No 18 Āliamanu-Salt Lake-Foster Village-Airport Neighborhood Board Meeting September 2026
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18 Aliamanu-Salt Lake Neighborhood Board Meeting – September 11, 2026
Call to Order and Roll Call
Chair James Kavika Gower opened the meeting and welcomed residents to Neighborhood Board No. 18, serving Āliamanu, Salt Lake, Foster Village, and the airport area. He emphasized community participation in government decision-making. Secretary Chandra Kanemaru called the roll. Members Patty Igawa, Joseph Omura, Clarence Davis III, Douglas Fujikura, James Kavika Gower, David Yomes, and Chandra Kanemaru were present; Faye Johnson had not yet arrived, and Nancy Valdez had reported that she would be absent. The board established a quorum.
District 3 Police Report
District 3 reported that its area recorded no motor-vehicle thefts, burglaries, or vehicle break-ins in either July or August 2026. Thefts declined from three in July to two in August. Islandwide, traffic fatalities were down 29% year to date, while critical motor-vehicle collisions had declined 67% following a record year in which roadway deaths exceeded 100. Police attributed the improvement to increased enforcement and more responsible driving. Officers also highlighted an August 20 incident at approximately 8:20 p.m. in the parking structure near 500 Mananai Place, where more than 20 vehicles were keyed. No arrest had been made, and anyone with information was asked to call 911 and reference HPD report 26-294833. Chair Gower expressed continuing concern about organized theft and vehicle theft involving high-value cars and urged neighborhood watches and residents to remain observant. Police noted that Kia vehicles had become frequent targets because online videos demonstrate how certain models can be stolen easily; Honda vehicles had been a similar target in previous years.
District 5 Police Report
District 5 reported no aggravated assaults, burglaries, robberies, or simple assaults during August. Auto thefts fell from five in July to one in August, while thefts declined from seven to two. Five unauthorized entries into motor vehicles were recorded. One sex-assault-category call involved a reported indecent-exposure incident at the Salt Lake McDonald’s, where a male was reportedly standing with his pants down; responding officers searched the area but did not locate anyone matching the description. Calls for service rose from 479 in July to 600 in August. With Tropical Storm Norbert being monitored roughly two weeks away, police encouraged residents to register for HNL Alert through the city website, follow weather and traffic advisories, and remain off roadways during severe storms because of collision risks, fallen trees, and other hazards.
Loud Vehicles and Coffee with a Cop
District 5 officers continued responding to complaints about loud vehicles around Salt Lake Shopping Center. Officers conducted checks at varying hours between midnight and 5 a.m. from August 25 through August 31 but did not locate vehicles producing excessive noise. Police said monitoring would continue and encouraged residents to call when disruptive engines are heard so officers can respond while the activity is occurring. Board member Joseph Omura said the noise had noticeably decreased over the previous month and thanked officers for their checks. District 5 also announced a Coffee with a Cop event for Wednesday, October 7, from 9 to 11 a.m. at the McDonald’s in Waikamilo Shopping Center, 1414 Dillingham Boulevard, offering residents an informal opportunity to speak with officers and build relationships.
Salt Lake Christmas Parade
Called Church requested board support for its third annual Salt Lake Christmas parade, scheduled for December 19. The parade will use the modified route introduced the previous year, beginning near Moanalua High School, traveling toward the shopping center, turning onto the main street, and returning along Likini Street to the school. The route is just under two miles and was described as a workable compromise for participants and nearby residents. Daytime staging will precede a 7 p.m. start, with the parade expected to conclude between 8 and 8:15 p.m. Organizers reported substantial early interest and said their principal goal for 2026 is to involve more schools. Several board members indicated that they expected to participate, with a group registration to be coordinated.
Salt Lake Waterway and Genki Ball Program
Chandra Kanemaru presented an update on the Good Neighbor Program involving Country Club Village and the Salt Lake Waterway. Weather conditions caused the August cleanup to focus on producing Genki balls rather than conducting a conventional shoreline cleanup. Participants made 2,357 Genki balls, then completed the pat-down and curing process before tossing them into the waterway. The toss was coordinated with Honolulu Country Club, which sponsored a successful pop-up market. Organizers hope the combined environmental and community event can become an annual Salt Lake activity. The next cleanup and Genki ball event is planned for November, with the location and further details to be announced. Chair Gower praised the initiative as a foundation for neighborhood pride and encouraged broader participation, including support from private organizations.
Proposed Food Security Fund
Students representing the Coalition for Local Food Security urged residents to support Honolulu City Charter Question 1 in the coming election. The amendment would dedicate 0.5% of existing property-tax revenue to city programs, grants, and subsidies that strengthen local food production, food access, and long-term resilience. Presenters stressed that the proposal would not create a new tax but would earmark an estimated $8 million to $9 million from current revenue. Student Justice Vega cited estimates that one in three households, or about 250,000 people, experience food insecurity, including approximately 35,000 people in the board’s broader community. Vega described serving as many as 150 families in one day at a single food-bank location, while fellow student Lily O’Connor said distribution lines routinely wrap around the building and that food insecurity is often not visible. Because the Charter Commission convenes only once every decade, advocates characterized the ballot measure as a rare opportunity to establish a permanent, dedicated funding source.
Tour Helicopter Noise and Safety
Nestor Garcia, appearing for Congressman Ed Case, updated the board on increased tour-helicopter activity over Salt Lake, Moanalua Golf Course, and surrounding residential areas. Congressman Case wrote to the Federal Aviation Administration on June 10 after hearing from a resident who has lived in the same Salt Lake building since 1980 and observed a marked increase in low-flying helicopters during May. The FAA replied on July 30 that air-traffic controllers sometimes must hold aircraft apart before their approach to Daniel K. Inouye International Airport. The designated holding areas are Navy-Marine Golf Course and Punchbowl Cemetery, although operational needs can cause aircraft to deviate over Salt Lake. During the first six months of 2026, Salt Lake generated eight helicopter-noise complaints to the FAA, the highest number for any area, followed by three from Punchbowl. The congressional office hopes the Hawaii Air Noise and Safety Task Force, formed around the COVID period and later disbanded, will be reestablished to receive community concerns.
Airspace Modernization and Community Complaints
Board members pressed for practical solutions to helicopter overflights. Joseph Omura reported seeing approximately five helicopters circle the area during one lunch hour and asked whether air-traffic-controller shortages might be causing aircraft to be separated into different groups. Garcia said the FAA had not identified staffing as a factor but directed the board to the Hawaii Airspace Modernization Project, or HAMP, a multiyear initiative covering civilian, military, and drone use of Hawaii’s airspace. Although the initial public-comment period had ended, he recommended that the board designate someone to monitor the project. Chair Gower summarized avenues available to residents, including contacting the Honolulu Flight Standards District Office at 808-837-8300, using flight-tracking applications to document altitude, requesting restrictions over special events, contacting the FAA Western-Pacific regional ombudsman, calling helicopter operators, filing through the FAA complaint portal, and submitting airport-noise complaints to the state Department of Transportation. He noted that aircraft generally must remain at least 1,500 feet above ground and asked federal agencies to maintain direct engagement with the board.
Concerns About Federal Casework Forms
David Yomes said helicopter noise is audible inside his air-conditioned home near Salt Lake Elementary School and raised concerns about learning disruptions at the seven schools around the Salt Lake rim, as well as the danger of aircraft hovering near high-rise residences. He suggested that helicopters hold over less populated areas such as Keehi Lagoon Park rather than residential neighborhoods. Yomes also objected to being asked to provide a Social Security number on a congressional constituent-release form. Garcia explained that federal agencies generally require written authorization before a congressional office can inquire about an individual case, but constituents may omit a Social Security number unless the inquiry concerns an agency, such as the Social Security Administration, that specifically needs it. Garcia said similar release forms are standard across congressional offices. He also confirmed that the office communicates directly with helicopter companies and seeks cooperation rather than treating operators solely as adversaries, recognizing that they employ local workers and support tourism.
Federal Action on Helicopter Operations
Garcia cited Congressman Case’s intervention against tour companies offering approximately 15-foot “kilo cast” jumps from helicopters, marketed to passengers as an experience resembling military special-operations training. Case argued that the practice endangered passengers and people below; the FAA subsequently agreed to stop it. Garcia said the office would continue examining both residential impacts and broader safety concerns associated with tour-helicopter operations and would seek participation in a reconstituted air-noise and safety task force.
Red Hill Health Registry
Brittany Rose, a community engagement specialist with the Red Hill Registry, reported that 2,956 people had pre-enrolled as of early September. The registry is intended to track health outcomes associated with fuel exposure, guide future research and clinical recommendations, and connect affected people with resources. The registry requested photographs and videos documenting daily life during the water crisis, including bottled-water deliveries, refilling containers, and cooking with bottled water. Submissions can be sent to media@redhillregistry.org. The next Community Advisory Workshop meeting is scheduled for October 12 from 3 to 5 p.m., and residents may apply to participate. Chair Gower noted that he had registered and intended to remain engaged.
Halawa Water Pipeline and Bougainville Drive Traffic
TNT Constructors described its Navy project to install a new 30-inch water line from the Aliamanu Military Reservation storage tanks down Bougainville Drive to the existing line between Radford High School and the Hawaiian Electric power plant. Much of the installation will use microtunneling and underground tunneling, requiring deep excavation shafts. Beginning overnight on Thursday, September 17, the two westernmost westbound lanes of Bougainville Drive, heading from AMR toward Salt Lake, will close. Two-way traffic will continue by shifting vehicles into the existing eastbound lanes, while access to Hulo Drive, nearby condominiums, and other properties will remain open. The lane arrangement is expected to remain through project completion, currently projected for August or late fall 2027. Additional traffic changes are anticipated around December. Residents warned of potential backups near Radford High School and Salt Lake Boulevard, especially when drivers enter an intersection without room to clear it. The contractor expects initial congestion but hopes fewer motorists will use AMR as a shortcut once restrictions begin.
Parking Displacement from Pipeline Work
The Bougainville Drive project will eliminate roadside parking east of Salt Lake Boulevard because traffic must use both remaining lanes. Representative Gardner Shimizu raised concern that commercial box vans and other displaced vehicles could move into Foster Village, worsening existing parking and intersection-visibility problems. TNT said it had contacted the owner of the vans, who agreed to relocate them, although their new location was unknown. The company also notified the Army military police and vehicle unit, which will remove any vehicles left behind on September 17, and informed condominium residents that roadside vehicles must be moved. The contractor could not guarantee that displaced vehicles would not park in nearby residential streets.
Warrior of the Month: David Yomes
The board honored former chair David Yomes with its August Warrior of the Month proclamation. Yomes was recognized as a 42-year Honolulu Police Department veteran and retired captain whose board leadership focused on public safety and infrastructure. The proclamation cited his advocacy following the January 1, 2025 Salt Lake fireworks explosion that killed six people and injured at least 20, including his calls for stronger criminal and civil accountability, clearer legal definitions, better investigative tools, and expanded enforcement authority. It also credited him with helping bring renewed attention to decades-long tidal flooding at Ahuwa and Kilihau Streets in Mapunapuna. Yomes highlighted that more than 200 storm drains discharge toward Mapunapuna and Keehi Lagoon and advocated recurring maintenance for duckbill valves that had previously prevented flooding for eight months when kept clear. His work prompted commitments involving inspections, diving crews to clear obstructions, cameras and rovers to examine pipes, and continued study of roadway-elevation options. The proclamation was entered into the public record.
City Storm Response and Shelters
A city representative reported that Tropical Storms Lala and Lowell had caused significant impacts, with Lowell affecting Oahu and especially Kauai. The city activated both its Emergency Operations Center, staffed by city workers, and the Joint Operations Center, operated by first responders, to centralize coordination and planning. Islandwide recovery operations were launched, and assistance was expanded for affected residents. Because hurricane season remained active and additional natural hazards could develop in the following weeks, residents were urged to maintain emergency preparations. Shelter locations vary according to each emergency and may begin with city park facilities before expanding into Department of Education sites. Moanalua High School served as the centralized local location during Lala and would likely be the nearest major shelter for Salt Lake residents when school facilities are activated.
City Enforcement and Tropical Storm Repair Permits
Councilmember Radiant Cordero reported on enforcement responding to neighborhood concerns. On Likini Street, four speeding drivers were stopped, warned, and educated. On Ala Ilima Street, officers issued 17 citations and towed six vehicles for delinquent registration taxes or expired safety inspections; an additional patrol the following day issued five more citations. Near the high school, two speeding drivers were stopped and warned. Cordero also explained that the city was waiving permit fees for qualifying repairs to damage caused by Tropical Storm Lala. Emergency work may begin before a building permit is issued if an application is submitted on the next working day, provided the work does not enlarge the structure or reduce its safety. Applications are processed through HNL Build, and the Department of Planning and Permitting encouraged residents to use licensed contractors and contact dpp@honolulu.gov with questions.
Driver Licensing, Park Permits, and Property-Tax Exemptions
To address increased demand for driver’s-license renewals, the city is reducing some in-office permit-testing operations and directing applicants to the online knowledge test, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The adjustment, including changes at the Kapalama Driver Licensing Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays, is intended to free additional renewal appointments through December 2027. The Department of Parks and Recreation is also developing a standardized permitting process for organizations using open fields. Scheduling will be divided into winter/spring, from December 1 through May 31, and summer/fall, from June 1 through November 30, with user groups expected to coordinate schedules and resolve conflicts. Cordero urged homeowners to file for the real-property home exemption by September 30, 2026; the exemption can reduce the taxable value of an eligible owner-occupied property by $140,000.
Community Safety Event and Police Presence
Cordero promoted Celebrate Safe Communities at Pearlridge Center on September 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., featuring the Real Property Tax Division, emergency services, HPD, HFD, and other city resources. During discussion, Omura proposed establishing a police substation in vacant space at Salt Lake Shopping Center so officers could complete reports while maintaining a visible presence. Cordero agreed to ask HPD but noted that officers are expected to remain mobile and respond to calls. Yomes opposed a fixed substation, arguing that it would primarily benefit one private shopping center and reduce neighborhood patrol coverage; shopping centers already employ security personnel who can act as HPD’s eyes and ears. Cordero said District 5 response times and patrol activity had improved, while District 3 sometimes faces longer response times because of its much larger territory extending toward Ewa. Cordero also agreed to include helicopter-noise developments in a future newsletter.
Government Drone Use and Fireworks Enforcement
Omura asked whether improved camera technology might allow government drones to document illegal fireworks without intruding directly over private homes. Cordero said HPD and HFD already use drones and had deployed them during the previous New Year’s and July periods. She has also supported funding drones for the Department of Facility Maintenance to inspect streams, bridges, and locations that crews cannot safely reach, and the city is considering drone applications for Ocean Safety. She stressed that government operations would remain subject to strict legal and operational restrictions.
Senator Glenn Wakai’s Community Updates
Senator Glenn Wakai described a student and teacher exchange involving three local schools and partners in Japan. Unlike an exchange focused only on students, participating teachers also travel and teach cultural subjects: Japanese educators introduce calligraphy and origami in Hawaii, while local teachers share lei-making, hula, and ukulele in Japan. Wakai also highlighted Moanalua High School’s homecoming activities and upcoming football game against Farrington. He raised a pedestrian-safety concern near Makalapa Skyline Station, where Pearl Harbor Kai Elementary students, teachers, and staff use a narrow, cracked sidewalk along Kamehameha Highway. Tree roots and surface damage have forced some pedestrians toward the roadway, and Wakai is working with the Navy on improvements. He also announced the reopening of the Pearl Harbor Submarine Museum after a $4 million renovation. Admission is $25, and the facility includes extensive interactive exhibits simulating submarine service.
Illegal Fireworks Shipments and Money Laundering
Omura asked whether drones or imaging technology could help identify illegal fireworks entering through Honolulu Harbor. Wakai said drones would not be effective for seeing inside shipping containers, although the state Department of Law Enforcement has been assigned greater inspection responsibility and is conducting more random checks. The challenge is that tens of thousands of containers arrive, contraband may be hidden behind legitimate cargo, and manifests may falsely identify fireworks shipments as furniture or other goods. Advanced scanning systems capable of viewing the contents of a 40-foot container exist but can cost tens of millions of dollars, requiring tradeoffs with education, health care, roads, and other public needs. Garcia added that Congressman Case introduced federal legislation in May to classify illegal interstate fireworks trafficking as a specified unlawful activity under federal money-laundering laws. The measure is intended to disrupt criminal networks and financial transactions associated with trafficking and has drawn attention from fireworks companies seeking discussions with the congressional office.
Moanalua Homecoming and E-Bike Law
Representative Linda Ichiyama reminded residents that the Moanalua High School Homecoming Parade would take place the following day. Ala Ilima Street and portions of Likini Street were scheduled to close beginning at 1 p.m., with parking prohibited along the right side of the route. Ichiyama also highlighted a newly signed state law regulating electric bicycles. The legislation addresses neighborhood safety concerns involving children performing wheelies, riding without helmets, and operating high-speed electric bikes, bringing those activities under clearer statewide rules.
Foster Village Chickens, Traffic, and Property Maintenance
Representative Gardner Shimizu reported continuing complaints about feral chickens in Foster Village. In partnership with the Department of Health Vector Control Branch, his office is providing information on humane and natural deterrents, including scents and herbs chickens avoid, covering exposed ground, trimming vegetation, removing fallen fruit and food sources, and spraying water to drive birds away. At the Alii Plantation–Crosspointe intersection, constituents raised vehicle and pedestrian safety concerns. HDOT found the existing signals consistent with the present lane configuration but is studying possible speed humps on Kahuapaani Street, a warning beacon similar to the one on the Likelike Highway approach to Kahekili Highway, a stop or yield sign for right-turning vehicles leaving Crosspointe, and an additional streetlight in the dark crossing area. Shimizu also described a Foster Village case in which a severely overgrown yard was deemed a public-safety and fire concern. After a city citation and cleanup order, the property was cleared; if an owner fails to comply in such cases, the city may perform the work and bill the owner.
Red Hill Oversight Through 2028
Shimizu reported on a special House committee briefing, chaired by Representative Ichiyama, concerning the Navy Closure Task Force Red Hill. The Navy is cleaning tanks, beginning pipe removal, monitoring water quality, and assessing soil remediation needs. The current assessment timeline extends through 2028. When legislators asked what would happen afterward, Navy officials said the work would not simply end and that another Navy entity, still to be identified, would assume responsibility for continuing corrective actions. Shimizu also asked residents for patience with delayed vegetation and drainage maintenance because state and city agencies were handling storm-related damage from Lala and Lowell while hurricane season remained active.
Aloha Stadium Community Events
Aloha Stadium announced that a Labor Day unity picnic planned for September 6 had been canceled after unions redirected resources toward members affected by Tropical Storm Lala. Organizers may reschedule it later in 2026 or in 2027. The stadium continues monitoring storms that may affect swap-meet operations and generally announces by noon whether the market will open the following day. The stadium is also partnering with the Department of Transportation Services on the second annual Skyline Halloween event on Saturday, October 31, expanding on the five-station format used in 2025. A Community Art Day is scheduled for September 26 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participants of all ages may register for a 15-minute session to help paint an abstract lei mural near the south end zone, where it will remain visible until the new stadium opens.
Aloha Stadium Demolition and New Design
Aloha Halawa District Partners reported continued demolition of the existing stadium. Work on the north end zone roof was approximately 75% complete, and the remainder of the north end zone was expected to be dismantled by the end of September with help from an additional crane. Interior demolition had been completed in the area intended for a future Sports Hall of Fame. The field, foundations, and drainage systems had been removed, and concrete from the foundations was being crushed into pieces six inches or smaller for reuse as fill in the new stadium. Hurricane Lowell had limited impact on the schedule, and demolition remained targeted for completion by November 2026. The new stadium design is moving into its second phase, design development, while the project team works with Hawaiian Electric and HDOT to secure sufficient electrical capacity and complete environmental and entitlement reviews for a future off-site substation.
Infrastructure Financing Ballot Question
The stadium development team advocated approval of Question 2 on the November ballot. The amendment would authorize tax-increment financing, referred to locally as RISE bonds, to fund future infrastructure and repair aging systems without directly raising tax rates. The presenter said Hawaii would join 48 other states that already use this financing approach. The mechanism was presented as one way to support costly infrastructure required for the stadium district and other projects as existing utility and public systems approach or exceed their useful lives.
Army Jobs and Training
The Army announced public job fairs at the Aliamanu Military Reservation gym on September 15 and at Helemano Military Reservation on October 19, both from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Some applicants may receive provisional job offers during the fairs. Openings include golf, bowling, food service, other business operations, and Child and Youth Services positions. CYS employees may qualify for retirement benefits, recreation-facility access, discounted child care, training, and commissary and exchange privileges. Army training was expected throughout September, primarily around Schofield Barracks East Range, with limited impacts in the board’s southern area. The Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center exercise will take place in October and November, potentially increasing military vehicle traffic around installations. Residents may report concerns at 808-766-7778 or through the Army garrison’s community-relations email.
Navy Red Hill and Drinking Water Updates
The Navy Closure Task Force Red Hill invited residents to a September 17 open house and town hall at the AMVETS Veterans Center on Iroquois Road in Ewa Beach. The open house begins at 5 p.m., followed by the town hall from 6 to 7:30 p.m., with a Zoom option available through the task force website. The event will address Red Hill decommissioning and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam drinking-water safety. The Department of Health gave the Navy conditional approval on September 4 to reactivate the Aiea-Halawa shaft, which had been closed as a precaution since December 2021. Reactivation had not yet occurred but was expected soon. The board requested direct operational updates from the task force at future meetings because members cannot always attend separately scheduled briefings.
Camp Catlin Encampment and Valkenburgh Potholes
The Navy reported that the homeless encampment near Camp Catlin and Nimitz Highway is not on Navy property but lies adjacent to it. Navy security personnel are coordinating with HPD and city outreach services, although no removal date was available. Navy Public Works is also aware of potholes on Valkenburgh Street near the golf course. Repairs are being delayed until drier weather because filling potholes immediately before heavy rain can result in rapid failure.
Board of Water Supply Report
The Board of Water Supply was still developing answers to three questions from the previous meeting: whether 2026 had been a dry year, how the agency plans for population growth and future consumption, and the status of the updated Water Master Plan. Written responses will be sent to the board. Two water-main breaks occurred in August. One involved an eight-inch PVC pipe installed in 1996 near 1555 Piikoi Street, and the second, on August 28, involved an eight-inch cast-iron pipe installed in 1966 near 1569 Lehia Street. The agency also promoted its free Imagine a Day Without Water event on September 26 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Arc of Safety at Waianae Mall, 86-120 Farrington Highway. More than 25 public and community organizations will offer exhibits, games, giveaways, a rain-barrel workshop, and educational activities emphasizing the “One Water” principle that all water resources are connected.
State Highway Encampment Cleanup
State Department of Transportation representative Galen Wong reported that contractors had cleared encampments and debris twice in the previous two months along the airport viaduct between Puuloa Road and Valkenburgh Street, assisted by airport sheriffs. The larger encampment between Paiea Street and Catlin Drive had been substantially reduced. Crews removed approximately 12 to 15 shopping carts, four tents, assorted metal, and mixed refuse totaling about 10 tons. The corridor is monitored weekly and was expected to receive another scheduled cleanup within roughly a month. Wong said an anticipated additional $5 million for the current fiscal year had not materialized, but the department plans to request $10 million in the next biennium. Chair Gower questioned why repeat occupants were not prosecuted despite posted no-trespassing notices. Wong acknowledged that people often return after cleanups and said transportation officials coordinate with sheriffs and police, but recurring encampments remain an ongoing challenge.
Bullock Avenue Bridge Closure
Wong announced that the Bullock Avenue Bridge would close to vehicles on September 26 for a multiyear bridge-raising project. Motorists will no longer be able to drive across from one side of Bullock Avenue to the other once construction begins. A temporary pedestrian bridge was expected to preserve access for students traveling to Farrington High School or Kalakaua Middle School. The chair asked Wong to become a regular state DOT representative on future agendas.
Hawaii Hazards Awareness and Resilience Program
Evan Mokuahi of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency presented the Hawaii Hazards Awareness and Resilience Program, or HARP. The community-led, state- and county-supported initiative is based on the principle that neighbors are the first responders immediately following a disaster, before government aid can fully arrive. Its six modules cover forming a local committee, identifying land use and resident or visitor populations, understanding hazards, building two-week personal preparedness, assessing risks and vulnerable populations, creating a community emergency action plan, and testing that plan through workshops, tabletop exercises, and full-scale drills. Mokuahi cited Waianae Coast communities as examples where isolation, limited road access, and distant shelters make local planning essential. He encouraged communities to identify doctors, nurses, emergency responders, equipment operators, heavy machinery, alternative communications, satellite internet, and other local resources before an emergency occurs.
Two-Week Preparedness and Community Resilience
HARP reported that only 12% of Hawaii households are prepared to sustain themselves for two weeks. Mokuahi defined resilience as a community’s ability to survive while isolated from normal utilities, transportation, and outside assistance. He urged residents to build supplies gradually and suggested teaching hazard awareness from kindergarten so children carry preparedness practices into their homes. Hawaii’s major hazards include tsunamis, hurricanes, tropical storms, floods, earthquakes, volcanic hazards, and wildfire. Mokuahi connected HARP to the four phases of emergency management—preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation—and emphasized repeated practice so plans remain functional. He noted that counties lead disaster response and ask the state for assistance when local capabilities are exceeded. In response to questions about Kauai after Hurricane Lowell, he said county agencies, Kauai’s utility, nonprofits, and state partners were coordinating support while a large share of customers remained without power. His contact information was provided as evan.kk.mokuahi@hawaii.gov and 808-490-5478.
Text to 911 and Next Generation 911
Eddie Fujioka, representing the State of Hawaii 911 Board, said residents who cannot safely or successfully make a voice call should text 911. Texting is especially useful during an active-shooter incident, domestic violence emergency, communications failure, or any situation in which speaking could expose the caller to danger. During Tropical Storm Lala, Hawaii County lost its fire and police radio, computer-aided dispatch, and conventional 911 systems for approximately nine hours. Working with technology partners, the county restored partial service within one to two hours, and Text to 911 continued providing caller identification and automatic location information. The state technical committee plans to use Hawaii County’s response as a blueprint for maintaining 911 service on every island during future outages.
911 System Funding and Cloud Upgrades
Federal requirements are driving Hawaii’s transition to Next Generation 911, which will replace locally dependent server arrangements with faster, higher-bandwidth, cloud-supported systems. Once implemented, callers may be able to send photographs and video to emergency dispatchers—for example, showing their location after a building collapse. A 66-cent monthly surcharge on cellular and IP-phone bills funds the State 911 Board and reimburses public-safety answering points for computers, servers, dispatch systems, and related equipment. Honolulu Police Department’s planned computer-aided dispatch replacement is estimated at $6 million to $9 million, while the statewide Next Generation 911 upgrade is expected to cost approximately $6 million to $8 million. Those costs are intended to be paid from accumulated 911 surcharge funds rather than through a separate general-tax appropriation.
Meeting Close and Next Meeting
Because of the length of the agenda, approval of the previous meeting’s minutes was deferred until the next meeting, and no assignment reports were presented. The next Neighborhood Board No. 18 meeting was scheduled for Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. at the National Guard Association Building, 891 Valkenburgh Street. The meeting was then adjourned.