Green promises 64k new homes, Kaiser Permanente workers set to strike, Japanese firm to help meet state energy goals, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

Green Says 64,000 New Affordable Homes Are In The Pipeline. Can He Deliver? The market has shown few signs of improving since Green took office. While the resale prices of single-family homes and condos have leveled off, rents have increased 17% since his December 2022 inauguration, according to the University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization. Civil Beat.

New state task force targets Hawaii’s permit backlog. A new state task force is taking aim at Hawaii’s notoriously slow and complex permitting system, which has long delayed housing and commercial projects across the islands. Tribune-Herald.

Japanese firm to help Hawaii achieve clean energy goals. Gov. Josh Green and the energy firm, JERA Co. Inc., signed a strategic partnering agreement establishing a framework for the collaboration on Oct. 6 during a weeklong trip to Japan by Green and more than a dozen other officials from state government including lawmakers. Star-Advertiser. Kauai Now. 

OHA’s Chief Executive Could See A 35% Pay Bump While On Leave. Office of Hawaiian Affairs CEO Stacy Ferreira, who was placed on indefinite leave in September, could see her pay jump 35%—to $270,400 — next month under a proposal up for consideration by the office’s Board of Trustees on Wednesday. Civil Beat.

Kaiser workers to strike over wages, staffing, benefits. About 2,300 Kaiser Permanente employees in Hawaii are set to walk off the job this morning as part of a five-day national strike, joining over 45,000 unionized health care workers across the country in one of the largest labor actions in the health care sector in recent years. Star-Advertiser. Tribune-Herald. KHON2.

HCL offers forbearances for federal employees impacted by shutdown. Hawai‘i Community Lending is offering temporary relief to federal workers in Hawai‘i to ensure they do not lose their homes amid the ongoing government shutdown. Maui Now.

Oahu

Honolulu City Council considers fare hikes for public transit. As initially proposed, Bill 54 could increase the annual adult fare from $880 to $990; and fares for monthly adult fare would rise to $90, up from the current charge of $80 — a 12.5% price increase for both. Star-Advertiser.

Uncertainty for TheBus riders as strike talks continue, no advance notice guaranteed. Oahu Transit Services has been receiving inquiries about a pending strike by TheBus employees, prompting the union that represents them to clear the confusion. Hawaii News Now.

Skyline debuts 4 new stops, making its way into the heart of Honolulu. Honolulu’s rail system is expanding again with Skyline Segment 2 opening Thursday, Oct. 16, at 4 a.m.  KHON2.

 Honolulu's TheBus introduces new routes for Skyline expansion. The Department of Transportation Services in Honolulu announced upcoming changes to TheBus routes, effective October 16, 2025, to align with the opening of Skyline Segment 2. KITV4.

Windward Oʻahu Senior Housing Stalls Amid Zoning Appeals Backlog. A proposed senior living facility in Kāneʻohe would bring a range of negative impacts, residents say. The developer says it will help meet a crucial need. Civil Beat.

Father, daughter charged with assaulting HPD officers in Kalihi. Father, daughter charged with assaulting HPD officers in Kalihi. Kaeo Keoki Montalbo, 39, and his daughter, Naehu Montalbo Wong, were charged Monday for allegedly assaulting Honolulu police officers during a large brawl Friday night after a high school football game in Kalihi. Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Island

Public input sought on housing project in Hilo. The County of Hawai‘i Office of Housing and Community Development will host a community meeting on Oct. 23 to share information and gather feedback on the proposed ʻĀinakō Subdivision Housing Project in Hilo. Big Island Now.

Parolee who killed Big Island woman in 1978 is ‘under the highest level of supervision’.  The 75-year-old parolee, Steven Ray Simpson, was recently paroled for the 1978 murder of a young woman on the Big Island and suspected by prosecutors of having killed another young woman on the island that same year. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui Is Racing To Spend $20M On Lahaina Land Deal With Prominent Developer. The county plans to use 160 acres from Peter Martin for flood control, evacuation routes and other projects that could help the fire-torn town recover. Civil Beat.

Relief in the works for applicants on Upcountry water meter waitlist. John Stufflebean, director of the Maui County Department of Water Supply, said the department has developed a plan to start processing the list of people waiting for water meters in the Upcountry area. Maui News.

Downed communication cables spark concerns on Maui. Downed cables on Maui have many residents worried it could potentially spark a fire. Hawaiian Telcom, the company that owns the lines, promises there is no danger. Hawaii News Now.

Kauai

Rat lungworm disease detected in adult on Kaua‘i. A case of neuroangiostrongyliasis, or rat lungworm disease, was identified in an adult on Kaua‘i for the first time since 2019. Kauai Now. Hawaii News Now.