Hawaii’s building regulations drive the cost of condominium development up 58%, the highest in the nation, according to a report released Monday by the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization.
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Owners who convert won’t have to pay county property taxes — combined with government-paid rental income ranging from $5,000 a month for a one-bedroom unit to $11,000 for a four-bedroom.
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There are still 1,744 people living in hotels, and Green wants to find them all long-term housing by July 1.
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Applications will be accepted Friday to consider a payout of $1.5 million to avoid what could be protracted litigation for families that lost a loved one in Maui’s Aug. 8 wildfires, which killed at least 101 people.
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Former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s name on the short list of Donald Trump’s candidates for vice president only adds to the enigmatic political career of a former rising star of the Democratic Party who later denounced Democrats and sued Hillary Clinton for $50 million for defamation.
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Gov. Josh Green had threatened to ban short-term rentals if owners of 3,000 Maui vacation rentals did not provide stable housing by Friday.
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Green initially asked critics to trust that he would make adjustments, which he did to mollify a lawsuit from the Sierra Club in response to sunshine, environmental and historic preservation concerns.
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U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the troubles opening Skyline on June 30 are mirrored by other major projects around the country.
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U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg toured what remains of Lahaina on Wednesday and heard from members of Mayor Richard Bissen’s advisory counsel, who reported sometimes conflicting pressures as Maui continues to recover from the Aug, 8 wildfires.
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The on-going exodus of Hawaii residents far outstrips the number of U.S. residents moving to the islands, resulting in the overall loss of 36,789 Hawaii residents over the last three years.
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Investigators for the state Campaign Spending Commission on Wednesday recommended that former state Rep. Kaniela Ing be fined another $18,250 — in addition to the nearly $22,000 that he already had been fined — for 24 campaign spending violations.
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Naming rights for the Hawai‘i Convention Center would be allowed despite Hawaii’s general ban on outdoor advertising after a key Senate committee approved a bill Tuesday despite concerns.
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Some Maui business owners wonder when they’ll get more government help to stabilize or restart their businesses.
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Grief and uncertainty over their futures played across the faces of survivors of the Maui wildfires on Thursday’s six-month mark as Gov. Josh Green, Maui Mayor Richard Bissen and federal officials detailed six months of progress — as well as the hard work that lies ahead.
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Six months after the Aug. 8 Lahaina wildfire, survivors today are likely to reach an emotional low that could last for months.
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Families who earn too much to qualify for subsidized child care are now eligible for a program that has expanded from 4-year-olds to also include 3-year-olds, with increased subsidies.
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Maui County and the state Office of Elections are working to help displaced Lahaina voters receive their mail-in ballots ahead of the Aug. 10 primary election and Nov. 5 general election.
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Gov. Josh Green and the state Legislature will have to figure out how to pay for an estimated $120 million to $150 million in retroactive hazard pay due to 7,800 unionized public workers who faced health risks at Hawaii public schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Only current and former residents would be allowed to purchase homes under a House Republican bill designed to lower prices and make Hawaii housing more affordable across the state.
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In an effort to keep artificial intelligence — or deepfake — messaging out of Hawaii elections, two bills would ban false information of a candidate or party, and a third would make it a petty misdemeanor to distribute — or conspire to distribute — fake political messages.
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A package of House bills would help property owners buy insurance in Hawaii’s most high-risk zones, including those in Puna’s riskiest lava zones and survivors of the Maui wildfires who also lost homes.
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