bill is for those properties moving

2:22:37forward that are unbuilt, unconstructed

2:22:40at this time that they would not be able

2:22:43to uh come in and take advantage of this

2:22:46bill unless they were located within the

2:22:50resort or resort uh node in the general

2:22:53plan.

2:22:55I get all that and I know that this

2:22:57particular amendment was initiated by

2:22:59the Kona Community Development Plan

2:23:02Action Committee. However, this piece of

2:23:04legislation has impact islandwide. So

2:23:08again, I just I struggle with it because

2:23:10yes, I appreciate honoring community

2:23:13voice, but it is from one very specific

2:23:15community and I don't know if all CDP

2:23:19action committees knew that they were

2:23:21afforded the same opportunity um to come

2:23:24up with amendments as part of the

2:23:26process. Um it

2:23:30AC's have become much more active in

2:23:33recent years um particularly regarding

2:23:36land use decisions

2:23:38um and so it I'm not saying that it's

2:23:41out of their scope of their kana but I'm

2:23:44again I'm just if this is something that

2:23:46they're going to be doing going forward

2:23:49um the same sort of opportunity should

2:23:51be made available to other action

2:23:54committees. Um, I, you know, I

2:23:58I've been involved with with this

2:24:00particular piece of

2:24:02legislation with Council Member Kimble

2:24:04for a number of years. Um, the what

2:24:08doesn't sit well with me is the timing

2:24:11of this because I I go back to when we

2:24:15had collaborated on previous legislation

2:24:17that said, "We want the community to

2:24:20register. register so we know where you

2:24:23are, who you are, the circumstances of

2:24:26your operation, and then we will do

2:24:29regulations.

2:24:32This flies in the face of all of that.

2:24:34It makes me feel very uncomfortable that

2:24:36I feel as if we have gone back on our

2:24:39word as county when we said trust us

2:24:43register we don't want to do anything to

2:24:46impact your operations because we've

2:24:47heard all the stories how this is part

2:24:49of retirement how this helps pay for

2:24:51kids educa education how this helps with

2:24:53the family's mortgage I get all of that

2:24:56so again I'm I'm really struggling

2:24:57because I know the impact it's going to

2:24:59have on your department but I also know

2:25:01what I promised community and that was

2:25:05register first so that we can get a lay

2:25:07of the lands and then we will rightsize

2:25:10regulations. I'm willing to vote yes

2:25:12today out of courtesy to get it to the

2:25:15next reading but I cannot make any

2:25:18commitments for how I would be voting on

2:25:20second reading. Thank you for

2:25:21understanding. I yield.

2:25:23>> M Kimble.

2:25:24>> Yeah, thank you. I I do appreciate your

2:25:26concern um council member Kirkwood and

2:25:28and we have been at this together for a

2:25:30long time. So I I do know that you know

2:25:33the the issue in in great detail. Um I

2:25:36just wanted to thank you for braising

2:25:39raising the RM question and the CN

2:25:41question because I do think that

2:25:43warrants a little deeper discussion. Um

2:25:46so first of all

2:25:49um short-term vacation rentals are

2:25:51currently allowed in all of the um CG

2:25:55and CV.

2:25:57In other commercial zoning districts

2:25:59like CN CDH, they are actually only

2:26:02permitted in the resort zones under the

2:26:05current code. Um there was a proposal

2:26:08that with the initial introduction of

2:26:10147 that they would be be also permitted

2:26:12in all neighborhood commercial CN and in

2:26:15downtown Hilo neighborhood commercial

2:26:17regardless of whether or not being in

2:26:19the resort zone. That is with the CN

2:26:22something we've rolled back. So now it's

2:26:24still permitted in CN, but only if it's

2:26:27in the resort nodes. So that's a really

2:26:30long way of saying we've actually gone

2:26:32back to the way it is now with with

2:26:34resort with respect to the commercial

2:26:36zones. With RM, the amendment we made

2:26:39last time did actually represent a

2:26:42significant policy change, which is to

2:26:44say that with RM, the current code

2:26:48allows short-term unhosted vacation

2:26:50rentals in the RM district across the

2:26:54board. Um, the change that we made last

2:26:57time says that, you know, any

2:26:59development that has not yet even been

2:27:01given plan approval. So to expand on

2:27:03what c the director said, you know, it's

2:27:05not it's not only the RM that exists

2:27:07that is still allowed to be continue is

2:27:10still allowed to be an unhosted rental.

2:27:12It is also the ones that have been given

2:27:14plan approval but haven't been built

2:27:15yet. So anybody that has or had an

2:27:18expectation that they would be able to

2:27:20do STVRs on their RM property still has

2:27:23that right. What is not um what what

2:27:27would change moving forward is outside

2:27:29of the resort nodes, any of the RM

2:27:31districts would exclusively be used for

2:27:34residential housing and could not be

2:27:36used as unhosted rentals. That is that

2:27:38is the change that we made with the

2:27:40amendment last time. I'm supportive of

2:27:42that. Um to your point about community

2:27:43engagement, yes, it did come from the

2:27:45Kona CDP action committee, but it was

2:27:47actually vetted by both the Winward and

2:27:49Leeward Planning Commission who

2:27:51recommended passage of that language.

2:27:53there was also that engagement at that

2:27:56level and and several testifiers at

2:27:58those um meetings that supported that.

2:28:00So, thank you for bringing that up so I

2:28:02could make sure that that was all clear

2:28:04with the commercial staff. We are just

2:28:05we've reverted back to what is permitted

2:28:08now and then really the policy changes

2:28:10on our end. But appreciate the the

2:28:13support to get this to the second

2:28:14reading. Um and again uh willing to

2:28:19consider any further tweaks that the

2:28:21body feels necessary to in support of

2:28:23the department. Thank you.

2:28:25>> Okay. Any other members?

2:28:28>> Okay. [clears throat] I'm going to have

2:28:29my just go ahead director.

2:28:30>> Thank you. Um I just want to say thank

2:28:33you very much uh commission council

2:28:37member

2:28:39sorry

2:28:40council member Kirkowitz. Uh I do uh

2:28:45definitely recall the messaging that

2:28:48went out uh when we did begin this. I

2:28:52mean we've been at this for

2:28:55a long time, right? And so, um, it would

2:29:00be most appropriate if the makers of

2:29:04this overall direction that we were

2:29:06going from the beginning were both

2:29:09completely supportive of what we're

2:29:11trying to do here. I would um I would

2:29:16suggest and hopefully the maker of the

2:29:19bill can be open to this is um right now

2:29:23there's a deadline for the grace period

2:29:26of December 31st of this year. My

2:29:30thinking is um you know we have opened

2:29:36up registration. It's been coming in.

2:29:39It's been slow and I think it's because

2:29:42they're waiting to see what'll happen.

2:29:44It also could be that people are

2:29:46thinking, "Oh, maybe they won't catch

2:29:49me." Uh, when you see how um elaborate

2:29:53this this program is, it sees uh

2:29:58everything going on online with vacation

2:30:01rentals and stuff. So, it's very clear

2:30:04that it's um it's going to have an

2:30:07effect when we move to the enforcement

2:30:10aspect of it, but that's not our goal

2:30:12and that's not what we want to do. We'd

2:30:15rather have people come in and register.

2:30:18What may be a consideration is moving

2:30:21that date to a more reasonable time

2:30:24frame to allow this opportunity for

2:30:27people to come in and register without

2:30:31doing the enforcement or putting

2:30:33pressure on them that they think they're

2:30:35going to be um you know under an

2:30:38enforcement action. Uh I'm completely

2:30:41open to that because again I agree that

2:30:45um our goal here is to bring them in and

2:30:49uh be able to get everybody uh moving in

2:30:52the same direction legally.

2:30:55>> Great director. You know I was thinking

2:30:58of and asking you that too. So members

2:31:01any any of one of you can also do that

2:31:04amendment on chapter six right to

2:31:06extending that deadline right? Yes. And

2:31:09we can take care of the um amendment

2:31:12that was brought up in regards to TVRS

2:31:15in resort notes as well.

2:31:17>> Correct.

2:31:17>> Thank you.

2:31:18>> Thank you. Okay. So, I'm going to just

2:31:20make a couple comments. So, one is that

2:31:23when you're talking and it kind of

2:31:25caught my ear about if this 147 pass,

2:31:30people who doing BMBBS in residential

2:31:32won't have to come to the planning

2:31:34department to get a a use permit. Is

2:31:38that correct?

2:31:39>> Correct. They would be they would still

2:31:41be required to register,

2:31:43>> right?

2:31:44>> But they would not be required under

2:31:46this bill to get a use permit.

2:31:48>> Correct. But now what I can foresee is

2:31:52that neighbors

2:31:55not knowing what's happening

2:31:58and then they're going to be shocked

2:32:00because there's no notification anymore,

2:32:02right? Of having them know that this

2:32:06your neighbor is going to be doing a

2:32:08B&B, right? So that I can foresee we're

2:32:12going to have some major complaints.

2:32:16The other thing is I have to echo M

2:32:19Kirkowitz and Mr. Connie Kleinfelder

2:32:21because when I met with you, I told you

2:32:23my frustrations about how all this

2:32:25happened, right? About how when the

2:32:29registration when we passed it, that was

2:32:31like my first [snorts] year on the

2:32:32council telling, okay, we just got to

2:32:35pass this to get that information da da

2:32:38da. Then all of this other things now

2:32:40start coming up and then it's like,

2:32:42okay, we don't pass bill 147,

2:32:45it reverts back to what the law is now.

2:32:49And [snorts] that going help kind of

2:32:51give planning department more work to do

2:32:54which they don't have enough manpower

2:32:56right because of all the applicants that

2:32:58would be coming in. So I as I told you

2:33:03it's kind of backwards we're moving

2:33:05right we should have done all this first

2:33:08and have them planned also with the with

2:33:10the registrations but in a timely manner

2:33:14right and that's why I I look at this

2:33:17and I look at other legislations that

2:33:19was done in the past it's kind of the

2:33:21same but because I got to bring back

2:33:23when we were on the council back then

2:33:25when I was on the council back then we

2:33:27never really had this kind situations

2:33:30Right. Everything was like kind of

2:33:32planned out. And so now I'm like, "Wow,

2:33:35this is kind of crazy." And I I can and

2:33:38I can sympathize for the public because

2:33:41then they get confused too because if

2:33:43we're getting confused, can you imagine

2:33:45them, right? So I I you know I I and I

2:33:50understand and I you know I I will also

2:33:54support this today

2:33:56but I don't know on the final reading

2:34:00what I might do depending on what

2:34:02happens right. Okay

2:34:06but thank you for always working with

2:34:08me. Thank you. Uh, Chair Oishi, I I just

2:34:12wanted to mention that um the platform

2:34:15that we do have will be we'll have a

2:34:17public facing platform that will allow

2:34:20people to be able to see where these uh

2:34:23TVRs are operating, who the reachable

2:34:26persons are, and uh provide them

2:34:29information. In in my experience in

2:34:33regards to enforcement with these, we

2:34:36we've been pretty fortunate in regards

2:34:39to the fact that we haven't received a

2:34:42lot of complaints from active ongoing

2:34:45STVRs and BNBs. It's very minimal.

2:34:50>> So, that's a good thing because it shows

2:34:52that these guys are operating in a in a

2:34:56non-impactful manner. Um, so just from

2:35:01experience, that's what I I can tell

2:35:04you.

2:35:04>> But then with Bill 147 passing, we could

2:35:07see an increase because now they don't

2:35:09have to get that use permit.

2:35:11>> Yeah. I I mean, we may, but we also see

2:35:15what's out there now currently operating

2:35:17without a permit.

2:35:18>> And that system that you folks have is

2:35:21awesome, right? You showed me that.

2:35:22Yeah.

2:35:23>> Yeah.

2:35:23>> Okay.

2:35:24>> But I'm just I just kind of Yeah. I

2:35:26that's my concern because then but thank

2:35:28god we have the parking sto inside

2:35:30>> and I think that's where we will find

2:35:32problems with parking.

2:35:34>> Yeah, but

2:35:35>> that's the key.

2:35:36>> Yeah, right. Thank you. Thank you,

2:35:38director.

2:35:39>> Okay, Mr. Clerk, roll call.

2:35:41>> On the motion to pass bill 47, draft two

2:35:44as amended on first reading. Council

2:35:46member Gimma,

2:35:47>> I.

2:35:47>> Council member Hustus.

2:35:49>> I.

2:35:50>> Council member Yinaba.

2:35:52>> Council member Kagiada.

2:35:53>> Hi.

2:35:53>> Council member Connelly Kleinfelder. I

2:35:56council

2:35:56>> Kirkowitz. I

2:35:58>> council member Kimble

2:35:59>> I

2:35:59>> council Viegas acting chair on Nishi

2:36:01>> I

2:36:02>> acting chair Nishi you have seven votes

2:36:04in favor with council member and viegas

2:36:06absent and excuse bill 147 draft 2 as

2:36:10amended passes first reading

2:36:11>> thank you m clerk uh let's go to reports

2:36:14because missiona is you know available

2:36:17now

2:36:18>> is there any testimony for go 164

2:36:20communication 1107

2:36:23>> chair motion to

2:36:24>> hear none go 164 Four, communication

2:36:271107, nomination of Annette Iona to the

2:36:30merit appeals board.

2:36:33>> Chair motion to close file on GOEAC164,

2:36:36communication 1107, and confirm the

2:36:39nomination of Annette Ayona to the merit

2:36:41appeals board.

2:36:43>> Okay. Motion by Miss Kirkowitz, second

2:36:46by Miss Kagiada. Any discussions?

2:36:50Hearing no seeing none. All those in

2:36:52favor of approving the nomination on it.

2:36:54Uh Iona to the merit appeals boards,

2:36:57please say I.

2:36:58>> Those opposed.

2:37:01We have seven seven eyes and two

2:37:04excused. Uh Cher Nava and Miss Viegas.

2:37:07Motion carried.

2:37:07>> Motion carried. Thank you.

2:37:09>> Yep.

2:37:10>> Okay. So now let's go to um

2:37:16bill 195.

2:37:19195. Yes.

2:37:27Is there any testimony for bill 195

2:37:30which is at first reading

2:37:34hearing? None. Bill 195 amends chapter

2:37:3619 of the Hawaii County Code 1983 2016

2:37:39edition as amended relating to the

2:37:41non-dedicated agricultural use

2:37:43assessment extends a substate date of

2:37:45non-dedicated agricultural use

2:37:47assessment by one year introduced by

2:37:49council onishi

2:37:51motion

2:37:53>> chair motion to approve bill 195 on

2:37:56first reading okay

2:37:57>> motion by miss kirkowit second by Mr.

2:38:00currently playingfelder. At this time,

2:38:02I'm going to withdraw bill 195.

2:38:07>> Yeah.

2:38:08>> Oh, yeah.

2:38:10>> So, which Okay. So, Mr. withdraw.

2:38:13>> Oh, it's understood that the bill is

2:38:15being withdrawn from further

2:38:16consideration.

2:38:17>> Correct.

2:38:18>> Very good. Thank you.

2:38:18>> Okay. Thank you.

2:38:20>> Okay. Now, let's go down to final

2:38:23reading. Bill 192, draft three.

2:38:28Is there any testimony for bill 192

2:38:30draft three which is at second and final

2:38:32reading

2:38:35>> chair motion to approve bill

2:38:37>> I need to read it in please I know I

2:38:39appreciate your sense of urgency

2:38:41[laughter]

2:38:42hearing no testimony bill 192 draft 3

2:38:45amends chapter 19 article 11 section

2:38:4719-90 of the Hawaii County code 1983

2:38:512016 edition as amended rating property

2:38:53tax extends the requirement to

2:38:55appropriate residential tier and tier 3

2:38:57property tax revenue to housing and

2:38:59homelessness programs until 2029

2:39:02requires that monies to be used toward

2:39:04to award grants that address housing and

2:39:06homelessness introduced by council

2:39:08marine naba this past first reading

2:39:10October 7 2026

2:39:12>> motion

2:39:13>> chair motion to approve bill 192 on

2:39:16second reading

2:39:17>> second motion by Miss Kirkwood second by

2:39:20Mr. Houston. Any discussions?

2:39:23Mr. Kleinfelder.

2:39:31Okay. Admin Costa, if you would, please.

2:39:38Thank you for being here today. I'm not

2:39:40going to repeat myself. You know where

2:39:42I'm at. Um, but we did ask for

2:39:43information last time. What you got for

2:39:45me?

2:39:48>> [clears throat]

2:39:49>> Hi, Kahal Costa, housing administrator.

2:39:52Um, you primarily asked for information

2:39:56around two areas. Fiscal accountability

2:39:59and the process that we go through and

2:40:01then metrics, baseline, some of that

2:40:04data.

2:40:06um [clears throat] fiscal

2:40:08accountability.

2:40:10I can just kind of walk you through a

2:40:12little bit of the process that we go

2:40:14through um prior to awarding

2:40:18um the contracts or or after selection

2:40:21of the proposal, we go through the

2:40:23budgets with the nonprofits, make sure

2:40:25that the budget line items are eligible,

2:40:28no um red flags for us or or um uh areas

2:40:34of concern. and then we bring that to

2:40:36council for the further discussion. Um

2:40:40once those budgets are approved by

2:40:42council, we um begin our monitoring. So

2:40:45it's monthly expense reports that come

2:40:47back in from the nonprofits. It's on a

2:40:50reimbursement basis. So those monthly

2:40:52expense reports come into our program

2:40:54staff. They're reviewed by the staff for

2:40:57eligibility, the budget tie out, any

2:40:59errors, any spending trends, um

2:41:03calculation errors. uh anything that is

2:41:06a red flag. Program staff go back and

2:41:09work work with the nonprofits to

2:41:11determine whether they're you know to

2:41:13question that um request for

2:41:15reimbursement. It goes from our program

2:41:18staff. Once the reimbursement is the

2:41:22request is approved, it goes to our OC

2:41:25account accounts team. That's another

2:41:27level of review. Um and then it gets

2:41:30routed for payment through it comes up

2:41:33through me for approval and then over to

2:41:35finance um for payments. Anytime program

2:41:39staff or accounts have any concerns or

2:41:42or see any issues, program staff work

2:41:46with the nonprofits to understand

2:41:49what the expense was, what the spending

2:41:52trends are. if we're seeing that there's

2:41:55um higher spending on on certain line

2:41:58items as we're monitoring the contract

2:42:01year uh month over month um if it looks

2:42:03like they're under spending,

2:42:05overspending, what's going on with the

2:42:07program.

2:42:09Our accounts team does an annual field

2:42:11audit. So then they go out and with to

2:42:15the nonprofits um and actually pull

2:42:18files and do spot checks along with um

2:42:21the monthly reporting. That's our

2:42:24current process. Um it's a little bit

2:42:27administratively

2:42:30intensive. Um it can be improved. You

2:42:33know, we are looking for ways to to

2:42:37really do that better. I think when we

2:42:38have the audit report, we'll have some

2:42:40recommendations coming from from our

2:42:42auditor. Um that's the process as it is.

2:42:47>> Okay. And then the next piece,

2:42:50>> um you asked for kind of metrics and

2:42:53spending. Um [clears throat] you know,

2:42:56you you're concerned about baseline and

2:42:59you're correct. You know, prior to this

2:43:02fund, the only baseline that we had for

2:43:06for homeless or unhoused for Hawaii

2:43:09County was our point in time count,

2:43:12which is that annual um annual

2:43:15uh

2:43:16>> point in time.

2:43:17>> Point in time. Yeah, it is. It is what

2:43:20it is.

2:43:20>> Oh, who who takes that?

2:43:22>> Um it is

2:43:24>> who provides it?

2:43:25>> Yes. So, it's a um HUD required

2:43:29activity. So, it's coordinated by our

2:43:33continuum of care um on Hawaii Island.

2:43:36The continuum of care is called Bridging

2:43:38the Gap. And so it's a con it's a it's a

2:43:42consortium or it's a a collaboration of

2:43:45our nonprofits that are receiving HUD

2:43:47funding and they work together to

2:43:50coordinate the point in time and it

2:43:52depends on who's chairing the um the the

2:43:57continuum of care.

2:43:58>> Who's the current or past shares of COC

2:44:01in the last three years? Um it has been

2:44:05uh hope services and it may currently be

2:44:09neighborhood place of puna. It's still

2:44:12hope services. Hope services

2:44:14>> makes sense. Thank you.

2:44:15>> Yeah.

2:44:15>> So I mean they they receive the larger

2:44:18portion of HUD COC funding I believe

2:44:21>> as well as the HHF. Yes.

2:44:23>> Yeah.

2:44:23>> Okay. So they they're responsible for

2:44:25getting the point in time count.

2:44:28>> Yeah. It many volunteers are involved in

2:44:31that. So, I think some of our council

2:44:33members may have gone on point in time

2:44:34count. Our staff go on point in time

2:44:36count and um a lot of the nonprofit

2:44:39organizations, they participate because

2:44:41it's islandwide and they get out into

2:44:43the communities on that particular point

2:44:48um in time. Uh but currently so that you

2:44:52know that has been our baseline but

2:44:54currently through the HHF fund we have

2:44:57our engagement hoy which over the past

2:45:01three years has developed into somewhat

2:45:04of a local point daily point in time

2:45:09count. So,

2:45:11um, if I mean getting technical, our COC

2:45:15has a database system that HUD requires

2:45:18all of our continuum of care

2:45:20participants to enter um into that

2:45:23database. It's it's limited to those

2:45:26that are participating in that in the

2:45:28COC program and in HUD funding. So, it's

2:45:31only the organizations that receive HUD

2:45:33HUD funding that are entering into that

2:45:36database where we can see what our um

2:45:39homeless

2:45:41census is, for lack of a better word.

2:45:43We've developed a county homeless

2:45:46management system which incorporates any

2:45:49nonprofit that wants to participate in

2:45:52that. Um, and that helps us to kind of

2:45:55get have a a broader picture. It's only

2:45:58just like the census. It only is a

2:46:01picture of those who participate and

2:46:04provide um you know their their data to

2:46:08the system. So we do have a more robust

2:46:10system um and uh that's available if

2:46:16for for that piece.

2:46:23Do the

2:46:24different nonprofits provide that

2:46:27information and upload it so they're all

2:46:29taking an independent count of who

2:46:32they're servicing or who they're seeing

2:46:33in the community and then report that

2:46:35back. How does that work?

2:46:38>> Yep. So there's a

2:46:40weekly meeting.

2:46:43>> Weekly pathways is weekly

2:46:46>> weekly meeting. Um, and yes, they enter

2:46:49into the database their participants and

2:46:53it's become kind of a way to do case

2:46:55conferencing also around our our

2:46:58individuals that need referrals. Um,

2:47:01it's and and it's a pathway into housing

2:47:04so we can um kind of prioritize those

2:47:08that are housing ready in the system for

2:47:11emergency shelter beds, permanent

2:47:13supportive housing units that are open.

2:47:16Um and it it is the way that we help to

2:47:19u move people along this pathway into

2:47:22housing home for our unhoused.

2:47:26>> Is it specific information given as like

2:47:29a name social security or is it just

2:47:31we've helped x number of individuals?

2:47:34>> It's individual information. Um it may

2:47:37not have all the PII that you're talking

2:47:40about. Um but it is individualbased. Um

2:47:43it's a HIPPA compliant

2:47:46um database. We work with a vendor and a

2:47:49contractor to um ensure that that is a

2:47:52HIPPA compliant and there's consent on

2:47:56behalf of the individual that's

2:47:58participating. So this is how you know

2:48:00there there are homeless that say yes I

2:48:02want to participate. I want to be

2:48:04connected to services. They provide

2:48:06their consent to enter into our system

2:48:08so that they can be matched with

2:48:10appropriate services. Um case

2:48:13management. There are individuals who do

2:48:16not want to participate. They're not in

2:48:18our in our system.

2:48:20>> Okay. And then are the names

2:48:24that are unique pulled out? So we don't

2:48:27have duplication of

2:48:29>> unique identifiers. Yes.

2:48:31>> And when we do that,

2:48:34do we have total numbers of individuals

2:48:36assisted?

2:48:38>> Yeah. [clears throat] So, you know, just

2:48:40kind of broader picture what I wanted to

2:48:42um maybe share with you today. And I

2:48:47really want to thank Michelle Hiraishi

2:48:49who's been working on our as a program

2:48:51manager um and some of our staff for

2:48:54putting this together um for me to share

2:48:58with you today.

2:49:00You know, we talk about the 32 million

2:49:02that has been appropriated over the

2:49:05first three years of the program. Um

2:49:08when we look at how we've how we've kind

2:49:12of bucketed that 32 32 million over the

2:49:16three years um there's one two three

2:49:20four five kind of five buckets that we

2:49:23we look at where we've invested. So

2:49:27that's outreach and engagement, um

2:49:30supportive support programs, sheltering,

2:49:33and then long-term housing solutions,

2:49:36and then others which include some of

2:49:38our um software and data pieces,

2:49:42consulting um services. So over the

2:49:45three years, we've um

2:49:50we've gotten much better in year three

2:49:53at the that unduplicated number because

2:49:56we've put a lot of work into designing

2:49:59the system where we're collecting the um

2:50:01the individual

2:50:03information. Um so you know over the

2:50:07three years in outreach we've invested

2:50:102.9 million in support services

2:50:158.6 million in our shelter operations

2:50:1810.7 million long-term housing 5.2 and

2:50:23then in some of our uh systems uh 1.6 6

2:50:28million. That's the first three years.

2:50:31Um

2:50:34overall, our total outreach in the three

2:50:37years

2:50:38were was

2:50:412,894

2:50:43households. And that's 4,166

2:50:47individuals unduplicated

2:50:50that have participated in any one of

2:50:53these

2:50:55>> in three years. in three years.

2:50:57>> Yeah. So, 30

2:51:00$32 million and we've assisted

2:51:03>> 4,166

2:51:05individuals.

2:51:06>> Individuals. So, that when you say

2:51:08households, which is actually defined as

2:51:10one or more people per HUD, right?

2:51:12>> Yes. Yeah.

2:51:13>> And then you say 2,400

2:51:17individuals.

2:51:18>> 2,894

2:51:20households.

2:51:22That's 4,166

2:51:24individuals.

2:51:27So that that so the household's number

2:51:29is actually a piece of your individual's

2:51:32number given that households may be one

2:51:33or more.

2:51:34>> Yeah.

2:51:34>> So we've helped 4,800 people

2:51:37>> 4,166

2:51:39individuals.

2:51:40>> Sorry. 4,166

2:51:42individuals

2:51:44with $32 million over three years. Okay.

2:51:50>> Yes.

2:51:51And those are non-duplicative

2:51:54numbers that you presented.

2:51:55>> Unduplicated.

2:51:58>> And then

2:51:59>> wait, sorry.

2:51:59>> Stepping back.

2:52:02>> Year three. I'm looking at year three.

2:52:04>> You can come up front, please.

2:52:05>> Come.

2:52:07>> Yeah. Households. Uh,

2:52:09>> you can introduce your

2:52:10>> Sorry, Matt. Year three. I'm looking at

2:52:12year three alone. 2,894

2:52:15households in year three. 24,447

2:52:19households in year two, 1,135

2:52:23households in year one,

2:52:296,476

2:52:31households total. Okay, going back on

2:52:35something I heard earlier was in the

2:52:37beginning we are having trouble tracking

2:52:40I'm summarizing duplicative information

2:52:45and how to grasp that from the community

2:52:47slashnonprofit

2:52:50service providers who are actually

2:52:52getting paid to provide that information

2:52:54back to us. Is that correct?

2:53:00>> Is that a question or a statement?

2:53:01>> That's a question. Okay. Your question

2:53:03is that in year one we may have had

2:53:06duplicative numbers.

2:53:08>> Okay. So year three we have

2:53:11>> completely unduplicated numbers.

2:53:13>> Duplicated numbers. Okay.

2:53:15[clears throat]

2:53:15>> Much cleaner system in year three. But

2:53:17that was we had to develop that system.

2:53:21And so if we were to check that

2:53:23database, there would be no names coming

2:53:26up from Neighborhood Place of Pona, Hope

2:53:29Services, Salvation Army as far as them

2:53:31each getting services, sorry, as far as

2:53:34an individual getting services from each

2:53:36organization separately. And then that

2:53:38information coming back as we helped

2:53:401,000 individuals, we helped 500

2:53:43individuals, but the same individuals

2:53:45are popping up in each system.

2:53:52which is what I

2:53:53>> I think I know what you're alluding to

2:53:57>> and I it's much more com complex. I the

2:54:02only analogy that I can give you that

2:54:06simplifies this for me as I look at

2:54:08outreach, support services, shelter,

2:54:10long-term housing

2:54:13is yes, one individual may receive

2:54:17services from multiple organizations in

2:54:20these various and they actually they

2:54:23must receive duplicative services, but

2:54:28it's still one individual because we

2:54:30engage that individual and we move them

2:54:33along the pathway. So we engage them and

2:54:36they're counted for engagement. One

2:54:38individual counted for engagement and

2:54:42then maybe they go into shelter. So yes,

2:54:44they're receiving sheltering. We engaged

2:54:47them and we sheltered them. They

2:54:49received two services, but they are an

2:54:52unduplicated individual that was

2:54:54supported along this pathway. So the

2:54:57numbers that I'm giving you are

2:54:59unduplicated individuals

2:55:02who participated in the system of care.

2:55:06Where they came in and out of that

2:55:07system is very individual to that

2:55:12person.

2:55:14They may have only needed rental

2:55:15assistance.

2:55:17One and done. They may have been on the

2:55:21street and needed detox. They needed

2:55:23engagement, multiple engagements to

2:55:26build trust, detox, and then they've

2:55:29made their way through pathway to

2:55:32pathway to staple housing. So, I I know

2:55:35what you're I think I know what you're

2:55:38alluding to. Um, but I I hope I'm

2:55:42explaining this appropriately.

2:55:45>> You did. Your answer was helpful. Thank

2:55:46you.

2:55:52You know, if I ran a restaurant, right,

2:55:56you you count the number of customers

2:55:58you have, but that one customer may need

2:56:01a takeout container. They may may need a

2:56:04straw. They may need a bag. They may

2:56:07need any number of things. Another

2:56:09customer customer may just sit and eat

2:56:12and leave. So, that's kind of like our

2:56:15system. We don't know all that an

2:56:18individual needs, but we're there to

2:56:21provide that system of care, but it's

2:56:23one individual. So, unduplicated

2:56:26individuals.

2:56:28>> And this is the information you wanted

2:56:30to share with the council. Did that did

2:56:33that information get submitted as a

2:56:36communication to this bill?

2:56:38>> Okay, it's there.

2:56:40I did, it was mentioned last time I did

2:56:42say no to meeting in person with the

2:56:45department, but I'd rather see it

2:56:47presented here.

2:56:48>> Yes. So, this will this will be

2:56:50presented with our year three impact.

2:56:53>> Okay.

2:56:53>> report

2:56:55as a presentation to the

2:56:57>> I read through those reports on the OECD

2:56:59website.

2:57:01Thank you.

2:57:05I drove through downtown Hilo this

2:57:07morning

2:57:09and before I say what I saw, what is the

2:57:12prerogative of the department? I've

2:57:15heard some very interesting statements

2:57:17from the nonprofits themselves referring

2:57:19to the visible side of homelessness and

2:57:22the invisible side. And while I

2:57:25appreciate that statement, it's very

2:57:27hard to make $10 million decisions on

2:57:29invisible sides of things.

2:57:31that's really um has bothered me as well

2:57:33as the accountability piece they

2:57:35provided. So what is the current

2:57:38prerogative of the department for

2:57:39homelessness in addressing

2:57:44our prerogative or our responsibility

2:57:48or is limited to this fund?

2:57:53Uh well I guess I shouldn't say that as

2:57:55far as

2:57:57>> what are your marching orders?

2:58:00Our

2:58:03our office of housing was established

2:58:08and really looks at providing safe and

2:58:12stable housing, healthy, safe and stable

2:58:15housing

2:58:15>> specific to homeless and housing. But

2:58:17>> yeah, specific to the homeless to make

2:58:20house to make homelessness

2:58:23to reduce homelessness

2:58:24>> both visible and invisible.

2:58:29Yes,

2:58:30>> understood.

2:58:31>> Same. I would assume the same.

2:58:34>> I drove through Hilo this morning and I

2:58:36counted 23 homeless individuals sleeping

2:58:39on the sidewalks of downtown Hilo in a

2:58:41oneb block area. This past week, I met

2:58:44with business owners in downtown Hilo

2:58:46who have expressed their concerns to

2:58:48their council member Kagiada.

2:58:51Uh but she was

2:58:55clear in her approach that maybe that's

2:58:57not the direction that we're heading.

2:59:02The 23 people that I saw, my wife was

2:59:05walking downtown reported back to me

2:59:06that they're all smoking weed and doing

2:59:08whatever else they're doing at 6:30 in

2:59:10the morning in downtown Hill on the

2:59:13sidewalks that we clean.

2:59:15Chair, I can yield. My time is up and I

2:59:20can come back to you. Thank you. Okay,

2:59:22Miss Kimble.

2:59:23>> Yeah, thank you. Um, I'd like to say

2:59:26after the six years that council member

2:59:28Kane Lee Clanfelder and I have shared a

2:59:30a seat on this dis that I think I'm

2:59:33finally understanding how he thinks and

2:59:35I want to suggest a perhaps a a graphic

2:59:39for council member Connie Lee Clampolder

2:59:41that I think would be helpful which is I

2:59:44I think you're kind of doing the math in

2:59:46your head of this many millions of

2:59:48dollars versus this many unique

2:59:50individuals served. And the question

2:59:53then becomes on average, how much are we

2:59:56spending per person, right? I think part

3:00:00of what we see though is that an average

3:00:03actually isn't very meaningful. You have

3:00:05a set of folks that just require a light

3:00:08touch and then you have folks that are

3:00:10chronic that come in again and again and

3:00:12again. So, what I'd suggest to you is a

3:00:15bar chart that has maybe groupings of

3:00:19expenditures over the course of a year

3:00:22and then per each of those bars account

3:00:24of how many individuals fall into that.

3:00:26That way, you're still protecting

3:00:28identity and all of that, but you give

3:00:30council member Elite Kleinfelder a more

3:00:33nuanced view of how much we're spending

3:00:35per person. There's maybe, you know, 500

3:00:38that require just a couple thousand

3:00:40dollars and then there's another 500

3:00:43that compare, you know, require several

3:00:46thousand. What I would do also as a

3:00:49demonstration point there is add in the

3:00:54cost not for us but generally to the

3:00:57system for emergency care because I

3:01:00think one of the key

3:01:03arguments for sort of the preventative

3:01:05work that OCD is doing is that it's not

3:01:08that the money doesn't get spent it gets

3:01:11spent in another way through emergency

3:01:13care with some of these individuals

3:01:15which is the most exp expensive ensive

3:01:17form of treatment with respect to

3:01:20homelessness. Um, so I only offer that

3:01:24as a potential way to, you know, I have

3:01:26a legitimate question about that too,

3:01:28like how much are we really spending per

3:01:29person? Do understand that it's an

3:01:31average wouldn't be meaningful, but that

3:01:34sort of graphic might be helpful for us

3:01:35to really answer that question for

3:01:37ourselves. Thank you,

3:01:41>> Miss Kaguara.

3:01:42>> Thank you so much. um thank you for

3:01:44providing this information and look

3:01:46forward to seeing uh the future uh

3:01:50report that you bring kind of laying

3:01:52this all out for us uh in a

3:01:54presentation. Uh I just want to thank my

3:01:58colleague uh Council Member Connie Lee

3:02:01Kleinfelder for you know paying some

3:02:04attention to some of the concerns that

3:02:07we that I've been dealing with and we've

3:02:08been dealing with in downtown Hilo for

3:02:11these many years. Um, yeah, it's it's an

3:02:15issue and it's an issue that, you know,

3:02:18uh, I've been paying attention to, I

3:02:21believe the administration has been

3:02:22paying attention, paying attention to,

3:02:25and I'm glad that my colleague is is

3:02:27seeing it as well. Um, I continue to be

3:02:31available to any of my constituents who

3:02:33want to meet on these subjects as I have

3:02:35been. I'm I'm in the office, you know,

3:02:38every day. I'm reachable. my staff is

3:02:40there every day. Um, and we are open to

3:02:44continuing conversations and figuring

3:02:46out solutions alongside the

3:02:48administration. So, just thank you for

3:02:51um, bringing that up, council member uh,

3:02:54Connieia Kleinfitter, because it's true

3:02:56that we do need a lot of support in

3:02:59Hilo. Thank you. I yield.

3:03:01>> Mr. Kirkitz,

3:03:04>> thank you. Um,

3:03:07I've been critical of the program. um in

3:03:09the past because it's hard to

3:03:13see millions of dollars, tens of

3:03:15millions, right? Like this is the

3:03:18largest grant program that the county

3:03:21runs, almost 10 million a year. And so

3:03:26you see that and you think a lot of

3:03:29money is being invested invested right

3:03:31in building capacity of nonprofits to

3:03:33respond and investing in in people that

3:03:35have frankly circumstances not of their

3:03:38own making have kind of fallen onto

3:03:41really hard times and you desperately

3:03:43want to help them because that's what we

3:03:44want to do is people we want to help.

3:03:46But then like all that money doesn't

3:03:49really compute to what you're seeing in

3:03:51community. And sometimes it feels like

3:03:54the problem may be growing. And I think

3:03:56it is. I think that the problem has

3:03:58gotten so big that our nonprofits are

3:04:01just completely overwhelmed with the

3:04:04task that they've been charged with. Um

3:04:07not none of that to say that we

3:04:09shouldn't be critical of these kinds of

3:04:10programs because again not accusing

3:04:13anyone but we've just seen particularly

3:04:15around the housing issue and the audit

3:04:17that happened with the state and the

3:04:18kohhale just abuse of public funding. So

3:04:22I unfortunately some of us aren't going

3:04:24to be here to receive the audit but I

3:04:26think it'll give you information that

3:04:28you need to further improve the program

3:04:31so that it is transparent it is

3:04:32accountable. I think I don't necessarily

3:04:36think that we can say we can divide the

3:04:40money that's been spent so far and say

3:04:42this is what we're spending on an

3:04:43average person for the reasons that

3:04:45council member Kimble articulated. But

3:04:47also some of that money I'd like to

3:04:50believe is going into infrastructure

3:04:53like building out facilities, additional

3:04:56beds that will be used over time. So I'd

3:04:59like you to be a little bit more

3:05:01thoughtful about how you

3:05:04quantify

3:05:06but also provide some qualitative data

3:05:08around the impact. Um

3:05:11I really want to emphasize that it's

3:05:13important that this code provision move

3:05:16forward because it sets the guard rails.

3:05:19additional

3:05:21language can be articulated once the

3:05:24audit comes through and then changes to

3:05:27administrative rules.

3:05:29One thing I really want to emphasize

3:05:31that we

3:05:33really invest in is the preventative

3:05:35piece.

3:05:36I'd really like to find ways to avoid

3:05:39people from falling on hard times to

3:05:41begin with. And I'm so grateful that

3:05:43that is the first priority that's listed

3:05:46in the code. The other thing that I

3:05:49think we're all grappling with is you

3:05:52have individuals that just

3:05:55will take advantage of the goodwill of

3:05:57nonprofits

3:05:58without even caring to change their

3:06:01situation.

3:06:04It's easy to just stay on the street and

3:06:06to accept the blanket and the hot meal,

3:06:09but they're not being forced to change.

3:06:12And I I don't know if we saw that

3:06:14through this ordinance, but I think it

3:06:16does require a larger conversation with

3:06:18community because as council member

3:06:21Canal E Kleinfelder pointed out, these

3:06:24businesses are having to put gates on

3:06:26their storefronts. They're dramatically

3:06:28having to change how they operate. And

3:06:30cruising through these downtown areas, I

3:06:32don't like what I see. I grew up in

3:06:34downtown Hilo. My dad had a gas station,

3:06:36Kitty Corner, Kalakawa Park, and and the

3:06:39post office. Miss Costa, you know, you

3:06:41took your car there. Um,

3:06:44downtown he looks so different now.

3:06:48And I don't want that to become our new

3:06:49normal. I don't want the deteriorating

3:06:51communities to become the new normal. I

3:06:55think this fund can be incredibly

3:06:57helpful, but I think we also need to

3:06:59start asking other questions,

3:07:01right? What are we going to do in

3:07:03situations where people are just not

3:07:05wanting to help or to change their

3:07:07circumstance? what what can we do?

3:07:10Because the solution is not for them to

3:07:12hang out in front of somebody's business

3:07:15or hang out at a playground because I

3:07:17have a ton of mom friends who say, "I

3:07:19don't feel comfortable taking my kiki to

3:07:21the park with the playground because of

3:07:24of what they see and what is happening

3:07:27there, which is not appropriate for

3:07:29young eyes." So, I don't I don't know if

3:07:31you have a response to that. It's very

3:07:33[laughter]

3:07:36>> I mean we've been here for two years

3:07:40now.

3:07:40>> Lot of time,

3:07:41>> right? And same conversation over and

3:07:43over.

3:07:44>> Um I think one thing that I really want

3:07:48to say is that we have individual

3:07:53individuals

3:07:55who want to change their lives. They

3:07:58they come in and they say, "We want to

3:08:01be connected to a service that will help

3:08:03us on our way to housing or stabilize or

3:08:08detox." There are many, our count is

3:08:12only those that say, "Yes, I consent to

3:08:15being part of a program that is funded

3:08:17by HHF." There are many who do not.

3:08:21There are many who do not engage. We do

3:08:24not have information on them. They might

3:08:26be on the sidewalks. They might be the

3:08:29ones Matt saw this morning. We don't

3:08:31know. We I don't know who you saw, but

3:08:33anyway, you know, so we have to remember

3:08:36that this fund is helping those who are

3:08:40engaging in services, but there are many

3:08:43who are not engaged in services

3:08:45>> and that is how you are being judged.

3:08:46>> And that is how we are being judged

3:08:48>> who are not being serviced because of

3:08:50their choice that they don't want to be

3:08:51helped. And that's the conversation that

3:08:53needs to have perhaps outside of this

3:08:55fund is what do we do in those

3:08:57situations?

3:08:58>> Correct?

3:08:59>> Because they don't want to better their

3:09:00lives for whatever reason, whatever

3:09:02reason. For them, it might be easier to

3:09:04just camp out. But are we going to allow

3:09:08that as a society?

3:09:10You know, the office of housing

3:09:13is charged with administering this fund.

3:09:18The fund.

3:09:19>> Yeah, I know,

3:09:20>> right? We are not a human service

3:09:23department. We do not have social

3:09:25workers hired in the office of housing.

3:09:28This was a this is the fourth year of a

3:09:31pilot program that was put in a

3:09:33department that is now being asked

3:09:36determine

3:09:37the entire ecosystem of homelessness.

3:09:42This is a fund that we're asked to

3:09:43administer.

3:09:46Proposal

3:09:47is approved.

3:09:50and we monitor the program. That's the

3:09:54challenge that we have is we come before

3:09:56you trying to trying to understand this

3:09:59entire ecosystem of h of homelessness

3:10:03and housing. We listen to our experts

3:10:07who are our nonprofits that are working

3:10:08day by day in the field. We're trying we

3:10:11try to put the whole picture together so

3:10:13that we can understand how to best

3:10:15invest these funds. But the but that's

3:10:18what we're limited to administering the

3:10:21funds and managing the funds. And

3:10:24there's so much more beyond that.

3:10:30You know, we hear that we need a

3:10:32downtown day respit center so that when

3:10:35individuals leave caught sleeping at

3:10:38night, there's a place for them to go.

3:10:40So it's not the sidewalk. We don't have

3:10:43the funds for that right now. That

3:10:45hasn't been funded. There's so much more

3:10:47need than we can even manage in with

3:10:51this fund

3:10:52>> and that's something that needs to be

3:10:54articulated to state and federal

3:10:56partners. We're doing something that is

3:10:58not historically part of the county's

3:11:00job description but we felt the need to

3:11:03step in because there was a huge problem

3:11:06a glaring problem that nobody seemed to

3:11:08want to solve. So take that information,

3:11:11share it with our state and federal

3:11:12federal delegation, tell them what we

3:11:14are doing, but tell them what the gaps

3:11:16are so that they know how they can jump

3:11:18on board and help what is turning into

3:11:21be a collective problem that we all need

3:11:23to solve.

3:11:24>> You know, I I would like to I would

3:11:26really like to appreciate the Niko

3:11:28fellows that came a couple weeks ago.

3:11:32You know, they wanted to just see

3:11:33housing, our housing developments,

3:11:35LITCH. We took him to Salvation Army

3:11:38caught sleeping and we showed them where

3:11:40we as a county are trying to fill the

3:11:42gap that federal funds are not covering.

3:11:46It was an it was an impressive meeting

3:11:49with Captain Sam and the team there. So

3:11:52I do think we have a lot to be proud of.

3:11:55I think that we are unique in what we're

3:11:57doing. But yes, we are judged daily. For

3:12:00every one household that we shelter,

3:12:04January 2026, 25 individuals were

3:12:08sheltered, 67 new enrollments into our

3:12:12system. February 2026, 37 sheltered, 53

3:12:17new enrollments.

3:12:21Can give you that for the whole year. We

3:12:23have more entering homelessness than we

3:12:26can provide shelter for.

3:12:29We spend $28 million in federal funds a

3:12:33year for 23 households to remain stably

3:12:37housed in Hawaii County.

3:12:4123 households remaining stably housed

3:12:45cost $30 million with our administrative

3:12:48expense and that's increasing.

3:12:51And we are administering

3:12:53housing homeless programs to 2800

3:12:57households a year with $9 million.

3:13:05>> It's a significant amount of resources,

3:13:08>> right?

3:13:09>> Cost of living through the roof here in

3:13:11the islands only exacerbating the

3:13:12problem.

3:13:13It's not lost on me that we're sitting

3:13:15here today talking about housing

3:13:16development in Waloa, climate,

3:13:19wildfires, short-term vacation rentals,

3:13:22and homelessness.

3:13:27Thank you ladies for the work that you

3:13:29and your teams do. Um, and especially

3:13:31our nonprofits. They are angels among us

3:13:34doing some of the most difficult work

3:13:36supporting people at, you know, who

3:13:39really hit bottom. Um, not everything is

3:13:42going to be accomplished with this fund.

3:13:43I think we recognize that. But I think

3:13:45we need to have bigger conversations

3:13:48about what to do for those that don't

3:13:50want to be helped and whose

3:13:53responsibility is it to do something

3:13:55about the situation. I think the county

3:13:57should be convening those conversations.

3:14:00>> Thank you for being here.

3:14:01>> Thank you,

3:14:02>> Mr. Hust.

3:14:04>> Thank you, Vice Chair. Thank you,

3:14:05administrator. I appreciate your time

3:14:07here here this afternoon, early

3:14:09afternoon. Now, um,

3:14:13we talked about it previously and if you

3:14:14just refresh my mind on this one, a lot

3:14:17of the programs that are being

3:14:18administered, the funds,

3:14:21are any of them operating on county

3:14:23properties?

3:14:26>> Yes. Our shelters, um, West Hawaii

3:14:29shelter, the friendly place, which is

3:14:32the resource center, those are county

3:14:34properties. Um, we have a shelter in

3:14:38Hilo. We have two shelters in Hilo. One

3:14:41is supported by um HHF funds. The other

3:14:45shelter luckily has Bezos funding. Um so

3:14:49they are not currently being supported

3:14:51by HHF funds. That's our family shelter.

3:14:55Um they are opening Kuola next year

3:14:58which will need operating funds for

3:15:00homeless programs.

3:15:03Um

3:15:05>> yeah, I mean

3:15:06>> and and those properties are

3:15:09fall under your office?

3:15:11>> Yes.

3:15:12>> Would we have any other programs that

3:15:14these funds have in the past or funds

3:15:17thought about in the future to be used

3:15:18on other county properties? I mean, what

3:15:20what this is spelling out, you know,

3:15:22other specifics in terms of prevention,

3:15:24outreach, diversion,

3:15:26would any of that be seen on county

3:15:28properties?

3:15:30>> Would

3:15:31>> because we you're engaging with these

3:15:33nonprofits who are intended to do this

3:15:35work. Are they just doing it on out on

3:15:38public streets, private properties,

3:15:40their properties? They're also going to

3:15:42be on county properties, too, I would

3:15:44imagine. Right. Trying to engage.

3:15:47>> Yeah. So, there's street engagement.

3:15:50Yeah.

3:15:50>> There's street engagement.

3:15:51>> But none of this occurs on county

3:15:52properties at the moment as far as you

3:15:54know, like kind of our parks.

3:15:57>> Yeah. Street engagement is everywhere

3:15:59and anywhere there are homeless. our

3:16:02teams, our nonprofit teams, and and HHF

3:16:05really only supports two engagement

3:16:08teams right now. There's engagement

3:16:11that's occurring by the nonprofits

3:16:14um that they seek private funding, nonp

3:16:18you know, regular grants. Um, we the HHF

3:16:22fund currently only funds

3:16:25one justice involved navigator for uh

3:16:30going home Hawaii for engagement for

3:16:32those that are um coming or justice

3:16:36involved coming out of incarceration to

3:16:39help them on their path to homelessness

3:16:42or stable home uh housing so that

3:16:45they're not homeless coming out. Um

3:16:48that's one we fund and we fund project

3:16:51vision which is the mobile um uh showers

3:16:56and that's it. Otherwise that all that

3:16:58engagement work is being done by

3:16:59nonprofits that are not funded by HHF.

3:17:03>> Where where I'm where I'm trying to go

3:17:04with this a little bit is explore if

3:17:06there's a better partnership to be had

3:17:08in some of our underutilized facilities

3:17:10in community. We have some of our park

3:17:12facilities that and not not just that

3:17:15particular department but there are we

3:17:16have facilities that aren't being used

3:17:19for one reason or another either between

3:17:22um our elderly recreations like there I

3:17:25can speak of one specifically in Yas not

3:17:27being used a nutrition center and I have

3:17:30community partners that are looking for

3:17:32you know how to how to help community

3:17:34members but we don't have the facilities

3:17:36other than what the county has but it's

3:17:38not necessarily being used to its full

3:17:40extent. So I I'm I'm curious. That's

3:17:43where I'm trying to see if there's an

3:17:44opportunity more of an opportunity to

3:17:47engage with committ members because it

3:17:48comes back to my point and I'll keep

3:17:50reiterating as as we go through the the

3:17:53process of the grant making side and

3:17:55that review that we need that geographic

3:17:57equity and I recognize the need is

3:18:00greater in our urban centers and I I'll

3:18:02just keep pushing it in terms of not

3:18:05necessarily seeing that response that

3:18:08immediate response in communities that

3:18:10that experience some of um you know

3:18:13impacts from community members that we

3:18:15have people jump on the on the bus

3:18:17freely and go freely and come and go and

3:18:19they know where some of the community

3:18:20members are offering these services but

3:18:23at at the same time those services are

3:18:25limited it may just be only a hot meal

3:18:28but they're going to come to Maya and

3:18:29get a hot meal once a week on the free

3:18:31bus but there are no other services

3:18:33being provided in the community so I'm

3:18:36I'm trying to look at see if there's

3:18:38opportunities to use some of our

3:18:40existing county facilities

3:18:43for partnership. And I it if it hasn't

3:18:46really existed in that space, I think

3:18:48it's something we need to explore to see

3:18:50if our other departments that are that

3:18:52are all being impacted one way or

3:18:54another um by individuals, you know,

3:18:57good and bad on all these different

3:18:59accounts.

3:19:01You know, we don't need to operate in a

3:19:03silo here, right? All of our departments

3:19:06are are cleaning up, caring for these

3:19:09spaces. we're paying security for

3:19:11certain spaces because of these impacts.

3:19:15So, what can we do in terms of kind of

3:19:18breaking this a little bit more and that

3:19:19we're all departments are all working

3:19:21together to kind of provide some of

3:19:24these facilities, these spaces and

3:19:26opportunity for nonprofits to step in

3:19:28those spaces and use some of the

3:19:30underutilized facilities. I mean, that's

3:19:32that's kind of what what I'm trying to

3:19:34build out of this conversation.

3:19:35>> I understand what you're saying. Yes.

3:19:37>> Thank So, if you can identify those

3:19:39spaces, we can we can in your district,

3:19:41we can have those conversations around

3:19:43what nonprofits are operating in in the

3:19:47area and how to create that

3:19:50>> Yeah.

3:19:50>> type of resource.

3:19:51>> Thank you.

3:19:52>> Point.

3:19:53>> Our church groups, I mean, up in the

3:19:55Kohala region, many of our church groups

3:19:57who do an amazing job of feeding people,

3:19:59but they're limited. That's that's

3:20:01that's their give into community, and

3:20:04that's what they do. that some of those

3:20:06other services they're not there when

3:20:08people are looking for other contact

3:20:09points or other sort of care. I mean

3:20:12they'll they'll every now and then sure

3:20:14but on a regular basis no

3:20:18so trying to just see how we can better

3:20:21better build this together with all the

3:20:23departments working collaboratively.

3:20:25>> Thank you.

3:20:26>> Yep. Thank you administrator.

3:20:27>> Yeah.

3:20:28>> Thank you vice chair.

3:20:30>> Okay. Anybody on their first round?

3:20:35Okay, Mr. Kel kind. Go ahead.

3:20:38>> Thank you. Oh, wow. That was fast.

3:20:42Thanks, clerk.

3:20:48Okay,

3:20:53so as I saying, 23 people on the street

3:20:56this morning smoking whatever because it

3:20:58wasn't just weed. Okay, I cannot prove

3:21:00they were smoking anything else, but it

3:21:01wasn't a weed pipe.

3:21:04So that's the visible site. Uh

3:21:06concerning some concerns, increased

3:21:10funding,

3:21:13but we're also seeing increased

3:21:15enrollment.

3:21:18Now, I would propose that as we continue

3:21:21to provide funding over three years,

3:21:24four years, five years with the

3:21:27extension to six or seven years

3:21:30that we should be seeing a decrease in

3:21:33enrollment because we're providing a

3:21:35service that we've spent $32 million on

3:21:37to date. That doesn't even include this

3:21:39year.

3:21:41So, I'm having concerns that as we fund,

3:21:45we grow. That should be the opposite of

3:21:49what we see in community. If we're

3:21:51funding and the programs are landing and

3:21:54the program objectives are being met,

3:21:57the decrease should be starting to be

3:21:59evident by now. This is an alignment

3:22:01with an affordable housing production

3:22:03fund, Kawhale project,

3:22:08affordable housing initiatives,

3:22:12all the state-run lie heaps and whatever

3:22:14acronym you want to throw at it, the

3:22:16funding sources have provided the nine

3:22:18homes or nine places that we bought with

3:22:21the funding that we couldn't use a few

3:22:23years back.

3:22:25All of these should be beginning to

3:22:27affect positively and show a decrease in

3:22:32the homeless households that we're

3:22:34addressing.

3:22:38Miss Kongi Wada has spoken in support of

3:22:41the Kohhale initiative. I've had my

3:22:44concern since the day they created it.

3:22:47This past weekend, my confir my concerns

3:22:50were confirmed when $13.7 million was

3:22:53found to be spent in off places by some

3:22:56of the organizations. That's not a small

3:22:58amount of money.

3:23:03There's always going to be someone out

3:23:05there who does something stupid. And for

3:23:07the the guy who the director, whoever he

3:23:10was, who was watching adult videos on

3:23:12taxpayer money,

3:23:15it's going to happen.

3:23:20The departments have expressed their

3:23:22concerns. DPW, parks and recreation,

3:23:26security services, police, calls for

3:23:28service, fire department, ambulances

3:23:30responding and basically giving people a

3:23:32free ride from Poa to Hilo because

3:23:34they're not required to get out of and

3:23:36go to the hospital when they use

3:23:37ambulance ride. These are the same

3:23:39individuals we see again and again. That

3:23:42accountability piece is completely

3:23:44lacking. There's no accountability built

3:23:46in for the folks using the services. Not

3:23:49all of them are an issue,

3:23:52but a lot of them are continuous issues.

3:23:54And there's no accountability there in

3:23:57any form for our services provided and

3:24:00what they're doing to our community on

3:24:02the back end. Breaking windows in

3:24:04businesses, defecating on public

3:24:06property, creating security nightmares,

3:24:09riding the bus, being kicked off,

3:24:11requiring police intervention. all of

3:24:13these things.

3:24:16The more I've looked at this, I want to

3:24:18be very careful that we're not just

3:24:20creating a homeless nonprofit support

3:24:23fund.

3:24:25Some of my heartburn during the hearings

3:24:29regarding the grants

3:24:31was that the grants

3:24:33showed duplicative administrative

3:24:36expenses and that the programmatic

3:24:38expenses were more than the program

3:24:41being

3:24:43provided. I understand that things take

3:24:46staffing,

3:24:47but a private company operating doing

3:24:50anything in the county has its

3:24:51struggles. But we don't come in and bail

3:24:54them out. They're not nonprofits.

3:24:56But we should be very careful of

3:24:58creating the homeless nonprofit support

3:25:00fund versus the homeless and housing

3:25:02fund. That's a very important

3:25:05distinction I think we should be making

3:25:06and checking. There is no audit yet. I

3:25:10won't be here when it comes out.

3:25:13But I'm also voting no today on this

3:25:15because when that audit comes out, I

3:25:17don't want to have my name as a yes vote

3:25:19or even being in the same room being

3:25:21part of what's going on.

3:25:24All of this kind of leads me back to

3:25:26Kulana.

3:25:31We're using taxpayer money

3:25:35to the tune of $32 million just for this

3:25:38one fund, right? Over three years.

3:25:44We're using the nonprofits to do the

3:25:46work because it's not our kana as a

3:25:49county to do it. So we have to use the

3:25:51nonprofits to address the issues that

3:25:53we're seeing because it's not county

3:25:56kana. It's affecting our county and our

3:25:59community, but it's not our kulana,

3:26:01which is why we keep hearing the same

3:26:02things come back. State and federal

3:26:05partners need to be involved. Yet

3:26:08we use funds from our general fund

3:26:12to buffer the problems that are being

3:26:14left in our laps by the inefficiencies

3:26:17of state and federal government.

3:26:20These problems are not our kana and we

3:26:25have other fish to fry and we can't even

3:26:27get to it. And those are the concerns

3:26:29that we all feel in our districts.

3:26:32To Mr. Huis's point, I thought about him

3:26:35this morning and I thought about Miss

3:26:36Gimba.

3:26:38Even District 5, we don't have a

3:26:40tremendous amount of homeless people. So

3:26:42this is really based on districts 2,

3:26:45three, seven,

3:26:47kona, kilo and maybe a little bit of

3:26:50poa.

3:26:52The geographical equity piece is

3:26:56missing.

3:26:58So I for one will not be voting in

3:27:00support of this. I don't appreciate I

3:27:02don't I appreciate office of housing

3:27:04community development. I always do. We

3:27:07put this in your lap. You did the best

3:27:09that you could. I don't I don't support

3:27:11the extension and I I would be very

3:27:15careful as far as the body to put our

3:27:16names on something just even as simple

3:27:19as a yes vote if the audit does come

3:27:21back and any conflicts of interest or

3:27:24other things that could be built into a

3:27:27case to say in the negative of the

3:27:30extension and we voted yes on something

3:27:36mean it's your name on the on the box so

3:27:38I'll be voting no today. Thank you for

3:27:40being here, providing the information

3:27:42and continuing to push more

3:27:44administrative scrutiny. I look forward

3:27:46to seeing that audit. I'll read it even

3:27:48if I'm not here because I'm very

3:27:49interested to see how it comes out. And

3:27:52uh if you could please provide to the

3:27:54nonprofit service providers that I'd

3:27:56like to see a decrease in the visible

3:27:59side that we can actually

3:28:02put our hands on of homelessness

3:28:06that we keep saying we're addressing if

3:28:08we look forward to spending another $9

3:28:10million this year, $9 million a year

3:28:13after that and another 9 million while

3:28:15we try to figure out how to build a

3:28:17bridge across Coconut Island.

3:28:20I yield chair.

3:28:22>> Thank you, Miss Gibba.

3:28:26>> So, I I got to push back a little bit on

3:28:28what you just said, Matt, because it's

3:28:30an interesting thing in District 6. I

3:28:33wouldn't say that we don't have a

3:28:34homelessness problem. We do, but it's

3:28:37super invisible. And that is it. It's

3:28:43Well, it's invisible because nobody

3:28:45comes out to District 6 other than the

3:28:47people that live there. So that's why so

3:28:49you didn't drive through Ocean View and

3:28:51count the kind of substandard housing

3:28:54that people there live in. Um and so

3:28:58that's another kind of homelessness.

3:29:00They are hiding out in Ocean View. Um

3:29:04which you know maybe that's maybe that's

3:29:07better because we can't see them and

3:29:09therefore they don't bother us. Um so

3:29:12it's a kind of an interesting

3:29:13philosophical thing. I mean, if you if

3:29:16you provide resources,

3:29:19that's where they're going to go and

3:29:20they're going to you're going to see

3:29:22them there. Whereas, if you don't

3:29:24provide resources, there's another kind

3:29:26of issue I think that happens and it

3:29:31could be potentially worse. Um

3:29:36so yeah I just wanted to kind of push

3:29:39back a little bit on that that sort of

3:29:42statement um or implied statement and I

3:29:45would say that there is you know that

3:29:47the

3:29:49some of the services don't reach ocean

3:29:52view as much as they do in um more

3:29:57populated areas because it's harder to

3:30:02be as effective there. Um

3:30:0610,000

3:30:08um parcels ocean view. It's a very very

3:30:12spread out kind of problem and very sort

3:30:16of different kinds of customers I think.

3:30:21Um you got to fight through the the wild

3:30:24dogs to get to [laughter and gasps] to

3:30:26your customers and that kind of thing.

3:30:28So, you know, there's there's um

3:30:33there's still a lot that that we need to

3:30:37work on per

3:30:40uh Council Member Kirk at this point. I

3:30:42mean, it's the fact that our state just

3:30:45got

3:30:47um ranked number 50 or the the worst

3:30:51place to do business in the entire

3:30:54country is having an effect on local

3:30:58people even, you know, ones that

3:31:02if there's if it's hard to do business,

3:31:04then it's going to be really hard to get

3:31:05a job.

3:31:07So, it's definitely not all on the

3:31:10Office of Housing and Community

3:31:12Development and um even

3:31:17on this fund. Um, we the council,

3:31:23the administration, the state

3:31:25legislature have a lot of work to do to

3:31:28try and figure out ways to globally

3:31:33um

3:31:37change our society such that we have

3:31:40less homeless people. And part of that,

3:31:43you know, there is a sort of a stick

3:31:46element as as well as a help part to it.

3:31:49So, not um

3:31:55I'm not denigrating that aspect of this

3:31:58conversation that we're going we're

3:32:00having here. Um but I think I think it's

3:32:05really important to help people to try

3:32:07and get out of their situation. that's

3:32:10probably going to be the most uh time

3:32:14effective way to help rather than the

3:32:18the stick part is going to take longer

3:32:20and it's going to be really ugly. So,

3:32:22but it's not saying that it's not a part

3:32:24of the whole situation.

3:32:26So, yeah, just wanted to those comments.

3:32:30[snorts]

3:32:32Okay, any other members? No. Okay, I'm

3:32:35going to close it then. Um we have on

3:32:39video Miss um Adams

3:32:45Claire.

3:32:47Okay. Um you got my questions this

3:32:50morning right and about the audit. Can

3:32:53you please explain a little bit on the

3:32:56timeline and can you share whatever

3:33:00information you folks collected so far

3:33:03and with with the council if you can?

3:33:05But then also why will the audit take a

3:33:09little bit longer? Go ahead.

3:33:12>> Sure. Um good afternoon Cladam County

3:33:14auditor. Um yeah uh as as I mentioned by

3:33:19email this morning I don't have a

3:33:21timeline as um a firm date as to when

3:33:24the audit is going to be published. We

3:33:26are still reviewing and investigating um

3:33:29some issues and so uh I'd love to be

3:33:32able to have uh given you a date that we

3:33:35could final finalize the audit by now

3:33:38because I know you're making a decision

3:33:40today as to the fund. Um but I do I am

3:33:46and I know that we have also mentioned

3:33:48that the end of the year would be a

3:33:49possible possibility but I still can't

3:33:51give you a firm date as I'm still

3:33:54looking at information and I have some

3:33:56requests for information still out

3:33:58there. Um so until I get that until I've

3:34:02looked at that and then I need to figure

3:34:04out if we also need to ask even more

3:34:06things. So unfortunately I think the end

3:34:09of the year is probably not going to be

3:34:10possible at this stage. you know, and so

3:34:14when you're saying you're trying to

3:34:15gather more information,

3:34:17>> can you could you get into a little bit

3:34:19more detail about it because the scope

3:34:22of the audit when it was provided

3:34:26>> there was a scope, right? And I don't

3:34:27really know what the scope was, but now

3:34:29it seems like there's more things that

3:34:31needs to be looked at. Is that correct?

3:34:34>> Um, I mean the scope has remained the

3:34:37same. I think it's where some of the

3:34:39information that I need to look at is. I

3:34:42I um you know, I'm asking for

3:34:46information from nonprofits directly and

3:34:48and and I've only re and and only

3:34:51recently asked them for this. So, I

3:34:53don't want to in anyway throw them under

3:34:55the bus. But, um yeah, I need to get

3:34:57that information back from them, take a

3:34:59look at that, and then if I have any

3:35:00further requests after that, but I I I

3:35:03don't know whether I will at this stage.

3:35:05Joe, I can't give a firm date as to what

3:35:07I'm looking for because I won't know

3:35:09until I've seen the the latest round of

3:35:11information that's provided back to me.

3:35:12If that makes sense.

3:35:13>> So, this could be a possibility going

3:35:15into next year.

3:35:17>> Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

3:35:19>> Wow.

3:35:21And we're here as a body going to

3:35:24approve extending this for two more

3:35:26years, not knowing all the circumstances

3:35:29that's facing our auditor.

3:35:32And you know, I appreciate the

3:35:34testifiers that came out and saying

3:35:36about how, you know, it's helping them

3:35:40in creating their program, but you know,

3:35:44Claire, I also asked you if you knew or

3:35:47you could well maybe find out the intent

3:35:50of this creation of this funding,

3:35:54>> right? And

3:35:56>> yeah, and I have that here. It's the

3:35:57ordinance from um

3:36:002022 and it was uh that fund should be

3:36:04appropriated to address uh to address

3:36:07homelessness. So, it was a very wide uh

3:36:10intent. Um,

3:36:13>> and and was that intent to have this

3:36:16permanent funding for nonprofits or it

3:36:19was like a like a startup for these

3:36:22nonprofits to use to get established in

3:36:26like getting other funding

3:36:29because

3:36:29>> I mean there was it was there the the

3:36:33original ordinance mentioned county

3:36:34sponsored program. So there wasn't even

3:36:36a mention of nonprofits necessarily in

3:36:39there. Um and then that the funding

3:36:41would sunset

3:36:43um 2027.

3:36:45>> So it it was a it was an open it wasn't

3:36:49open and I I don't know. I wasn't here.

3:36:51I wasn't as part of any of the

3:36:53deliberations in 2022. So I'd have to go

3:36:55back and look at that. But um I think

3:36:59the intent I assume was that it was open

3:37:02so that there could be um some some some

3:37:06programs to address it because there was

3:37:07nothing at the time.

3:37:09>> And so you're saying it was like for

3:37:11county programs.

3:37:13>> County sponsored programs is the wording

3:37:15in the ordinance. Yes.

3:37:16>> Okay. Got it. I really appreciate you

3:37:19coming, you know, participating and

3:37:22giving me this information and my fellow

3:37:24colleagues. But and I mean I'm hoping

3:37:27that

3:37:29this can be resolved or your completed

3:37:32audit can be done maybe before some of

3:37:36these members do leave, but I don't

3:37:38think so. And so

3:37:40>> Oh, no. No. That unfortunately that's

3:37:43not going to be possible. Yeah. So, so

3:37:45then um and this is kind of like getting

3:37:48outside, but

3:37:50after your report,

3:37:54there could be possibilities of amending

3:37:57what we have in front of us. So, that

3:38:00could be part of your recommendations.

3:38:03Correct.

3:38:05when you say amending the things that

3:38:06you have in front of us, I mean the

3:38:08there may be recommend recommendations

3:38:11for

3:38:12uh the county code or administrative

3:38:15rules etc. Um so so yeah I mean and

3:38:19obviously you know when the report is

3:38:21out I'll I'll be available to discuss

3:38:23with council at that time you know

3:38:25involvement and and uh the

3:38:27recommendations will set out hopefully

3:38:30in quite detail um any steps that we

3:38:32would recommend taking and and and sure

3:38:35we normally when we audit it's for the

3:38:37department but I can also put some

3:38:39recommendations in there for council too

3:38:41if there are any legislative changes

3:38:43that we would recommend taking place at

3:38:45that time.

3:38:46>> Okay. Thank you very much.

3:38:48>> No, thank you.

3:38:48>> And to administrator uh Kha and I I know

3:38:54this when this bill was passed, you

3:38:55folks weren't at your level now, right?

3:38:57And so the previous administration kind

3:38:59of came up with this, but you folks were

3:39:01still working for county housing. Is

3:39:03that correct?

3:39:05>> I was not in the county when this

3:39:07ordinance

3:39:09>> you weren't you weren't working for

3:39:10county housing during that time?

3:39:11>> Not at that time. No.

3:39:12>> Okay. You weren't to was No. So all you

3:39:16folks are new to this then?

3:39:20>> Yeah.

3:39:20>> Yeah. Well, we're not new to this.

3:39:22>> I mean, no, no, but what I'm saying is

3:39:23that it for two years,

3:39:25>> this funding,

3:39:26>> right? The previous administration

3:39:29>> was the one that had the duty to move

3:39:32this funding forward.

3:39:34>> And so you folks took it over once you

3:39:36folks got it with this new

3:39:37administration.

3:39:38>> Correct.

3:39:38>> Right. And it was already established

3:39:40what for two years maybe.

3:39:41>> Yes.

3:39:42>> Right.

3:39:44So that's like kind of like what we

3:39:46talked about today

3:39:49in way of um

3:39:52the TVRS the the BMBBS right about

3:39:55having the registration and now we

3:39:57coming up with the rules and so forth

3:39:58like that I mean it's like but I just

3:40:01see this happening and it's very

3:40:04frustrating

3:40:06right and to me like talking to former

3:40:10council member

3:40:12The intent wasn't to continue funding

3:40:17permanent programs

3:40:20with this money. It was supposed to curb

3:40:24the the solving the problem of

3:40:27homelessness and not piece of a puzzle

3:40:32that can continue going on for many many

3:40:34years.

3:40:35And that's what I think Mr. Conly

3:40:39Kleinfelder and myself see that's going

3:40:41on, right? Because what if the economy

3:40:45dives down, our property tax values go

3:40:48down, right? This program would have to

3:40:50cut,

3:40:52right? So if we could have them be

3:40:54established where they can be getting

3:40:56other resource funds, right, to be

3:40:59sustainable,

3:41:00I mean that's what I think this fund

3:41:03should be used for and not something

3:41:06where they're going to depend every

3:41:09single year

3:41:11having this money,

3:41:14right? because we as we see sometimes

3:41:18the numbers don't change or like there's

3:41:21more visibility, right?

3:41:25So I I I I still want to see the audit

3:41:29and you know like I remember when I

3:41:31first got in previous administration

3:41:34passed the one CDP in a district and

3:41:36they said we know there's flaws pass it

3:41:40and amend it later.

3:41:43Right.

3:41:44And that's what they did. So that

3:41:46previous council passed it and when we

3:41:48got in, we had to amend it. And it was

3:41:50horrible amending it. The community was

3:41:53up in roar. And so it's like I I cannot

3:41:57see that happening, right? And that's

3:41:59what we're going to be doing with this

3:42:00funds. Once we get the audit, maybe in

3:42:03January, maybe in February,

3:42:06then the new council going to have to do

3:42:08something about it, like maybe amending

3:42:10the the ordinance, right? Make or

3:42:15require you folks to do more things. I

3:42:17don't know. But I'll I'll just yield at

3:42:19that. And so, Mr. Clerk, let's do a roll

3:42:22call

3:42:23>> on the motion to pass bill 182 192 draft

3:42:273 on second and final reading. Council

3:42:29member Gimba. Hi,

3:42:30>> Council Member Hustus.

3:42:32>> Hi,

3:42:34>> Cherry Naba. Council member Kagiada.

3:42:36>> Hi,

3:42:36>> Council Member Connley Kleinfelder.

3:42:38>> Nope.

3:42:39>> Council member Kirkowitz,

3:42:41>> I.

3:42:41>> Council member Campbell,

3:42:43>> I.

3:42:43>> Council member Viegas.

3:42:45>> Acting Cher Nishi.

3:42:47>> No.

3:42:47>> Acting Cher Nishi, you have five votes

3:42:49in favor with yourself and council

3:42:50member Connie Kleinfelder opposed and

3:42:53council members Enaba and Viegas absent

3:42:55excuses. The motion carries. Bill 192,

3:42:57draft 3 passes second and final reading.

3:43:00>> Thank you. You know, I'm going to take a

3:43:02five minute recess.

3:43:03>> Thank you so much.

3:43:04>> So, we're going to return back in um

3:43:08>> what in so it's going to be like 12.

3:43:11Let's go 12:50.

3:43:13>> Okay. 12:50.

3:43:14>> 9 minutes.

3:43:15>> 9 minutes.

3:43:15>> Oh, Jenner. Yeah. [laughter]

3:52:38Okay.

3:52:40Are we okay?

3:52:45>> Yes. Okay. I'm calling this meeting back

3:52:47to order.

3:52:50>> And it is the time is 12:51 p.m.

3:52:55>> Okay. So, let's Mr. Clerk, let's do Bill

3:52:58199.

3:53:04Is there any testimony for bill 199

3:53:07which is that first reading?

3:53:14Hearing none. Bill nine amends chapter

3:53:1614 of Hawaii County Code 1983 2016

3:53:19edition as amended by adding a new

3:53:20article relating to the establishment of

3:53:22a historic place marker program.

3:53:24Requires a planning department

3:53:25administer historic placemarker program.

3:53:27Requires the Department of Public Works

3:53:29to install and maintain historic place

3:53:30markers. Requires the Department of

3:53:32Research and Development to support the

3:53:34program through research and outreach.

3:53:35Requires submission of historic place

3:53:37marker implementation plan within one

3:53:39year of adoption and requires

3:53:40installation of all historic place

3:53:42markers within 6 months thereafter.

3:53:44Introduced by Council Members Kirkowitz

3:53:46and Inaba. Miss Kirkitz.

3:53:48>> Thank you, Chair. Motion to approve bill

3:53:50199 on first reading.

3:53:52>> Motion by Miss Kirkowitz, second by Mr.

3:53:54Hust. Go ahead.

3:53:56>> Thank you. Um, and I just want to

3:53:58acknowledge the departments that have

3:53:59been patiently waiting here this

3:54:01morning, planning, public works, and

3:54:04R&D. Thank you for being here, but also

3:54:06your collaboration on this bill and the

3:54:09amendments that are um going to be

3:54:10before us today. This um the next series

3:54:14of amendments I'll be proposing is in

3:54:15relation to the historic marker program

3:54:18that would provide um placebased signage

3:54:21around the community identifying a pua

3:54:24in order to um again just strengthen

3:54:27connection to place and elevate

3:54:29traditional place names and stories. Um

3:54:32at committee council member Kimble you

3:54:34mentioned being interested in some kind

3:54:37of appeals process. Um, after meeting

3:54:39with the departments, we determined that

3:54:42it would probably be better to vet all

3:54:44of that as part of the planning process

3:54:47so that once a a a map is finalized and

3:54:51submitted to the council, it's been

3:54:52thoroughly vetted by community partners.

3:54:54So, I'll talk a little bit more about it

3:54:55through this amendment. Chair, at this

3:54:57time, I would like to make a motion to

3:54:59amend bill 199 with the contents of

3:55:02communication

3:55:041095.3.

3:55:06Second motion by Miss Kirkwood, second

3:55:09by Mr. Hues. Go ahead with the

3:55:10amendment.

3:55:11>> Thank you. So, what this does is it adds

3:55:14six months to the time that the

3:55:17departments are given to develop the

3:55:19historic place marker implementation

3:55:21plan. Um, so instead of 12 months, they

3:55:24have 18 months to plan. As part of this,

3:55:28prior to submitting the final plan to

3:55:31the council, the planning department

3:55:33would publish a preliminary map

3:55:35disclosing the location of where the

3:55:38historic markers would be located. I'm

3:55:41also requesting that they provide at

3:55:42least one virtual presentation to

3:55:44community and that information be posted

3:55:47on the website followed by a public

3:55:49review and comment period of no less

3:55:52than 60 days. If there are any conflicts

3:55:55or discrepancies that service from that

3:55:57public comment period, the departments

3:55:59would be tasked to work in consultation

3:56:01with um relevant cultural, historical,

3:56:05geographic knowledge holders of the area

3:56:07to make final decisions which would then

3:56:09be included in the implementation plan.

3:56:12Um, I want again I wanted to make sure

3:56:14that the plan that was being presented

3:56:17to the council and the community was

3:56:19final and so any issues should be sorted

3:56:21out as part of the planning process. The

3:56:25department representatives are here in

3:56:26case folks have questions. I'm also

3:56:28happy to take them. Thank you.

3:56:30>> Okay. Thank you. Any other discussions?

3:56:33Members

3:56:35Kimble. Yeah, just say briefly um this

3:56:39satisfies my concern for some sort of

3:56:41process to um address any discrepancies.

3:56:45So, thank you for that constructive

3:56:46input.

3:56:47>> Okay. Any other members?

3:56:50Okay. Hearing seeing none, all those in

3:56:53favor of amending bill 199 with the

3:56:56contents of communication 1095.3,

3:56:59please say I. Those opposed

3:57:02466 eyes, one uh three excused. Um

3:57:07Cherry Naba, Miss Vegas, and Mr.

3:57:09Connelly Kleinfelder. Motion to the We

3:57:12went to the main motion now.

3:57:14>> No, we have a few more.

3:57:15>> I'm sorry. Yeah, but two bill 199. Yes.

3:57:18Okay. As amended.

3:57:19>> Yes. Thank you so much. Um chair, motion

3:57:22to amends bill 199 as amended with the

3:57:24contents of communication 1095.4.

3:57:29>> Okay. Motion by Miss Kirkowitz, second

3:57:31by Miss Kiwara. Go ahead, Miss

3:57:32Kirkowitz.

3:57:33>> Thank you. And this one, I actually

3:57:34wanted to bring up Deputy Director

3:57:36Dennis Lynn. We had some pretty robust

3:57:39discussion about this particular

3:57:42amendment. There was a request by the

3:57:44council to consider compensation of

3:57:47community members who are participating

3:57:49um in the process. So this particular

3:57:52amendment does a couple of things. It

3:57:54moves the consultation kana from

3:57:57planning department to research and

3:57:59development. Um they have a lot of

3:58:02capacity actually and historical record

3:58:06of doing community and cultural

3:58:08engagement and this was something that

3:58:10director Medina said at committee that

3:58:12they would be happy to assist with. So

3:58:14wanted to make that very clear in this

3:58:16section of code again moving that

3:58:18engagement kana from planning to

3:58:20research and development and planning is

3:58:22on board with that. Um there is also a

3:58:25note here about R&D having the power to

3:58:28provide compensation.

3:58:30Having it in the code could become

3:58:33problematic because it would trigger

3:58:35procurement which would make this very

3:58:37complicated. Director if you would like

3:58:39to maybe elaborate on that. Um,

3:58:41something we talked about was instead of

3:58:43having this placed in code, just having

3:58:46the ability to provide stipens through

3:58:48the vendor that has been awarded the

3:58:51contract to do consultation to perhaps

3:58:53compensate individuals that way. But

3:58:55I'll let you elaborate.

3:58:56>> Yeah. Uh, Dennis Len, deputy director

3:58:58for the Department of Research and

3:59:00Development. Uh, yeah. So, part of the

3:59:02discussion that we had this the um this

3:59:04morning was um providing compensation.

3:59:08We want to recognize that you know

3:59:10people should be paid for the the

3:59:11knowledge that they have the technical

3:59:13expertise. Um but for in order for the

3:59:16departments to do that it would have to

3:59:19be through a available procurement

3:59:20method and one of the procurement

3:59:23methods you know that you know would be

3:59:25possible is professional services but

3:59:27professional services require spec

3:59:30specific requirements that the

3:59:31individual has to have. Um

3:59:36based on how this has is worded I don't

3:59:39know if we have a procurement method

3:59:42that would be suitable to pay you know

3:59:45uncle or auntie who are lineal

3:59:48descendants who may not have a

3:59:49certification who may not have a you

3:59:51know technical degree to provide you

3:59:54know their manaho. So um you know that

3:59:56that would be my uh suggestion is we we

4:00:01remove it out of the code section here.

4:00:03But if it is a section within the

4:00:05contract with the vendor who

4:00:08participates in that um organizes that

4:00:10implementation plan or part of the

4:00:13planning process as maybe a stipen to

4:00:16community members who want to provide

4:00:18their mana.

4:00:21That would be uh a suggestion that I

4:00:23have.

4:00:25Thank you for that. Um, so this

4:00:26amendment has that compensation

4:00:28structure. There is concern that it

4:00:30would trigger requirements to be on a

4:00:32professional services list. Um, which

4:00:35might disqualify from individuals that

4:00:37we are trying to engage um, from being

4:00:40on that list and being, you know,

4:00:42compensated. Um, there is an there is an

4:00:45amendment, an alternative amendment that

4:00:47has all of the consultation kana moving

4:00:49from planning to R&D. I've removed the

4:00:52compensation piece um, as well. And I've

4:00:54been assured by the department that it's

4:00:56much cleaner and easier to include it in

4:00:58the agreements with the vendor so that

4:01:00we're not triggering complicated

4:01:03procurement procedures unnecessarily.

4:01:06Thank you. Look forward to the

4:01:07discussion.

4:01:10>> Thank you. Um thank you for bringing

4:01:12this uh back up for discussion. I think

4:01:14it's an important point. Um

4:01:16understandably if it doesn't work in

4:01:18this way um happy to support the way it

4:01:21does work. I'm just wondering is there a

4:01:23way we can either codify or provide a

4:01:27resolution or do something that says um

4:01:31you know we're we want um R&D to look at

4:01:35when they are doing these contracts to

4:01:39include that in the the contractual

4:01:42language or something. Um I don't know

4:01:44if you had a chance to talk about how

4:01:47that could be done, but I just um you

4:01:50know want to make sure that we are um

4:01:54putting some appropriate emphasis and um

4:01:58asurances to the community that we do

4:02:01value um people's knowledge and input

4:02:05and and participation in this way.

4:02:08Yeah, I think that that will be

4:02:10something that comes up in the um the

4:02:12crafting of that agreement and what kind

4:02:14of language that we put. Um and that

4:02:16that's probably a joint effort between

4:02:18all three departments because we all

4:02:20have different pieces.

4:02:21>> Um but yeah, that that that should be

4:02:23something be considered as part of that

4:02:26drafting process

4:02:28>> and making sure with our corp council

4:02:29that it's we can do it legally. Yeah.

4:02:32>> Okay. would you be willing to maybe if

4:02:35you craft a paragraph that you're

4:02:38willing to put in these contracts um

4:02:40with all the parties um share it with us

4:02:43please um in some way

4:02:46>> I think I don't think we've we've gone

4:02:47that far yet but as we get to that

4:02:49process we can can share it with

4:02:52>> okay

4:02:54>> all right I think yeah I mean I think I

4:02:56understand why you you can't do it this

4:02:58way I might be looking for a way to

4:03:01maybe not even within this vehicle but

4:03:03separately uh make sure that we are uh

4:03:07getting that support and then and then

4:03:09putting our preference for that support

4:03:11uh

4:03:13for for all the contracts that R&D is

4:03:15doing when you're working with community

4:03:17plans and public. So maybe it's a bigger

4:03:19thing than just this. So I'm happy to to

4:03:22work on that with you um you know if it

4:03:25doesn't fit right here. But thank you.

4:03:26Thank you to the maker and to the

4:03:28departments for, you know, your

4:03:30thoughtful consideration of this and how

4:03:32it would work.

4:03:36>> Mr. Kimble.

4:03:37>> Yeah, thank you. Um, yeah, thank you,

4:03:39Council Member Kirkwitz. Um, I think

4:03:41that moving this consultation, it it

4:03:44kind of makes more sense to me in R&D

4:03:47anyway. Um, just based on some of my

4:03:50past work with Felicia in particular,

4:03:53um, around this, I I share Council

4:03:57Member Kagiwad's interest in potentially

4:04:01having

4:04:02some language. I I understand that the

4:04:04power to provide comfort uh compensation

4:04:07is is problematic and I understand why.

4:04:10Um I want given this I want to kind of

4:04:13maybe think about other language that we

4:04:15could

4:04:17put in here. I mean part of this this I

4:04:19mean this is going to be legislative

4:04:20history here that this body has

4:04:22indicated that we think it's appropriate

4:04:23to provide compensation to community

4:04:26partners um that are providing this sort

4:04:29of knowledge. Um but let me let me kind

4:04:33of think on this. I'm happy to to move

4:04:36forward the other one today and then and

4:04:38think about that for the next meeting.

4:04:40Um I I did want to call attention to the

4:04:44support of this from the Homokua CDP

4:04:47action committee. There was a pretty

4:04:48significant discussion about that this

4:04:50these two bills at their last meeting.

4:04:53And um this idea of compensating folks

4:04:56for providing traditional knowledge for

4:04:59um valuing

4:05:01that information at the same level we

4:05:04might value a western scientific review

4:05:08was pretty important and significant to

4:05:10that group. Um, and so I do want to

4:05:14continue to find a way to potentially

4:05:16make that really strong part of this.

4:05:19Um, [snorts]

4:05:20yeah. So, but within the confines of

4:05:22what we can do. So, I'm happy to just

4:05:23have a quick conversation with the court

4:05:24counsel and see if there's something we

4:05:27can put in here that says they're they

4:05:29have to put it in the contract or

4:05:31something along those lines. Yeah,

4:05:35>> I'm done.

4:05:35>> Thank you. Okay, Mr. Kowitz,

4:05:37>> chair. Thank you. I appreciate the

4:05:39feedback from my colleagues. You know,

4:05:42my time here is limited and I'm going to

4:05:44make best use of meetings I have left.

4:05:47Um, but I don't believe that I'm going

4:05:48to have enough time to work on I think

4:05:51what you are both describing as a

4:05:53financial policy of the county because

4:05:56this work of engaging community and

4:05:58potentially providing compensation goes

4:06:00beyond the work of R&D. It could happen

4:06:03across every department. And so rather

4:06:06than just saying R&D, you do it, I think

4:06:08the council should have some discussion

4:06:11around what we want the county's policy

4:06:13to be when it comes to credentiing and

4:06:16then providing stipens to cultural

4:06:19practitioners, knowledge holders. Um,

4:06:21this was an issue that my office ran

4:06:24into with our recovery team.

4:06:26um we had secured a federal grants that

4:06:30described this very work, but there

4:06:32really was no language in our code to be

4:06:34able to compensate um cultural

4:06:37practitioners. So again, I I appre I I

4:06:39think we're all on the same page. Um and

4:06:42we do want to recognize individuals for

4:06:44what they bring to the table because it

4:06:46is very valuable, but this might not be

4:06:49the right vehicle. Um, and I think it

4:06:51would be unfair to just say R&D you do

4:06:53it for this particular project. If the

4:06:55consensus is this should just be

4:06:57standard practice for the county, then

4:06:59there should be a countywide policy that

4:07:02applies to all departments in relation

4:07:04to community engagement. So, with that

4:07:07being said, I'm going to withdraw the

4:07:08motion chair to amend um bill 199 with

4:07:12the contents of 1095.4 and move on to my

4:07:17next amendment.

4:07:19Okay.

4:07:21Second.

4:07:22>> No, I we don't need a second. I just

4:07:23want to make sure you knew I withdrew

4:07:24it.

4:07:25>> Okay, great. Um motion to amend bill 199

4:07:28as amended with the contents of

4:07:30communication 1095.5.

4:07:33>> Okay. Motion by Miss Kirkwood, second by

4:07:36Mr. Houston. Go ahead.

4:07:39>> This is basically a carbon copy of the

4:07:41previous amendment. It just removes the

4:07:44language regarding compensation. So the

4:07:47kana of consultation community

4:07:49engagement shifting from planning into

4:07:51R&D

4:07:59any other discussions

4:08:04good

4:08:09I don't you guys okay everybody's okay

4:08:12so all those in favor of amending bill

4:08:15199 with

4:08:16Communication 1095.5 please say I

4:08:20>> those opposed we have we have five eyes

4:08:25>> six eyes and excused is cherry nava miss

4:08:29Vegas and miss kimba okay go ahead

4:08:33>> oh motion

4:08:34>> carried

4:08:35>> motion carried

4:08:38>> chair one final one

4:08:39>> okay

4:08:40>> I move to amend bill 199 as amended with

4:08:42the contents of communication 1095.6

4:08:45Second motion by M Kirkwood, second by

4:08:48Mr. Houston. Go ahead.

4:08:49>> Thank you. And then I'm actually going

4:08:50to call up director West Sagawa for this

4:08:53amendment.

4:08:55Um, and I so appreciate the department's

4:09:00being on my level really trying to act

4:09:02with a sense of urgency and get things

4:09:04done quickly. Um, but in evaluating the

4:09:07potential for creating all of these

4:09:09signs, right, there's a lot of effort

4:09:11that goes in correct director, correct

4:09:14director for fabricating these signs.

4:09:16It's not like you can just send it into

4:09:18a a printer and it literally prints, but

4:09:21we have teams that are going to be

4:09:22screen printing onto the sign, which

4:09:25takes a lot of just time and labor. Um,

4:09:28and he let me know that, you know, 6

4:09:30months was probably a little too

4:09:32ambitious for the department. um 12

4:09:35months was possible um but he would be

4:09:39much more comfortable with actually 24

4:09:41months. The amendment before us director

4:09:43is for 12 months. So I do want you to

4:09:45share any reservations that you might

4:09:48have with this time frame for the record

4:09:50so that our team can go ahead and submit

4:09:54the appropriate um amendment at the next

4:09:57reading. Thank you.

4:09:58>> All right. Chairman Onishi and council

4:10:01members uh director of public works West

4:10:04Sagawa here and I sure appreciate

4:10:08uh the offer to increase the time that

4:10:11would be to 24 months. Um this is under

4:10:14the historic place marker implementation

4:10:17plan paragraph uh paragraph D that would

4:10:21be 24 months and if you'd like me to

4:10:23elaborate further I can but thank you

4:10:26very much.

4:10:28Okay. So, just for my colleagues, I

4:10:30wanted to make sure we were able to have

4:10:32the discussion through this amendment.

4:10:33It does say 12 months, but director

4:10:35pulled me aside this morning and said,

4:10:36"Hey, they scre like [clears throat]

4:10:39silk screen these signs. That's going to

4:10:40be a lot of work because we are the

4:10:42biggest and best island and there are

4:10:43going to be a number of signs to do."

4:10:45Um, and they're looking to do this

4:10:47inhouse in order to save on costs. I

4:10:50also reminded him that our county public

4:10:52works has an intergovernmental agreement

4:10:55with the state department of

4:10:56transportation where we can do work for

4:10:58each other up to $2 million. Um,

4:11:00director sniffing has signaled support

4:11:03for this program. So, we will be asking

4:11:06as part of the planning phase for HDOT

4:11:09to help fabricate some of those signs.

4:11:10So, not everything has to be happening

4:11:12by the county. But, thank you for being

4:11:14here, director.

4:11:16>> Thank you.

4:11:17>> I'll yield for any comments and then

4:11:19I'll

4:11:19Okay. Any comments? Nope.

4:11:23>> Thank you, chair. I'll be withdrawing um

4:11:25the motion to amend 199. Thank you,

4:11:28>> okay. So, now we're back to bill 199 as

4:11:31amended. Any more discussion?

4:11:35Hearing seeing none, all those in favor

4:11:38of approving bill 199 as amended, please

4:11:41say I.

4:11:42>> Those opposed, we have six eyes, three

4:11:46excused. Cherry Naba, Miss Vegas, and

4:11:50Miss Kima. Okay, motion carried. Okay,

4:11:53let's go. Bill 200.

4:11:57Is there any testimony for bill 200?

4:12:00Hearing none, bill 200 amends chapter

4:12:0214, Hawaii County Code 1983, 2016

4:12:05edition as amending a new article

4:12:07relating to the establishment of a mole

4:12:10interpretation program allows

4:12:11interpretive insert institutions on

4:12:13county property. Introduced by Council

4:12:16Member Kirkwitz.

4:12:17>> Chair. Motion to approve bill 200 at

4:12:19first reading.

4:12:20>> Motion by Miss Kirkowitz, second by Mr.

4:12:23Houston. Go ahead.

4:12:24>> Thank you. I got really lucky with the

4:12:25numbers of these bills. Um, again, this

4:12:28creates a process for Hawaii Island

4:12:30residents, organizations to essentially

4:12:34apply uh to install interpretive signs,

4:12:37murals on county facilities and

4:12:39properties. there would be one

4:12:41standardized um application across

4:12:44county departments and I've committed um

4:12:46to helping the departments draft that um

4:12:49so that it can be something that this

4:12:51body reviews um by next reading even

4:12:54though they do have six months to create

4:12:57that particular application. It would be

4:13:00good to get um this council's feedback

4:13:02on what that application process would

4:13:05look like. Um, and then one thing I just

4:13:07wanted to emphasize, share, when a

4:13:10resident or an organization does apply

4:13:13to install public art on any one of our

4:13:16properties or facilities, there is no

4:13:18guarantee of funding by the county. That

4:13:21is something that will be determined on

4:13:22a case-byase basis. But this at least

4:13:24creates that process, a formal process

4:13:26for folks to apply and for ideas to be

4:13:29vetted. Um, you know, Mr. Kata from

4:13:32parks and recck let me know that there

4:13:33are a number of folks that have reached

4:13:35out to parks and wreck wanting to do

4:13:36murals on community centers. Um they

4:13:39would love to entertain the idea but

4:13:41there should be a formal standardized

4:13:43process that everyone has access to. So

4:13:45this would help to solve with those

4:13:47community requests. Thanks everyone. I

4:13:49yield chair.

4:13:50>> Any other comments?

4:13:52Okay. I just have one to the honor. So I

4:13:56think with state law and planning

4:14:00department I don't know if you folks

4:14:02might know that but um if someone does

4:14:04paintings on like wherever

4:14:08what I heard before you couldn't just

4:14:11remove it if you needed to. Did you

4:14:14folks anybody hear about that?

4:14:18No. Okay. Corporation council good good

4:14:22job. So I I I I thought I heard before.

4:14:27So when you know someone does a painting

4:14:30on a wall, a mural on the wall.

4:14:32>> Sorry, can I hear something?

4:14:33>> Can Oh,

4:14:36you can sit down.

4:14:39>> Oh, so so when someone does painting on

4:14:43a wall. Okay. Yeah. Okay. I don't know

4:14:48if it's like a state law that you cannot

4:14:50just remove it. Like in Honolulu, I

4:14:52think they had some problems with that

4:14:55situation.

4:14:57You don't you never heard about that?

4:14:59>> You mean like graffiti or?

4:15:00>> No, no, no. Like someone did a mural

4:15:02like a picture and then but later on say

4:15:04a new owner comes in and they don't want

4:15:07it.

4:15:11>> Yeah. I'm not Yeah, if it's on private

4:15:13property that's Yes, that's their own um

4:15:17>> but I thought there was something but I

4:15:18don't know. Maybe if you can look into

4:15:20that. So what is the what is the

4:15:21context? This is for a public building

4:15:23or this is for

4:15:24>> any if any like you know someone does do

4:15:26painting.

4:15:27>> So like the wand murals in Wiki or

4:15:30whatever. Yeah.

4:15:31>> Or any

4:15:32>> yeah county or private buildings or

4:15:35whatever.

4:15:36>> Okay. Yeah we can resource that.

4:15:37>> Okay. Thank you.

4:15:38>> Okay.

4:15:40>> Vice chair. If your question is around

4:15:42can a property owner choose to paint

4:15:46over art on their building. Is that the

4:15:49question?

4:15:50>> Well, I I I think I heard something

4:15:52about when in Honolulu

4:15:54had some paintings, right? Some murals

4:15:56on the wall and then I don't know,

4:15:59somebody wanted to remove it and they

4:16:01couldn't.

4:16:03>> Yeah. I mean, there are a number of

4:16:05mural festivals that happen in Honolulu.

4:16:08Um, we're not talking about murals on

4:16:12private property at this time. I can I

4:16:14can verify for you though because I have

4:16:16coordinated murals on on private

4:16:18property in downtown Hilo. Property

4:16:20owners can elect to paint over it.

4:16:23>> Okay, good.

4:16:24>> They can and they don't even have to

4:16:25notify the organization or the artist

4:16:28that they are doing that.

4:16:29>> Okay, good. Good. Okay, sounds great.

4:16:32Okay, thank you. Okay, so all those in

4:16:34favor of approving bill 200, please say

4:16:37I.

4:16:38>> Those opposed. Now we have five eyes,

4:16:41four excused. Cherry Nava, Miss Vegas,

4:16:44Miss Glima, and Mr. Ky Kleinfelder.

4:16:47Motion carried. Okay, we're going to do

4:16:50bill 154.

4:16:54Is there any testimony for Bill 154,

4:17:00draft two?

4:17:06Hearing none. Bill 154 draft 2 amends

4:17:08chapter 25 articles 15 and seven of the

4:17:10Hawaii County Code 1983 2006 station as

4:17:13amended relating to commercial parking

4:17:14lots and garages. Removes c commercial

4:17:16commercial parking lots and garages per

4:17:18use in the general industrial commercial

4:17:20mix limit industrial and general

4:17:22industrial zoning districts. Allows

4:17:23commercial parking lots and garages in

4:17:25the resort hotel zoning district with a

4:17:27use permit. Makes other housekeeping

4:17:28amendments introduced by council members

4:17:30inaba and viegas.

4:17:34Chair motion to approve bill 154 draft 2

4:17:37at first reading.

4:17:39>> Okay. Motion by Miss Kirkwitz, second by

4:17:41Mr. Houston.

4:17:43Any discussion, Mr. Kirk?

4:17:45>> No, I think we had robust discussion um

4:17:47in committee chair. Um this bill is very

4:17:51straightforward, but we do have members

4:17:53of the department here uh if committee

4:17:56member or council members have any

4:17:57questions. Thank you.

4:18:00>> Okay.

4:18:02Hearing no see none. All those in favor

4:18:04of approving bill 154 draft to at first

4:18:07reading please say I. Those opposed. We

4:18:11have five eyes, four excused. Chair

4:18:13Naba, Miss

4:18:15Mr. Kel Kleinfelder and Miss Kimba.

4:18:18Motion carried. So now let's do since I

4:18:22see Zach up there. Can we do bill 2011?

4:18:29Is there any testimony for bill 201

4:18:31which is at first reading?

4:18:34>> Chair motion to approve bill 2011 at

4:18:37first reading.

4:18:38>> Hearing no testimony, bill 201 amends

4:18:40orders number 26-45

4:18:43relating to public improvements and

4:18:44financing thereof for the fiscal year

4:18:46ending June 30, 2027

4:18:49as the Mass Transit Agency Kyua Kona hub

4:18:51and parking right facility project $5

4:18:53million to the capital budget. funds for

4:18:55this project from general obligation

4:18:56bonds capital projects fund fund balance

4:18:59and other sources introduced by member

4:19:00council member Connie Clampler by

4:19:02request and this requires a two-thirds

4:19:04vote entire membership to pass.

4:19:07>> Thank you. Sorry, Mr. Clerk. Uh chair

4:19:08motion to approve bill 2011 at first

4:19:10reading.

4:19:13[laughter]

4:19:13>> Okay. Motion

4:19:16second by Miss Kirkwood. Um you want to

4:19:19>> vice chair just and administrator Bergam

4:19:22I see you online. Uh, unfortunately my

4:19:24position is that we don't have our two

4:19:25Kona council members here to speak to

4:19:27this matter today. So I apologize. I

4:19:29know you've been with us for a while. So

4:19:31at this point, chair, I motion to

4:19:32postpone bill 2011 to our November

4:19:376th council meeting.

4:19:39>> Okay. Got it. Second.

4:19:42>> Second.

4:19:43>> Okay. Motion by Miss Mr. Hustes, second

4:19:47by Miss Kagiada on motion of post. Any

4:19:51discussions?

4:19:52coming back.

4:19:54>> Personally, I'd just say we move this

4:19:55ahead. I don't think the council members

4:19:56are going to have issues with this.

4:19:58They'll still have to go to first

4:20:01sorry, second hearing. Yeah.

4:20:03>> Yeah. We're going to be going to

4:20:05secondary.

4:20:06>> Yeah. So, that'd be my my take. But if

4:20:08the count if the body does not agree,

4:20:11that's fine.

4:20:13>> Okay. Any other discussions? Okay.

4:20:15>> Vice chair, if I may.

4:20:17>> Go ahead.

4:20:17>> Yeah. Just wanted to ask the

4:20:19administrator. Um, is there a time

4:20:23constraint on your side of things if we

4:20:25were to just push this? I I I think this

4:20:28is a point well made about having the

4:20:30Kona folks here for this discussion, but

4:20:32if there's a time frame that you're

4:20:35constrained by, can you please let us

4:20:37know about that just in case?

4:20:40>> Um, yeah. Thank you, council member. Um,

4:20:44we're hoping to, uh, move to the land

4:20:46acquisition phase within the, you know,

4:20:48the next couple of months or actually by

4:20:50the end of the year, have it all

4:20:52buttoned up. Um, but I can check with,

4:20:55um,

4:20:57mayor's office to see if they've heard

4:20:58anything new as well about a timeline

4:21:01associated with it. I just know that we

4:21:02are trying to shoot for land acquisition

4:21:04by the end of the year.

4:21:06>> Okay.

4:21:09In that case, then I would suggest we

4:21:11move it since there is an opportunity

4:21:13for our Kona um council members to weigh

4:21:16in at second and final reading.

4:21:19>> Okay. But then Oh, Mr. On the

4:21:22postponement or you want

4:21:25>> and if you would like I can also go over

4:21:26this briefing if you would like today.

4:21:28No, we I don't think we want that

4:21:31because the coun council members are not

4:21:33here

4:21:34>> and so that's why we was going to

4:21:35postpone it

4:21:36>> because the situation.

4:21:40>> There's no other dis discussion on the

4:21:42postpone. I'll withdraw the motion to

4:21:43postpone.

4:21:44>> Okay. Okay. So all So any other

4:21:46discussion on the main motion

4:21:49on bill one uh 201?

4:21:53Okay. Hearing see none. All those in

4:21:55favor of approving bill 2011 and at

4:21:58first reading please say I. Those

4:22:01opposed. So we have six eyes and three

4:22:04excused. Mr. Cherry Naba, uh, Miss Vegas

4:22:08and also Miss Gimba. Motion carried.

4:22:11Okay. So now let's go to the top.

4:22:20Is is there any testimony for resolution

4:22:23694-26?

4:22:29Hearing none, resolution 694-26

4:22:32authorizes the mayor to enter into an

4:22:33interupal agreement with the United

4:22:35States Department of Housing Urban

4:22:36Development to receive a grant for the

4:22:37Kukuyola supportive housing project in

4:22:39North Kona allows for receipt of

4:22:411,892,000

4:22:43in federal drive funds to assist with

4:22:44the planning, design, and construction

4:22:46of the Cukuola supportive housing

4:22:48project introduced by council member

4:22:49Connie Claver by request. And this is a

4:22:51companion to bill 198.

4:22:54>> Motion to approve resolution 694-26.

4:23:00Oh, sorry. Motion by Mr. Ki Kleinfeld,

4:23:03second by Mr. Houston.

4:23:06Go ahead.

4:23:09Any other discussion here? Seeing none,

4:23:11all those in favor of approving

4:23:13resolution 694-26, please say I. Those

4:23:16opposed, we have seven eyes, two

4:23:19excused, M. Cherry Nava and Miss Vegas.

4:23:22Motion carried. Can we do Sorry, M to

4:23:26bill

4:23:28U

4:23:301 196.

4:23:31[snorts]

4:23:32Is there any testimony for bill 196

4:23:35which is at first reading?

4:23:41Hearing none. Bill 196 amends orders

4:23:43number 26-44

4:23:45the operating budget of the county of

4:23:47Hawaii for the fiscating June 30 2027.

4:23:52Appropriate services in the estate

4:23:53grants coffee berry bor coffee leaf rust

4:23:55pesticide subsidy program account

4:23:57$150,000 and appropriate name to the

4:23:59coffee berry borer coffee leaf rust

4:24:01pesticide subsidy program account

4:24:02introduced by council member Ky clamper

4:24:05by request

4:24:06>> a motion to approve bill 196

4:24:09>> okay motion by Mr. Kleinfelder second by

4:24:12Mr. Houston. Any discussions?

4:24:16Hearing no seeing none. All those in

4:24:18favor of approving bill 196 at first

4:24:20reading, please say I.

4:24:21>> Those opposed, we have seven eyes to

4:24:23excuse. Chair Namba and Miss Vegas.

4:24:26Motion carried. Okay, now we can go back

4:24:28to the top. Oh, director

4:24:32um DPW, do you have anything else on the

4:24:36agenda?

4:24:43Why no? Okay, we're going to take bill

4:24:47191 draft three out of order, please.

4:24:55Is there any testimony for bill 191

4:24:57draft 3, which is at second and final

4:24:59reading?

4:25:02Hearing none. Bill 191, draft 3, amends

4:25:04chapter 10, article 1, section 10-8 of

4:25:06the Hawaii County Code, 1983, 2016

4:25:08edition as amended, relating to erosion

4:25:11and sedimentation control, establishes

4:25:12administrative enforcement provisions

4:25:14for violations of chapter 10, including

4:25:16increased fines of up to $1,000 per day

4:25:19introduced by council member Enaba and

4:25:21first reading was October 7, 2026.

4:25:25>> Chair motion to approve bill 191 on

4:25:28second and final reading.

4:25:30>> Okay. Motion by M. Kirkwood second by

4:25:33Miss Kagiada. Any discussions?

4:25:37Hearing no saying none. All those in

4:25:39favor of approving bill 191 draft three

4:25:42at final reading please say I.

4:25:44>> Those opposed. We have seven eyes to

4:25:46excuse. Chair na miss Vegas. Motion

4:25:49carried. Okay. Now we can go to the top.

4:25:53>> Is there any testimony for resolution

4:25:54707?

4:25:57Hearing none. Res 707-26 transfers

4:25:59appropriates an appropriation out from a

4:26:01designated fund account. A credit sane

4:26:03to a designated fund account with a

4:26:04grant to action for animals Hawaii for

4:26:06its community dog wellness program.

4:26:08Transfers $3,000 of clerk council

4:26:10services contingency relief account

4:26:12council district 1 and credits to

4:26:14department research and development

4:26:15business development account introduced

4:26:16by council Kimble.

4:26:18>> Move to approve resolution 707-26.

4:26:22>> Okay. Motion by Miss Kimble, second by

4:26:24Mr. Houston. Miss Kimble.

4:26:26Okay. Hearing no or seeing any

4:26:29discussion all those in favor of

4:26:30approving resolution 707-26

4:26:35please say I.

4:26:36>> Those opposed we have seven eyes to

4:26:39excuse chair number miss Vegas. Moving

4:26:42on.

4:26:43>> Motion carries.

4:26:45>> Oh, a motion carried. Sorry.

4:26:46>> Thank you so much.

4:26:47>> Sorry about that.

4:26:48>> No problem. It just wraps it all up and

4:26:50makes it finished. Uh is under testimony

4:26:54for resolution 708-26

4:26:57hearing none. Resolution 708-26

4:26:59transfers appropriates an appropriation

4:27:01out from a designated fund account

4:27:02credit to designated fund accounts

4:27:04better grant to Hiki Ola for its la

4:27:07Makahoui community meetings transfers

4:27:10$4,000 of clerk council services

4:27:12contingency relief accounts district 8

4:27:14and credits to department research and

4:27:15development other current expenses

4:27:16account introduced by council member

4:27:18Inaba. Chair move to approve resolution

4:27:20708-26.

4:27:22>> Second.

4:27:22>> Motion by Mr. Houston, second by Miss

4:27:24Kirkowitz. Any discussions? Hearing

4:27:27seeing none. All those in favor of

4:27:28approving resolution 708-26, please say

4:27:31I. Those opposed. We have six eyes.

4:27:36I'm sorry, seven eyes and two excused.

4:27:38Chair and Vgas. Motion carried 709.

4:27:43>> Is there any testimony for resolution

4:27:44709-26?

4:27:47Hearing none. Resolution 709-26

4:27:49transfers appropriates an appropriation

4:27:51out from a designated fund account

4:27:52credit to a designated fund account to

4:27:54try to grant to the island of Hawaii

4:27:56YMCA for their keeping the lights on

4:27:59safe nights of the YMCA project

4:28:00transfers $1,000. The cler council

4:28:02services contingency relief account

4:28:04council district 4 and credits to

4:28:06department control public programs

4:28:07account introduced by council kirkowitz.

4:28:09>> Chair motion to approve resolution

4:28:11709-26.

4:28:13>> Motion by Miss Kirkowitz, second by Mr.

4:28:15Houston. Go ahead, Mr. Cervitz.

4:28:20Oh, we don't have any. Okay. No

4:28:23discussions. All those in favor of

4:28:24approving resolution 709-26, please say

4:28:27I.

4:28:28>> Those opposed. We have seven eyes, two

4:28:31excused. Sharon, Miss Viegas. That's

4:28:34motion carried. Let's do resolution 710.

4:28:37Is there any testimony for resolution

4:28:38710-26?

4:28:43Hearing none. Resolution 710-26.

4:28:45transfers, appropriates, and

4:28:46appropriation out from a designated fund

4:28:47account. Credit credit saint to a

4:28:48designated fund account, but a grant to

4:28:50friends of Hale Ulua Clubhouse for its

4:28:53community mental health resource event

4:28:55transfers $5,000 and clerk council

4:28:57services contingency relief account

4:28:59district 4 and credit to department of

4:29:01park recreation culture education other

4:29:03expenses account introduced by council

4:29:05kirkowitz.

4:29:06>> Chair motion to approve resolution

4:29:08710-26.

4:29:10>> Okay. Motion by Kirkowitz, second by Mr.

4:29:12Hustes. Any discussions? Hearing no

4:29:15seeing none. All those in favor of

4:29:16approving resolution 710-26,

4:29:19please say I. Those opposed. We have

4:29:22seven eyes. Two excused. Chair namas and

4:29:26motion carry. 7.

4:29:28>> Is there any testimony for resolution

4:29:29711-26?

4:29:32Hearing none. Resolution 71-26 transfers

4:29:34appropriates an appropriation out from a

4:29:36designated fund account credit to a

4:29:37designated fund account at a grant to

4:29:39the GG Foundation for the Mahalo

4:29:41teachers event transfers $1,000 of clerk

4:29:43council services contingency of account

4:29:45council district 4 and credits to the

4:29:47department of liquor control public

4:29:49programs account introduced by council

4:29:50member Kirkwitz.

4:29:51>> Chair motion to approve resolution

4:29:5371-26.

4:29:55>> Motion by Miss Kirkwitz and second by

4:29:57Mr. Mr. Hustes. Any discussions hearing?

4:30:00No, see none. All those in favor of

4:30:02approving resolution 711-26, please say

4:30:05I. Those opposed, we have seven eyes,

4:30:08two excused, chair and Vegas. Um motion

4:30:12carried 712.

4:30:15Is there any testimony for resolution

4:30:16712-26?

4:30:19Hearing none. Res 712-26 transfers

4:30:21appropriates an appropriation out from a

4:30:23designated fund account credit to a

4:30:25designated fund account for a grant to

4:30:26Okawa Kaku for the third annual KA

4:30:29festival kibival oku transfers $5,50

4:30:34council services contiguous relief

4:30:35account district 6 and credits to the

4:30:38department of parks recreation

4:30:39administration of the current expenses

4:30:40account introduced by council member

4:30:41Gimba.

4:30:43>> Motion to approve se resolution 712-26.

4:30:47Motion by Miss Kimbo, second by Mr. Hus.

4:30:50Miss Gima,

4:30:51>> ask for my colleague support.

4:30:53>> Okay. All those in favor of approving

4:30:56resolution 712-26,

4:30:58please say I.

4:30:59>> Those opposed, we have seven eyes, two

4:31:01excuse, cherry and mus 73 713.

4:31:07Motion carries. Oh, motion carry.

4:31:10>> Thank you. Thank you so much. Uh

4:31:12resolution 713-26 transfers appropriates

4:31:15an appropriation on from a designated

4:31:16fund account and credit sane to a

4:31:18designated fund account at a grant to

4:31:19North Kohala Community Resource Center

4:31:21to assist with expenses for the Kohala

4:31:23Resilience Hub's 2026 Kiki Christmas toy

4:31:26drive. Transfers $1,000 of per council

4:31:29services contingency relief account 9

4:31:31and credits to the Department Liquor

4:31:33Control Public Programs Account

4:31:34introduced by Council Member Hustus.

4:31:36>> Move to approve resolution 713-26.

4:31:39>> Second.

4:31:39>> Motion by Mr. Hues second by Miss

4:31:41Kirkwitz. Mr. Hues

4:31:43>> just asking for my colleague support as

4:31:45we get into the holiday spirit. Thank

4:31:46you.

4:31:47>> Great. Okay.

4:31:49No further discussion. All those in

4:31:50favor approving resolution one 713-26

4:31:54please say I. Those opposed. We have

4:31:56seven eyes. Two excuse. Cherry nama and

4:32:01motion carried. [laughter]

4:32:04>> Is there any testimony for resolution

4:32:06715-26?

4:32:08Hearing none. Resolution 715-26

4:32:11authorized payment of funds of later

4:32:12fiscal years to enter a multi-year lease

4:32:14agreement for two multi-function copy

4:32:16machines to be used by the office of the

4:32:17corporation council author authorized

4:32:19the mayor to enter a 5-year lease

4:32:21agreement with an approximate annual

4:32:22cost of $9,600 to be used in the

4:32:25department's Hilo and Kona offices

4:32:26introduced by council member Connelly

4:32:28Kleinfelder by request

4:32:30>> a motion to approve resolution 715-26

4:32:35>> motion by Mr. Kly Kleinfelder second by

4:32:37Mr. use this any discussion.

4:32:39>> Just a note, these copy machines are

4:32:42getting really expensive. Anybody

4:32:44noticed there was one yesterday.

4:32:47It's crazy. It's like $1,000 a month per

4:32:49machine. Yeah, it's crazy. So, just

4:32:52putting that out there. Thank you.

4:32:53>> Okay, any other discussions?

4:32:56Seeing none, all those in favor of

4:32:58approving resolution 715-26, please say

4:33:01I.

4:33:01>> Those opposed, we have seven eyes. and

4:33:07oh sorry seven I's and two excuse chair

4:33:10Naba

4:33:11Mes motion carried

4:33:14>> okay so let's get down to

4:33:17bill 193 that's what I got bill 193 next

4:33:21up on the ledger if you will

4:33:25is there any testimony for bill 193

4:33:27which is at first reading

4:33:29hearing none bill 193 amends chapter 2

4:33:32article 25 section 2-13 37 of the Hawaii

4:33:35County Code 1983 2016 edition as amended

4:33:38relating to appropriation of funds to

4:33:40nonprofit organizations specifies that

4:33:42nonprofit organizations whose governing

4:33:44board members receive compensation for

4:33:45their governing duties are ineligible to

4:33:47receive county grants introduced by

4:33:49council member Zinaba and Kimble.

4:33:51>> Chair motion to approve bill 193 at

4:33:53first reading.

4:33:54>> Okay. Motion by Miss Kimble, second by

4:33:57Miss Kirkowitz. Any discussion?

4:33:59>> Yeah, thank you. We had a fairly robust

4:34:01discussion about this at um committee. I

4:34:03think it's a fairly straightforward

4:34:05bill. There was just a discrepancy about

4:34:07making clear that nonprofits who paid

4:34:10board members for being on the board on

4:34:13board activities were disqualified but

4:34:15not paying board members for other

4:34:19activities conducted by the

4:34:21organization. Um, unfortunately that

4:34:24lack of clarity resulted in some

4:34:27entities that are doing really good work

4:34:29being disqualified. So hopefully with

4:34:32this clarification, um, that won't

4:34:34happen again. So as for my colleague

4:34:35support, thank you.

4:34:37>> Any other discussions? Hearing or seeing

4:34:39none, all those in favor of approving

4:34:41bill 193 at first reading, please say I.

4:34:44>> Those opposed? Okay, we have seven eyes

4:34:47and two excuse, Cher Naba and Miss.

4:34:51Motion carried.

4:34:53Bill 197.

4:34:54>> Is there any testimony for bill 197

4:34:57which is at first reading

4:35:01hearing? None. Bill 197 amends chapter

4:35:0319 article 7 of the Hawaii County Code

4:35:061983 2006 edition as amended relating to

4:35:08a temporary real property tax amnesty

4:35:10for certain hosted transit vacation

4:35:12rentals. Establish a tax amnesty for

4:35:14properties that have existing vacation

4:35:15rentals in violation of the restrictions

4:35:17of the homeowner class. requires either

4:35:19ceasing the rental activity or properly

4:35:21registering the rental activity without

4:35:22being assessed. Roll back taxes,

4:35:24penalties, and interest introduced by

4:35:26council member Kimble.

4:35:28>> Chair motion to approve bill 197 at

4:35:30first reading.

4:35:32>> Okay. Motion by Miss Kimble, second by

4:35:35Miss Kagiwara. Go ahead.

4:35:38>> Yeah, thank you. Um realizing, you know,

4:35:40that there was some skepticism from some

4:35:42of my colleagues about this. Um, you

4:35:43know, it is it was part of the overall

4:35:47121 package that again has been broken

4:35:49apart into these different pieces. And

4:35:52to council member Connie Clayton

4:35:54Felder's comments earlier, is

4:35:56independent and separate. It doesn't

4:35:58matter if it passes or not with respect

4:35:59to the other bills, although they do

4:36:01interplay together. This particular one

4:36:04is geared towards incentivizing folks to

4:36:08either get registered or to convert from

4:36:12switching to transit vacation rentals to

4:36:14long-term housing or some other thing by

4:36:16allowing them that ability to keep the

4:36:193% cap. And I do want to call everyone's

4:36:22attention back to the handout that I

4:36:25shared when we were talking about the

4:36:26other tax amnesty bill with that it's

4:36:29really that 3% cap and the loss of that

4:36:31for people who have been in their homes

4:36:33longer that is the true economic impact

4:36:37le less so even than the rate. So, if

4:36:40somebody's been

4:36:42as as I showed in that graphic that that

4:36:45Kada put together, the longer they've

4:36:47been in the house, the bigger impact the

4:36:50loss of that 3% cap is going to have.

4:36:52And so, you know, arguably folks should

4:36:55know that operating a transient vacation

4:36:58rental has that impact on their

4:37:00homeowners tax class. Um, it has been

4:37:04sent out to them. It has been in on the

4:37:06website. it has been included in the tax

4:37:08assessments. Um um administrator Mur can

4:37:12talk about other communication efforts

4:37:14that were conducted around this, but we

4:37:17always know it's there's always going to

4:37:18be some folks we don't reach and so

4:37:21they'll learn this when they've

4:37:22registered and they they start to see

4:37:24that impact on their taxes. Um so this

4:37:27is this is a way to provide folks that

4:37:30weren't aware. Um, and I I will mention

4:37:33that in the registration process,

4:37:34there's also a like, you know, this is

4:37:36going to affect your your taxes button

4:37:38as well. Um, so this gives people the

4:37:41opportunity to say, "Okay, I'm not going

4:37:42to do a TVR anymore." And it's like they

4:37:45just continue their homeowners tax

4:37:47class. If they do do the TVR, um, then

4:37:51it hits at the ne next cycle where they

4:37:53lose that 3% cap. So, it's not a

4:37:55permanent amnesty. It just means that

4:37:57they're not going to be liable for the

4:37:58penalties. Um but going forward they

4:38:00lose the 3% cap and the um they move to

4:38:05the other tax rate um as as the rest of

4:38:08the folks in the TVR uh industry do. So

4:38:12hopefully that provides some clarity. I

4:38:13I ask for everybody to to consider

4:38:15supporting as a a way to you know in in

4:38:19some cases protect some of our longtime

4:38:20homeowners that just didn't realize the

4:38:22impact that this would have on their

4:38:24taxes. and we we are talking about

4:38:27potentially tens of thousands of dollars

4:38:29um in the event that that somebody is

4:38:32caught. So anyway, administrator Murray,

4:38:34anything you want to add on this because

4:38:35we did work on this together.

4:38:39Uh no, real property tax administrator

4:38:41Lisa Meera on Zoom and I just want to

4:38:44thank you for clarifying all of that,

4:38:45Council Member Kimell, but that is how

4:38:48we understand it at Real Property as

4:38:50well. If someone files the affidavit

4:38:53today that says they're going to stop

4:38:55doing it this year, then it would be

4:38:58there would be no change in their taxes

4:39:01if this passes.

4:39:04Or if they continue to they register for

4:39:08the hosted rental, then we'll view it as

4:39:10them self-reporting,

4:39:12registering with planning, and they

4:39:14would lose it next year and not even the

4:39:16current tax year, which is right now.

4:39:22Okay.

4:39:24Okay. Any other disc?

4:39:26>> Thank you, chair. Um, yeah, I'm I'm in

4:39:28full support of this. It's

4:39:31it's a little tricky because I think

4:39:33Council Member Hust brought up that, you

4:39:35know, some people who have already

4:39:37complied and follow the rules. Is it not

4:39:40fair for them? But I I I really do feel

4:39:43for these are homeowners. These are our

4:39:46residents. These are not people who have

4:39:49um you know just investment properties

4:39:53here. Um but these are people in our

4:39:55community and I really would hate to see

4:39:58them especially given this environment

4:40:01with just the very struggling times

4:40:04about affordability that they might you

4:40:07know lose a lot of money that was not in

4:40:12they didn't really understand or it was

4:40:14not intended. I think it gives a clear

4:40:16path for going forward and making

4:40:18decisions with all the knowledge and

4:40:21they can assess and make that decision

4:40:23at that time. But um I do not want to

4:40:28see people you know have a really big

4:40:30jump in their home their primary home

4:40:33taxes um because they were unaware of

4:40:37some of these issues. So I I am in

4:40:39support of this um for our residents.

4:40:43Thank you. I

4:40:45Mr. Con

4:40:47to the maker, does bill 147 as amended

4:40:50today

4:40:52with that one section we discussed last

4:40:55the amendment. Does that address this at

4:40:57all? We're doing the warning letter.

4:41:00>> No, it doesn't address that.

4:41:04>> Okay. I understand I understand the

4:41:08idea here,

4:41:10but I I actually feel for the people who

4:41:12followed the law, didn't have a

4:41:14short-term vacation in a homeowner's tax

4:41:17class property,

4:41:19and now we're saying, "Well, if you had,

4:41:21it's okay because we're willing to

4:41:23forgive you." At that point,

4:41:26what's the purpose of having laws if

4:41:28we're just going to roll it back when we

4:41:29need to to make sure they're okay? You

4:41:31just don't do it.

4:41:33So, uh, I'm not going to be supporting

4:41:36this,

4:41:38Mr. Kimble.

4:41:39>> Yeah, just just to make clear, council

4:41:41member county clamp, like I I certainly

4:41:43get what you're saying, but this is is

4:41:45temporary. So, if they are offering if

4:41:47they are doing a a a transit vacation

4:41:50rental, their taxes will change the next

4:41:53year. They'll they'll lose the 3% cap.

4:41:56They will go to the residential rate.

4:41:58this is only temporary. Um unless they

4:42:01sign an affidavit saying they're not

4:42:03going to do short-term vacation rental

4:42:04anymore, then they can keep the

4:42:06homeowner tax class. So this is not by

4:42:09any means permitting a small group of

4:42:12people to continue not following the

4:42:14law. It's just it's a temporary amnesty.

4:42:18I I should also mention and and

4:42:20administrator Murio, you can express

4:42:23this as well that the self-reporting and

4:42:26waving the roll back fees and penalties

4:42:28for people that self-report is actually

4:42:31something the department is already

4:42:33doing. And so we're just kind of

4:42:35codifying that language here as well. So

4:42:38hopefully that provides a little more

4:42:40clarity. Council member Confelder that

4:42:42this is not a

4:42:44um ongoing permission to to violate the

4:42:47tax law. It is a temporary amnesty.

4:42:53>> Okay. See no further discussion. Mr.

4:42:56Craig, let's do a roll call

4:42:57>> on the motion to pass bill 197 on first

4:43:02reading. Council member Gimba.

4:43:04>> I.

4:43:04>> Council member Hustus.

4:43:06>> I.

4:43:07>> Council member Nava. Council member

4:43:09Kagiada.

4:43:10>> I.

4:43:11>> Council member Connie Kleinfelder.

4:43:12>> Oh,

4:43:14>> Council Member Kirkowitz.

4:43:15>> I.

4:43:16>> Council member Campbell.

4:43:18>> I.

4:43:18>> Council member Viegas.

4:43:20>> Acting Cher Nishi.

4:43:21>> Hi.

4:43:22>> Acting Cher Nishi, you have six votes in

4:43:24favor with council member Conn

4:43:25Kleinfelder opposed and council members

4:43:27Inaba Viegas absent and excused. The

4:43:29motion carries. Bill 197 passes first

4:43:32reading.

4:43:32>> Okay. 198. Is there testim is there any

4:43:35testimony for bill 198? Hearing none.

4:43:39Bill 198 amends orders number 2644 as

4:43:41amended the operating budget of the

4:43:42county of Hawaii for the fiscating June

4:43:4430 2027 appropriations resident the

4:43:46federal grants Kukuyola supportive

4:43:48housing project account 1,892,000

4:43:51and appropri to the Kukuyola supportive

4:43:53housing project account that must be

4:43:54used to assist with the planning design

4:43:56and construction of the Kukuyola

4:43:57supportive housing project introduced by

4:43:59council member Kane Clanfolder by

4:44:01request and this is a companion to

4:44:03resolution 694-26.

4:44:05>> Thank you Mr. Clerk. Mr. Chair motion to

4:44:08approve bill 198 at first reading.

4:44:11>> Motion by Mr. Kleinfelder, second by Mr.

4:44:14Hustes. Any discussions? Hearing no

4:44:16seeing none. All those in favor of

4:44:18approving bill 198 at first reading,

4:44:20please say I. Those opposed. Motion

4:44:24carried. We have seven eyes

4:44:27kind of earlier. Yeah, two excuse.

4:44:29[laughter] And then

4:44:33uh Mus motion carries.

4:44:38Okay, let's go down to communication

4:44:411123.

4:44:42>> Is there any testimony for communication

4:44:441123?

4:44:47Hearing none. Communication 11123,

4:44:49Dennis A. Jibo at all versus county boy

4:44:52at all. Case number three,

4:44:53CCB-21-0000198

4:44:57from Deputy Corporation Council Ryan K.

4:44:59Thomas dated October 2, 2026. requesting

4:45:02an attorney client confidential

4:45:04discussion to consult with the council

4:45:05regarding the above entitled matter

4:45:07including settlement discussion.

4:45:09>> Chair motion to close file communication

4:45:111123.

4:45:13>> Okay. Motion by Mr. Houston, second by

4:45:15Miss Kagiara. Discussion.

4:45:18>> Chair motion to enter executive session

4:45:20pursuant to section 92-5A4 for the

4:45:23purpose of consulting with the council's

4:45:24attorney on questions, issues and

4:45:26pertain to the power, duties,

4:45:27privileges, immunities, and liabilities.

4:45:31Second motion by Mr. Houston, second by

4:45:34Miss Kowitz.

4:45:35Any discussion?

4:45:38Okay. All those in favor of going to

4:45:41executive session, please say I.

4:45:44>> Those opposed? We have seven eyes. Uh,

4:45:47two excused, Mr. Chair Naba and Mus.

4:45:52Motion carried. We're in executive

4:45:54session.

5:42:52There's a lot to be done. Yeah. I mean,

5:42:54just imagine it.

5:43:43Okay. So, we're back from executive

5:43:45session. Mr. Hues, can you make the

5:43:49motion?

5:43:50>> Vice Chair, I'm just going to summarize

5:43:51that we entered executive session

5:43:53pursuant to section 92-5A4

5:43:56for the purpose of consulting with the

5:43:57council's attorneys on questions and

5:43:59issues pertaining to our powers, duties,

5:44:01privileges, immunities, and liabilities.

5:44:03Thank you, chair.

5:44:05You

5:44:05>> make a motion.

5:44:07Uh and with that chair, uh I make a

5:44:09motion to accept the recommendation of

5:44:11of corporation council

5:44:14uh regarding case number

5:44:163CCCV-21-0000198.

5:44:22Second. Okay. Motion by Mr. Houston,

5:44:24second by Miss Kirkowitz. Any

5:44:26discussion? Okay. Hearing no see none.

5:44:29All those in favor of accepting the

5:44:31recommendation by corporation council,

5:44:33please say I. Those opposed with seven

5:44:36eyes to excuse chair nama and miss Vegas

5:44:41and motion carried and then we're going

5:44:45to close the file on communication 11

5:44:49one 1123

5:44:53any discussions see here none all those

5:44:55in favor closing communication 1123 say

5:44:58I

5:44:59>> those opposed we have seven eyes to

5:45:01excuse carava miss and Motion carried.

5:45:05And this concludes our meeting. Mr.

5:45:07Hues, any announcements?

5:45:09>> Thank you, Chair. Just one one brief

5:45:11one. Next week, I know it's uh families

5:45:13are going out there getting some sweet

5:45:16treats and going into community. Please

5:45:18be safe in community on those on those

5:45:19nights, especially it's a Saturday this

5:45:21year for Halloween. Um but one thing

5:45:24before that on this Saturday at the

5:45:27Nanioa is the Hawaii Island Festival of

5:45:29Birds. So, an exciting event to get out

5:45:32there with our our community nonprofits.

5:45:34Thank you so much.

5:45:34>> Great. Any other announcements? Okay. If

5:45:37not, this meeting's adjourned at 2:45

5:45:41p.m. Thank you.

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