Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi delivered his fourth State of the City address Thursday evening and focused on his administration’s stated priorities of housing, public safety and homelessness.

Inside a crowded Mission Memorial Auditorium that included city workers and local and international dignitaries including Gov. Josh Green, Blangiardi’s nearly hourlong address also noted his administration’s achievements over the past year and echoed his 2023 State of the City address vow to fight “wicked problems” facing Oahu.

Those included homelessness, lack of affordable housing and overhauling the city Department of Planning and Permitting and its months-long building permit backlog.

To that “wicked problem,” Blangiardi claimed DPP’s infamous backlog was no more.

“A year ago I stood here and explained how DPP was using AI to pre-screen applications and that the average pre-screen wait time had gone from an average of five months to an average of five weeks,” Blangiardi said. “Today it takes three days — and the backlog has been completely eliminated.”

He added that DPP also will implement new software, called CLARITI, to further advance the timely receipt of building permits.

The mayor said DPP staff also will “significantly improve … enforcement efforts” over controversial “monster home” development projects, too.

Under homelessness, the mayor touted the ongoing efforts of city services to assist the homeless, including the CORE and HONU programs, the latter providing assistance to more than 3,600 unsheltered people, with 2,000 assisted away “to more permanent living arrangements,” since the programs’ creation under former Mayor Kirk Caldwell in 2019.

Meantime, the mayor also noted a recent legal victory the city gained over a recent American Civil Liberties Union injunction over city homeless sweeps on city-owned public property that was rejected in January by a 1st Circuit Court judge.

Although part of the ACLU’s lawsuit is still pending in court, Blangiardi said, “The general public has a right to expect their government will keep their public spaces, including sidewalks, clean, safe and accessible.”

In other areas the mayor announced that two new city departments will be created. The first will affect how housing is developed on the island.

“Tonight, on the strong recommendation of our Housing Task Force, I am announcing my intent to merge the Office of Housing with … the Department of Land Management” to form the Department of Housing and Land Management.

The mayor said that move will “right-size the city’s important role in affordable housing.” By doing so, the new sector will look to “comprehensively set affordable housing policy” as well as “finance housing projects,” including through the city’s new use of private activity bonds.

Similarly, the mayor also noted plans to create more transit-oriented housing around urban Honolulu, including in Iwilei near the future Skyline station.

In addition, the mayor — based on recommendations by the city’s Ocean Safety Task Force, which he and his administration set up in 2023 — intends to create a stand-alone Honolulu Department of Ocean Safety, claiming the new agency will improve work done by the city and county’s world-renowned lifeguards.

The new ocean safety department would be independent of the Honolulu Emergency Services Department, which currently oversees EMS and lifeguards.

“I know that there is currently a resolution before the City Council, and my office will work with Ocean Safety and members of the City Council to get this done,” Blangiardi said.

In other areas, like the basic maintenance of city-owned properties, the mayor mentioned that more roving park crews will provide greater maintenance and services at city parks in the Waianae Coast, Ewa Beach and Central Oahu communities.

Meantime, more city staffing initiatives — including gaining more Honolulu Police Department officers to curb crime — will be implemented.

The mayor noted that starting in April with the HPD’s 213th recruit class, the department will offer $25,000 in recruitment bonuses to stay on the force for three years. Those bonuses will be paid out as recruits reach certain milestones early in their careers, including upon graduation from the police academy, the city says.

Meanwhile, the State of the City address also recognized two HPD officers — Kekoa Flores and Kalani Fitisemanu — who suffered gunshot wounds during a daylong pursuit Jan. 1 of an armed man who chased and shot his girlfriend. That pursuit ended in Manoa, after officers shot and killed the suspect, 44-year-old Sidney Tafokitau, near University Avenue and Dole Street.

During the State of the City address, the recovering officers, Flores and Fitisemanu, received a standing ovation inside the auditorium.

“On behalf of a grateful public, allow me to say we will never forget your bravery that day, and we wish you both a strong and healthy recovery,” Blangiardi said.

In February, Blangiardi, 77, formally launched his 2024 mayoral bid for another four-year stint as the city’s top elected officer.