No 11 Ala Moana Kaka'ako Neighborhood Board Regular Meeting September 2026
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11 Ala Moana-Kakaako Neighborhood Board Meeting – October 7, 2026
Call to Order and Quorum
The board called the regular meeting to order by reaffirming its purpose of encouraging civic engagement and improving the neighborhood. Six members were initially recorded as present, including one participating online, establishing a quorum. The meeting then proceeded through public-safety reports, an extended discussion of homelessness, community concerns, government and agency updates, and board business.
Honolulu Fire Department Report
Honolulu Fire Department Captain Gibo of Engine 2, First Watch, reported that during August 2026 the area experienced seven fires, 44 activated alarms, 149 medical incidents, one motor-vehicle collision, and three hazardous-material incidents. HFD’s monthly safety message focused on the growing number of fires involving lithium-ion batteries used in smartphones, laptops, e-bikes, e-scooters, toys, power tools, and vehicles. Residents were advised to use manufacturer-approved cords and chargers, charge devices on hard and flat surfaces, unplug fully charged devices, charge larger equipment outdoors when possible, avoid blocking exits, and stop using batteries that become excessively hot, swell, leak, smell unusual, smoke, pop, or hiss. Travelers were advised to keep charging devices visible on aircraft and not charge e-cigarettes or vapes in flight. HFD also promoted its Fire Prevention Week Family Day at the Honolulu Zoo on October 3, 2026, under the theme “Charging to Fire Safety: Safe Charging Is a Superpower.”
Nuisance and Trash Fires
In response to a question about nuisance fires, Captain Gibo said HFD periodically encounters intentionally or accidentally ignited dumpsters, rubbish containers, and public trash cans, although he did not have a month-to-month comparison with July. He recommended securing business and condominium dumpsters where possible. Many incidents involve publicly accessible cans, including those at bus stops, where discarded cigarettes can smolder for hours before producing a fire serious enough to prompt a response.
Honolulu Police Department Crime Statistics
Sergeant Kendrick of HPD District 1 presented August statistics showing 33 auto thefts, one burglary, 113 thefts, 11 unauthorized entries into motor vehicles, 29 assaults, three sexual assaults, three graffiti incidents, four reported drug cases, and 165 motor-vehicle collisions. With schools back in session, he urged motorists to watch for children, pedestrians, bicycles, and e-bikes, noting that these road users may be contributing to the high collision total.
Late-Night Bar Enforcement
The board asked how HPD would respond to Honolulu Liquor Commission authorization allowing certain bars to remain open until 4 a.m., including establishments in or near the board district. Sergeant Kendrick said plans were being developed to station officers near known problem-bar areas and enforce laws involving disorderly conduct, fights, and impaired driving. Kona Street, Ho‘opaka Street, and Chinatown were among the areas expected to receive attention. The discussion reflected concern that patrons leaving establishments between approximately 3 and 4 a.m. could increase public-safety and traffic risks.
Straub Construction, Lane Closures, and Illegal Parking
Secretary Farinas described continuing traffic and visibility problems associated with the third phase of construction at the Straub parking structure along South King Street. At times, five lanes reportedly narrow to three without residents receiving advance notice, while construction workers, delivery drivers, or others park in marked tow-away zones near a driveway shared by One Archer Lane and HECO. These vehicles obstruct the view of residents trying to enter South King Street amid lane closures and turning traffic. Sergeant Kendrick explained that special-duty officers remain on-duty police officers and may issue citations or arrange towing for traffic violations, especially when vehicles interfere with the construction site. If the violation is outside their immediate assignment, they can notify regular patrol officers. Officer deployment depends on the contractor’s permits and daily work, including heavy-equipment movements and lane closures on South King, Kealamakai, and the streets around Straub, so officers may be present on some days but not others. Residents said police presence makes navigating the construction area feel considerably safer, particularly after falling debris from the structure reached the roadway in July.
Police Chief Community Meeting
Board members asked whether newly selected HPD Chief Lazar would hold a “Meet the Chief” event in Ala Moana-Kaka‘ako similar to events in Kalihi and Waikīkī. HPD representatives believed an area event would occur before the end of 2026, possibly in November, but could not confirm whether it would be part of a board meeting or a separate community forum. Councilmember Scott Nishimoto later reported that his office was working with the chief to schedule an Ala Moana community meeting in November.
HPD Drone Pilot Program
HPD confirmed that its drone program had been operating for several weeks in District 1 and the Kalihi-Pālama area. The published operating hours were 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., selected because call data indicated that the afternoon and early evening were the periods when drones could assist with the greatest number of incidents. Board members questioned whether those hours would address street-racing caravans and other problems that often occur from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. HPD said the drones were not currently equipped or rated for full nighttime operations such as night-vision deployment, although pilots have occasionally started earlier. The long-term objective is a 24-hour program, but expansion will require additional funding, aircraft capability, and FAA-certified pilots. HPD emphasized that the effort remains in its pilot phase and agreed that future updates should clarify its hours and practical uses.
Sit-Lie Enforcement and Community Policing
Sergeant Kendrick said sit-lie ordinances are enforced in Ala Moana and Kaka‘ako by the same District 1 officers who work in Chinatown, with daily enforcement statistics collected. Chinatown produces higher totals because its unhoused population is larger, but HPD characterized enforcement as generally uniform across the district. Officers use sit-lie as a tool to keep entrances, sidewalks, and business areas accessible and to reduce interference with commerce and tourism. HPD does not currently collect demographic data indicating whether suspects in its regular crime reports have permanent housing. The department does, however, work with CORE outreach staff during both daytime and nighttime contacts. HPD credited a long-term collaborative effort involving police, state law-enforcement officers, sheriffs, and service providers with improving conditions at Kaka‘ako Waterfront Park.
Homelessness and Houselessness Forum
The board devoted approximately an hour to homelessness following concerns raised at its previous meeting about growing encampments at Ala Moana Beach Park, along Kapi‘olani Boulevard near H&R Block, on Ke‘eaumoku and Makaloa streets, near Jack in the Box on Kalākaua Avenue, and around local streams. Participants included Roy Miyahira, the city’s Director of Homeless Solutions; Castro Masaniai, IHS Director of Outreach; Jeff Zirkonik, Assistant Chief of Operations assigned to the city’s Community Outreach, Response and Engagement program; and HPD District 1 personnel. Officials said responses are initiated through Honolulu 311 reports, emails, community meetings, referrals from outreach providers, and direct observations. Before an enforcement or cleanup operation, outreach teams generally try to establish relationships and offer shelter, treatment, transportation, or other services rather than simply displacing people.
Shelter Availability and Repeated Outreach
Miyahira estimated that the shelter system was approaching roughly 90% occupancy, a level some providers would consider functionally full, although openings remained. Real-time information from the city’s Kū‘ū Home or shelter coordination system indicated that the HONU facility in Kapolei had six openings in the men’s tent, one in the women’s tent, two spaces for couples, and capacity for as many as 30 people in family tents at the time of the meeting. Officials said some chronically homeless individuals accept placement only after 10, 20, or more contacts. IHS encouraged residents to use Honolulu 311 or its QR-code referral form and said its team generally attempts to respond within a day. Outreach information is entered into the homeless-services data system when possible, particularly when a person agrees to enroll in services.
District 1 Outreach Data
IHS reported approximately 334 unique outreach encounters in District 1 from July through the meeting date, involving 247 unduplicated individuals. About 95 of those 247 people agreed to work with outreach staff on improving their situations. Masaniai said those results were produced by only three to four full-time outreach employees covering a large territory from the airport through Kalihi, Chinatown, Ala Moana, Makiki, and Punahou Street. IHS and Kealahou West O‘ahu are the two principal state-contracted outreach providers on O‘ahu, with IHS covering the eastern half of the island and Kealahou serving the west, although CORE, HPD crisis-intervention officers, grassroots groups, and other nonprofits also conduct outreach.
Ala Moana Beach Park Enforcement
HPD said Ala Moana Beach Park receives scheduled enforcement and outreach attention every Thursday from the ATV and bicycle detail, with other units conducting operations on different days so activity is not limited to a predictable weekly visit. From September 1 through the roughly three weeks preceding the meeting, officers at the park issued 24 park-closure citations, two shopping-cart citations, and 11 citations for other park violations. They also made seven park-closure arrests, eight contempt-of-court or warrant arrests, one disorderly-conduct arrest, two criminal-property-damage arrests, one dangerous-drug arrest, one arrest for harassing a police officer, and approximately six to eight additional arrests on outstanding warrants involving pending felony cases. Contacts are documented through warnings, citations, arrests, or miscellaneous public reports, allowing escalating action when a person repeatedly violates park rules.
Shopping Carts and Personal Property
HPD explained that officers cannot automatically search or discard covered shopping carts because unhoused individuals retain rights to their belongings. When a person is present, officers may identify the individual, allow personal items to be removed, and recover the cart for return to the business that owns it. Unattended carts are more complicated because they may contain valuables, and officers must avoid improperly disposing of private property. A tarp covering a cart does not by itself establish grounds for a search.
Why Services Are Declined
Outreach providers said people refuse shelter or treatment for many reasons, including untreated mental illness, substance use, inability to understand their condition, reluctance to follow shelter rules, or simply being accustomed to living outside. Many are in a “pre-contemplative” stage in which they do not believe they need help. A board member shared the experience of a formerly homeless acquaintance who avoided shelters because he could not remain with his girlfriend or dog and had encountered bedbugs and lice. Providers acknowledged that successful intervention often depends on repeated contact, trust-building, timing, and matching services to individual needs rather than relying on a single uniform approach.
CORE Medical and Mental-Health Services
Zirkonik described CORE as a team of approximately 30 to 34 people with three main functions. Community health workers conduct street outreach and build trust; emergency medical technicians in red-striped ambulances transport non-ambulatory and non-emergency patients to appropriate facilities; and advanced practice registered nurses work with outreach staff and HPD crisis-intervention officers on severe behavioral-health cases. CORE’s ambulance service is intended to reduce pressure on 911 ambulances and emergency rooms by directing lower-acuity patients toward behavioral-health centers or other appropriate care settings when regulations permit. Under the MH-3 process, credentialed medical or mental-health professionals can evaluate a severely mentally ill person in the field and determine whether the person lacks the capacity to make safe medical decisions, allowing transport for treatment. CORE had temporarily stopped these interventions during the meeting week because suitable facilities were full.
Emergency Medical System Capacity
CORE described severe congestion in Honolulu emergency departments. To prevent ambulances from waiting two to three hours for beds, the urban EMS system may limit arrivals in a given hour to two ambulances at Queen’s Medical Center and one each at Kuakini, Kaiser, and Straub. Patients may therefore be taken to a hospital outside their insurance network or far from their preferred destination. Officials said many calls involve low-acuity illnesses, chronic conditions, or recurring needs among people living on the street. Suggested reforms included adding ambulances, permitting ambulance transport to shelters, urgent-care centers, and behavioral-health facilities rather than only emergency departments, and expanding alternative treatment capacity.
Mental Illness, Addiction, and Street Medicine
Panelists identified long-term mental-health and substance-use treatment as a major unmet need, especially for people affected by methamphetamine, fentanyl, and chronic alcohol use. Waikīkī was cited as a model because its business improvement district has helped fund Waikīkī Health clinicians who provide medication and care directly on the street. CORE had applied for an approximately $3.5 million federal SAMHSA grant and a $2 million Bureau of Justice Assistance grant to expand street medicine, behavioral-health treatment, and engagement with people passing through District Court and the HPD cellblock. A decision on the justice grant was expected within about two weeks. Providers cautioned that even with a doctor present, many patients do not accept medication at the first contact and may require weeks or months of engagement.
Priorities for Additional Homelessness Funding
When asked where additional government resources should go, panelists identified affordable housing, affordable rents, eviction prevention, more case managers and social workers, additional frontline outreach employees, specialized shelters for aging or medically fragile adults, behavioral-health beds, addiction treatment, more ambulances, and alternatives to emergency-room care. Miyahira noted declining enrollment in social-work education and said a shortage of case managers limits the system’s ability to guide people from crisis into permanent housing. The panel also urged closer monitoring of eviction trends and reductions in benefits such as SNAP, which may push financially vulnerable residents into homelessness. Zirkonik additionally called for stronger efforts to stop methamphetamine and fentanyl from entering Hawai‘i through harbors, airlines, mail, and shipping containers. HPD said more officers would help with both outreach and ordinary crime, but emphasized that homelessness cannot be solved through arrests alone.
Safe Parking Proposal
The board raised the possibility of creating safe-parking sites for people living in vehicles, similar to programs in Maui, Santa Barbara, San Diego, and Seattle. Such sites could provide legal overnight parking, security, sanitation, and direct access to outreach and case-management services. Panelists saw potential value because vehicle residents are otherwise difficult to locate consistently, but warned that poorly supervised sites can become unsafe or be dominated by stronger individuals. Officials also noted that sites must be located close enough to services and designed to avoid the extremely high per-space costs reportedly experienced in San Francisco. No formal proposal was adopted, but providers supported further study.
Long-Term Causes and Prevention
Community member Todd Adams asked the board to recognize childhood abuse and trauma as long-term causes of adult homelessness. He said people who experienced chronic abuse may learn not to trust others and consequently reject assistance even when it is offered sincerely. Officials agreed that homelessness requires prevention as well as crisis response, including early intervention for vulnerable families and children, stronger community relationships, and continued efforts to build trust with people already on the street.
City Homelessness Strategy and Agency Coordination
Miyahira said the city continues to implement a comprehensive homelessness strategy adopted in 2023, although it requires updating to reflect CORE’s newer focus on severe mental illness. He and other panelists said collaboration among the city, state, police, fire, hospitals, nonprofit providers, and outreach organizations has improved markedly, replacing earlier siloed approaches. Agencies now coordinate across jurisdictional lines because individuals may move from a city park to state property during an operation. The administration’s stated goal is to maintain safe public spaces while creating realistic pathways away from street homelessness.
CORE Audit and Documentation Reforms
In response to an online question, Zirkonik addressed a critical audit of CORE. He said the program historically acted without adequately documenting its work, making it impossible for auditors to confirm performance or justify expenditures. CORE is now redefining its mission, adopting more specific performance expectations, collaborating with the State Department of Health on a compliant documentation system, and acquiring a new computer-aided dispatch system. Because CORE is a covered health entity, it cannot simply use standard public-safety documentation platforms. Zirkonik said stronger documentation and interagency collaboration should make the program more accountable and effective.
Storm Preparedness and HNL Alert
Before leaving, HPD officials reminded residents that the 2026 storm season had been unusually active and that another weather event might be approaching. Community members were encouraged to register for the city’s HNL Alert system, in addition to using Honolulu 311, to receive emergency and severe-weather notifications and help neighbors prepare.
Ulana Ward Village HVAC Vibration Complaint
Todd Adams continued his ongoing testimony about vibrations and noise inside Ulana Ward Village allegedly caused by the building’s HVAC system. He said a 2020 engineering document identified as “Appendix G” stated that HVAC noise would be carefully evaluated in residential units and other noise-sensitive spaces. He also cited Condition 24, dated May 5, 2021, requiring Victoria Ward Limited to implement noise-mitigation measures in the project’s noise-impact analysis. Adams said residents discovered these documents themselves rather than receiving them from HCDA or the developer. After filing a Uniform Information Practices Act request on August 12 and questioning HCDA Executive Director Nakamoto at an August 26 public forum, he received responsive records on August 28. Nakamoto reportedly offered to request engineering testing inside Adams’ unit. Adams later asked HCDA whether Howard Hughes had supplied vibration-verification protocols and results requested by the agency on January 23; HCDA representative Francine Murray agreed to take the question back to the office.
Ala Wai Watershed and Ferry Proposal
Community member Laura Ruby briefly promoted a concept for small, inexpensive pedestrian-and-bicycle ferries across the Ala Wai Canal, operating similarly to a bus service. She also urged the board to join an Ala Wai watershed collaboration focused on preventing debris from moving downstream into the canal and yacht harbor. Ruby argued that much of the debris originates on upland forest and preservation properties and travels through Manoa, Pālolo, and Makiki streams during heavy rain, rather than originating near the canal itself. She asked Ala Moana-Kaka‘ako residents to work with upstream landowners on prevention and cleanup.
Community Runs and Public Events
Steve Davidson of the Mid-Pacific Road Runners Club announced two events at Ala Moana’s Magic Island: the LeaLea 5K at 7 a.m. on October 11, featuring post-race bentos and food, and the annual Santa Hat 5K and one-mile keiki run at 4 p.m. on December 6. Later announcements included a Pride-related 5K supporting Spill the Tea Café at Magic Island from 7 to 10 a.m. on October 10 and the Honolulu Pride Parade on October 17.
Kapi‘olani Boulevard Rehabilitation Project
The Department of Design and Construction and consultant WSP USA presented Rehabilitation of Streets Unit 89B, covering Kapi‘olani Boulevard between Ward Avenue and Atkinson Drive. The project is a rehabilitation of the existing street configuration rather than a complete-streets redesign. The contract duration is 545 days, although weather, unknown utilities, and other unforeseen conditions could extend the work. The board asked the city to provide updates if major delays arise rather than allowing residents to learn of them indirectly.
Tree Removal and Replacement on Kapi‘olani Boulevard
The project may remove and replace three street trees, subject to final confirmation by the Division of Urban Forestry. One tree near McKinley High School between Kamake‘e and Pensacola streets leans into the bus lane and has reportedly been struck by vehicles. A second at the mauka-Diamond Head corner of Pi‘ikoi Street has roots that would be affected by curb-and-gutter reconstruction, potentially making the tree unstable. A third near Ke‘eaumoku Street on the mauka-‘Ewa side also leans into the roadway and shows prior impact damage. The current plan is to replace them with the same species in coordination with urban-forestry staff. Ruby urged the city to transplant rather than destroy mature canopy trees and use them to extend the Kapi‘olani green corridor toward Diamond Head.
Sidewalk Accessibility on Kapi‘olani Boulevard
Board members repeatedly emphasized that sidewalks, particularly on the makai side of Kapi‘olani between Ward Avenue and Ala Moana Center, are uneven and difficult or impossible for some wheelchair users and adults pushing strollers. Residents have tripped on raised pavement and tree-root damage, and one nearby resident regularly encounters difficulty while traveling the block in a wheelchair. Members asked the city to examine repairs beyond the project’s Ward-to-Atkinson limits and raised the possibility that existing conditions may violate accessibility requirements. The project team agreed to refer the request to the city.
Ala Moana Park Cleanup and Police Chief Forum
Councilmember Nishimoto announced another Ala Moana Regional Park cleanup for October 10, following a successful cleanup several months earlier. He also said his office was arranging a November community event with HPD Chief Lazar so Ala Moana-Kaka‘ako residents could discuss local public-safety concerns directly with the new chief.
Development Community Benefits
The board discussed how community-benefit packages associated with major developments are determined. Projects cited included 1588 Ala Moana Boulevard, the Muse on Kapi‘olani Boulevard, and a newly acquired development site near Century Center on Kalākaua Avenue. A proposed package for 1588 Ala Moana reportedly included $6 million for complete-streets work on Atkinson Drive and tree planting along Ala Moana Boulevard. Board members questioned whether future packages could instead fund homelessness outreach, behavioral-health clinicians, or street medicine. Nishimoto said he was open to considering a board resolution or policy discussion and acknowledged that both residents and developers have complained that the current process can feel arbitrary.
Ala Wai Canal and Stream Management
Senator Sharon Moriwaki reported that University of Hawai‘i College of Engineering faculty, graduate students, and a design class are studying technologies for continuous stream and canal management. The state used approximately $9 million in federal funding to clear overgrowth and debris from Manoa Stream, the most heavily overgrown of the three principal streams feeding the Ala Wai Canal; Pālolo and Makiki are the others. The Legislature also provided $1 million to the College of Engineering and approximately $2.5 million to the Department of Transportation for pilot projects. Rather than repeatedly paying about $20,000 per day for post-storm cleanup, the effort is examining upstream debris-capture systems, including a structure near the Kapahulu Library. Moriwaki said mattresses, couches, shopping carts, and other material found in the canal after storms demonstrate the need for preventive measures and better enforcement around encampments and obstructed bridges.
Kaka‘ako Makai Planning Process
Senator Moriwaki and HCDA representative Francine Murray encouraged residents to review and comment on proposed scenarios for the updated Kaka‘ako Makai Area Plan. HCDA had held a three-hour public workshop attended by approximately 135 people, following an earlier workshop in March. The online comment period was to remain open for 30 days, through October 19. HCDA planned to present an update on work completed to date at its October 7 board meeting, with the agenda posted October 1. No additional large public workshop was planned, but all workshop materials and comment opportunities were available through HCDA’s website.
Citizen Patrols and 1588 Ala Moana
Moriwaki promoted District 1 citizen patrols and noted that four were operating in the district. A new patrol was being organized around an Ala Moana residential building, with training planned for October 1. Participants observe conditions, report concerns to police, and create a visible deterrent without confronting suspects. Moriwaki also urged residents to review and testify on the conceptual plan for 1588 Ala Moana Boulevard, describing the proposed building as very large and questioning its orientation.
Legislative Office and Policy Updates
Representatives from Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam’s office announced a City Council informational briefing on the Department of Planning and Permitting’s permit software. State Representative Adrian Tam’s office said the representative would hold district office hours at the Waikīkī Business Improvement District on Tuesdays and Thursdays and was seeking public ideas for the 2027 legislative session. Representative Kim Coco Iwamoto’s office said she planned to reintroduce empty-homes-tax and free-bus-fare legislation. Legislative offices were temporarily working remotely while Capitol offices were painted and furnished, with staggered renovations expected to continue into approximately mid-November.
Governor’s Office and Storm Recovery
Governor Josh Green’s representative, Ashton Stallings, highlighted state and community storm-recovery work involving debris removal, restoration of services, food distribution, and mental-health support. The state was also preparing for additional storms during the El Niño season. Approximately $18.5 million in federal funding was identified for electric-grid resilience and hazard mitigation on O‘ahu. Board members asked the governor’s office to consider assistance for aging condominium elevators damaged or disabled by flooding and power outages, noting that lengthy outages disproportionately affect kūpuna and residents with limited mobility in older high-rises.
HART Extension Toward Ala Moana
HART representative Harry Cho explained that currently budgeted construction ends at the Civic Center station beside Keauhou Place, with guideway columns extending to Cooke Street. HART does not yet have funding to continue to Ala Moana. The planned future route would proceed along Halekauwila Street, cross Ward Avenue near a proposed station beside a newer condominium, continue along Queen Street past Whole Foods and TJ Maxx, shift from Waimanu Street to Kona Street, and terminate at Ala Moana Center. The closest planned station to the Neal S. Blaisdell Center would be the Kaka‘ako station near Ward Avenue, approximately one block away, but that station is not currently funded. HART is evaluating long-term financing for extensions to Ala Moana and, eventually, UH Mānoa, Waikīkī, and farther into Kapolei. Ruby asked HART to consider at-grade rail to reduce costs and visual impacts; Cho said the planned Ala Moana extension would remain grade-separated, although other configurations might be considered for later extensions beyond Ala Moana.
Approval of Meeting Minutes
The board approved the July 28, 2026 meeting minutes after revisiting the item because prior online votes were invalid when members’ cameras were not on. It also approved the August 25, 2026 regular meeting minutes. Both actions passed without recorded opposition or abstention.
AIDS Memorial at Kaka‘ako Waterfront Park
The board formally voted to support the proposed AIDS Memorial and Community Site at Kaka‘ako Waterfront Park. The measure had been introduced during the previous month’s meeting and passed without recorded opposition or abstention.
Business Improvement District Resolution
By an 8-0 vote, the board adopted a resolution supporting the general establishment of a business improvement district in Ala Moana-Kaka‘ako. The proposed district could support public safety, homelessness outreach, cleaner sidewalks and public spaces, pedestrian improvements, neighborhood appearance, and economic vitality, following models used in Waikīkī and Downtown Honolulu. The resolution did not endorse boundaries, assessment levels, governance structures, or specific programs, leaving those details for future community and stakeholder discussions. Members noted that a successful district would require substantial support from businesses and possibly residents who would fund its services.
Business Improvement District Permitted Interaction Group
The board also voted 8-0 to create a permitted interaction group to continue discussing a possible business improvement district without violating Sunshine Law restrictions. The group consists of Second Vice Chair Vanderbrink, Member Egged, Member Rand, Chair Lee, and First Vice Chair Rice. Its role is to meet with businesses and other stakeholders, gather concerns and preferences, and support further exploration of a district without precommitting the board to assessments, boundaries, or a final organizational structure.
Action Committee and Transportation Updates
The Action Committee reported on a discussion with Councilmember Dos Santos-Tam about the Downtown business improvement district, community policing, and potential challenges in establishing a similar district locally. Representative Adrian Tam was expected to participate in a future committee meeting so residents could discuss legislation for the 2027 session. Closing announcements referred to an Action Committee meeting on October 8 and the next regular board meeting on October 27, while an earlier statement also associated an October 27 date with the Representative Tam discussion. Member Rand also reported from the O‘ahu Metropolitan Planning Organization on the HNL Connect application, which addresses transportation efficiency and includes a reward-point system. The city was preparing to revive carpool and vanpool programs, including rides to workplaces and rail stations, with information available through transportation-agency social media.
Grants and Final Announcements
The board announced that the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism and the Chamber of Commerce had partnered to make approximately $3.5 million in recovery grants available to businesses needing to rebuild after recent disruptions. Additional announcements promoted the Aloha Festivals Floral Parade, the Make-A-Wish Hawai‘i Jingle Rock Run, Pride events, and the board’s social-media channels. The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:44 p.m.