No 10 Makiki Tantalus Neighborhood Board Regular Meeting October 2026
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10 Makiki-Tantalus Neighborhood Board Meeting – October 16, 2026
Call to Order and Attendance
The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. Ten board members were present in person or through Webex, establishing quorum; one member joined at 6:02 p.m. Because the agenda included numerous agency reports, community matters, and a general-election candidate forum, the chair asked participants to keep comments concise. The meeting later recessed for the candidate forum, returned to regular session at 8:09 p.m., and adjourned at 8:21 p.m.
Honolulu Fire Department
Honolulu Fire Department Engine 3, Third Platoon, reported that during September 2026 it responded to one structure fire, four nuisance fires, 25 activated fire alarms, 98 medical emergencies, one motor-vehicle collision, one mountain rescue, and three hazardous-material incidents. With the holiday season approaching, firefighters advised residents to use electrical decorations, appliances, and devices approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory and to follow manufacturers’ instructions. Residents were also urged to remain present and alert while cooking, keep combustible objects away from heat or flames, and exercise particular caution while walking or driving between dusk and dawn. A resident thanked HFD for its previous public information about safely managing lithium-ion batteries.
Honolulu Police Department
HPD District 1 reported September crime and service statistics compared with the previous month. Motor-vehicle thefts rose from 11 to 16, burglaries remained at four, general thefts declined from 28 to 25, unauthorized entries into motor vehicles fell from five to four, assaults declined from ten to eight, and sexual assaults remained at one. Drug cases dropped from seven to three, no graffiti cases were reported, and motor-vehicle collisions decreased from 94 to 88. Total calls for service fell from 1,987 to 1,946. A resident asked HPD to continue monitoring the five-way intersection at Prospect, Iolani, and Alapai because newly installed flashing stop-sign lights were described as unusually small and frequently nonfunctional. The chair announced that Police Chief Lazar was expected to attend the next board meeting at approximately 6:30 p.m., with the HPD agenda adjusted around his arrival.
Board of Water Supply Operations and Outage Preparedness
The Board of Water Supply reported one local water-main break during September: a six-inch main failed at 1440 Ward Avenue on September 25. BWS also reminded residents that power outages limit its ability to pump groundwater into reservoirs. During an outage, only water already stored in the reservoirs may be available, so residents should restrict use to essential needs such as drinking, cooking, and personal hygiene. Conservation should continue after electrical service returns so pumps can restore reservoir levels. Outage information is available through the BWS website and official social-media accounts.
Kalawahine Pipeline and Pensacola Street Construction
BWS followed up on concerns about traffic disruption from its Kalawahine Pipeline Project along Pensacola Street between Wilder Avenue and Kinau Street. The project was approximately 63 percent complete, with construction expected to finish by April 30, 2027, absent unforeseen conditions. To reduce traffic impacts, the contractor was limiting closures to areas required for safe work, generally scheduling lane closures between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., employing special-duty HPD officers to direct traffic and help residents access their properties, and positioning cones to keep residential driveways available. BWS acknowledged the inconvenience to motorists and nearby residents.
Awailimu and Nijoa Street Paving
BWS reported that utility work at Awailimu and Nijoa Streets had been completed about six months earlier and that a temporary asphalt patch remained in place. No additional construction was planned at the intersection other than permanent asphalt paving, which is required as part of the BWS project, but the agency did not yet have a completion date. BWS said it would provide the chair with an update once the schedule was known. The agency also stated that its Capital Projects Division meets monthly with the city Department of Design and Construction to coordinate projects and reduce conflicts. This response followed resident complaints that the temporary patch was rough enough to damage vehicle wheels.
Dole Street Main and Crosswalk Striping
A resident asked for previously requested details about the Dole Street water-main project, including the pipe’s size and project limits. The BWS representative said the information had already been emailed and offered to resend it. Board member Kimberly Gallant also raised concerns that newly painted crosswalk and roadway lines around Wilder Avenue, Punahou Street, and Dole Street appeared much thinner and less visible than older markings. She cited Punahou and Bingham as an example of the thicker markings residents were accustomed to seeing. BWS agreed to consult its contractor and Capital Projects Division, while the mayor’s and governor’s representatives later clarified that responsibility depends on whether the affected roadway is under city or state jurisdiction.
Mayor’s Office and General Election Information
Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s representative, Megan Johnson, submitted a written report responding to questions from the September meeting and shared the mayor’s October newsletter. She reminded residents that the general election was scheduled for November 3, 2026, and that Oʻahu uses voting by mail. Active registered voters automatically receive ballot packets, with delivery beginning October 16. Residents preferring not to return ballots through the mail may use official ballot drop boxes, including one in the Honolulu Hale driveway, with a full location map available through the city elections website. In response to a question about expanding in-person voting in future elections, Johnson agreed to consult the responsible department and report back.
Thomas Square, Park Tree, and Overgrown Grass
The mayor’s representative received several maintenance questions for follow-up. A board member asked when the Thomas Square fountain, reportedly dormant for more than a year, would operate again. Another resident asked why a tree at the dog park had been removed and whether and when it would be replaced; the question was referred to the Department of Parks and Recreation. Residents also described overgrown grass along the street edge near the Scottish Rite Cathedral at Wilder and Kewalo, along Wilder generally, and near Pensacola and Wilder, where vegetation was said to be approximately two feet high and growing through pavement. Johnson agreed to determine which agency or property owner was responsible and pursue maintenance.
Five-Way Intersection Warning Lights
Residents again discussed the newly installed flashing stop-sign lights at the five-way Prospect, Iolani, and Alapai intersection. Although the lights had been installed in the east-west direction, they were described as too small, difficult to see in sunlight, and nonfunctional much of the time. Residents were reporting outages through Honolulu 311 and had contacted an engineer. The mayor’s representative agreed to forward the concerns and seek improvements or repairs. The intersection remained a recurring safety concern despite the installation.
Hurricane Preparedness Communications
Board member Arthur Kawano thanked the mayor’s office for its hurricane-preparation notices and advice during recent windstorms, noting that condominium associations had made use of the information. Another resident thanked the mayor for appearing regularly on local radio and arranging substitute guests when unavailable. These comments led into broader later discussion about urban disaster preparedness, high-rise resilience, water access, electrical outages, and the needs of older or medically vulnerable residents.
Governor’s Office: Makiki Heights Parking Enforcement
Governor Josh Green’s representative, Russell Pang, followed up on reports of unruly or erratic behavior on state land behind the Archbaker pumping station along Makiki Heights Drive. HPD had reportedly been limited in its ability to address a person repeatedly parking there because no visible no-parking signs existed. The Department of Land and Natural Resources confirmed that the property is state land and determined that parking restrictions were warranted. New no-parking signs had been ordered and were expected to be installed in approximately two to three weeks, giving HPD an additional enforcement tool. Residents who had raised the issue conveyed their thanks.
Bingham Street and Ward Overpass Paving
The state Department of Transportation had begun resurfacing Bingham Street, completing an initial segment from Punahou to Alexander Street and planning to continue toward Griffith Street over approximately two more weeks, weather permitting. Lane markings would be redone as part of the work. Pang clarified that Bingham is a state roadway, whereas striping concerns on Wilder Avenue belong to the city. He also reported that repaving of the Ward Avenue overpass was tentatively expected to begin in early or mid-November, with a more specific schedule to be provided once finalized.
Aloha Tower Centennial
Aloha Tower’s 10th-floor observation deck reopened after having been closed since the COVID-19 pandemic and undergoing renovations. Admission remained free, and the deck again offered public views of Honolulu Harbor. A centennial celebration was scheduled for the following evening from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m., featuring entertainment, food trucks, an 8:00 p.m. drone show, and evening access to the observation deck.
Illegal U-Turns on Punahou Street
The chair reported resident concerns about motorists making illegal U-turns on Punahou Street between Clark and Dole Streets to access the freeway. Residents had compiled a spreadsheet documenting the frequency of the violations, which the chair planned to send to the governor’s representative. A board member suggested examining a substantial physical barrier near Costco that prevents left turns between the store and a government building as a possible model for Punahou Street.
Makiki Stream and Drainage Jurisdiction
A resident asked why a Makiki drainage feature running beneath Kapiʻolani-area streets from Kiamoku toward Onapuni was described as a city responsibility when the tax map key appeared to identify the land as state-owned. Pang said DLNR had researched the question and concluded that the relevant area falls under city jurisdiction. Separately, resident Laura Ruby urged the board to stop referring generically to local waterways as “ditches” or “canals” and instead research and restore their Hawaiian stream names.
Representative Della Au Belatti’s Final Report
State Representative Della Au Belatti delivered her final report after approximately 20 years of public service and thanked the board for its partnership. She addressed the request for more in-person voting centers, explaining that election operations are a shared state-county responsibility. State legislators had discussed providing funding for additional sites, but counties had become accustomed to operating fewer in-person centers and appeared reluctant to expand. She encouraged the board to continue pressing both the Legislature and city government. Belatti also highlighted her work on government reform and noted that Act 11, legislation intended to restrict corporate money in elections, had recently been challenged in federal district court. Board members and residents thanked her for her accessibility, creativity, and long service.
Condominium and Community Disaster Resilience
Representative Belatti promoted an upcoming resilience workshop at Central Union Church scheduled for the following Monday at 5:00 p.m., with a light dinner. The effort grew from the Kinau Resilience Hub established with support from former board member Harris Nakamoto and involved Central Union Church, the Oʻahu Resilience Hub Learning Community, HI-EMA-related partners, and other organizations. Dennis Hwang of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant was expected to discuss individual preparedness and help condominium residents and leaders plan for prolonged emergencies. Belatti described challenges in high-rise buildings during power failures, including residents of a 36-story condominium having to carry water and the need to prepare for outages lasting longer than 24 hours. The workshop was intended as the beginning of an ongoing effort rather than a one-time event, with particular attention to older residents, building-specific needs, communications, water, medical support, and community gathering sites. AARP resources on condominium resilience were mentioned, and Belatti agreed to share the learning community’s website and newsletter with the board.
Long-Term Disaster Health Impacts
Resident Dylan Armstrong, speaking from prior emergency-management experience, emphasized that disaster deaths are often significantly undercounted because many occur months or years after the initial event. He cited recent studies published in Nature suggesting that tropical cyclones can contribute to thousands of additional deaths over a 15-year period. He also warned that even a three-foot tsunami could disrupt deliveries of insulin, respiratory equipment, and other medical supplies for months. With more residents aging in place, he urged broader planning for kūpuna and medically vulnerable people during the remainder of hurricane season and beyond.
Regional Infrastructure Advocacy
Laura Ruby encouraged the Makiki-Tantalus, Mōʻiliʻili, and Diamond Head neighborhood boards to collaborate on large infrastructure priorities when seeking capital funding. She cited the McCully Street bridge as a structure used across neighborhood boundaries that needs widening and safer pedestrian and bicycle facilities. Joint resolutions or advocacy from multiple boards, she argued, could strengthen requests for major projects while individual boards continue to address smaller neighborhood concerns.
Ranked-Choice Voting Outreach
A representative of My Vote Counts Hawaiʻi conducted an informal ranked-choice voting activity connected to proposed Charter Amendment Question 5. Participants ranked snacks, and “Noms” was announced as the winning choice, with samples offered after the meeting. Residents were directed to MyVoteCountsHI.org for additional information about ranked-choice voting.
Safer Streets Public Meeting
The city Complete Streets program announced a second public meeting for the Honolulu Safer Streets Project, which is planning improvements along seven high-crash corridors in urban Honolulu. The meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, November 4, at 5:30 p.m. at Central Union Church, at Beretania and Punahou Streets. The study area would include the full length of Beretania Street, South King Street east of Alapai Street, and Young Street west of Punahou Street. A previous meeting had focused on Wilder Avenue and upper Piʻikoi Street.
Wilder Avenue and Poki Street Crossing
A resident asked for improvements to the uncontrolled crossing at Wilder Avenue and Poki Street, where pedestrians reportedly have difficulty crossing despite existing striping and a median. The Complete Streets representative explained that the Department of Facility Maintenance’s Wilder Avenue paving project would include revised striping and pedestrian-safety treatments. Planned additions at Poki included vertical delineator posts in the pedestrian-refuge island and bulb-outs or curb extensions near the curb ramps. These features are intended to shorten the crossing distance and make pedestrians more visible to drivers.
Resolution Opposing 1441 Liholiho Street Project
The board considered a resolution opposing the 1441 Liholiho housing project. Supporters argued that the approximately 250- to 260-square-foot studio units were too small for households and that projected rents of about $2,100 per month did not constitute genuinely affordable housing for Makiki residents. They compared the project with the 1617 Alapai development, objected to the loss of open space and parking, and argued that the board should demand humane unit sizes and responsible construction even if it could not solve the broader housing crisis. The chair said a later resolution, possibly in January or February, could address affordable housing more comprehensively and noted that some other Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corporation projects offered controlled rents closer to $1,600 per month.
Debate Over Housing Supply and Bill 7
Opponents of the resolution argued that increasing housing supply could reduce long-term prices and that the developer was proceeding under existing Bill 7 rules. Speakers said the larger issues were outdated zoning, island-wide area median income calculations, and the concentration of Bill 7 development in Makiki, Mōʻiliʻili, and Mililani. One resident called for the first major Oʻahu rezoning in roughly 50 years and suggested calculating affordability at a neighborhood level rather than using the entire county’s median income. Others countered that simply building more units does not guarantee lower rents, particularly when units are marketed to wealthier students or newcomers, and said micro-units without parking or adequate infrastructure shift burdens onto the neighborhood. A city building inspector speaking as a private resident said community objections may have been routed to enforcement staff who lack authority to stop legally permitted projects and suggested directing future concerns to the policy-making bodies capable of changing Bill 7.
1441 Liholiho Resolution Vote
The motion before the board was to adopt the resolution opposing the 1441 Liholiho project. The recorded vote was seven in favor and four opposed, with several members absent. The chair announced that the resolution failed because it did not receive the required threshold, despite receiving more affirmative than negative votes. Afterward, a resident stressed that similar micro-unit projects were being proposed beyond Makiki and that the board’s role was to express the community’s position even when developers were acting within current law.
1420 Wilder Avenue Renovation
The board briefly opened discussion of renovations at 1420 Wilder Avenue. Neighbor Wendy Tolleson said developer Kai Hawaiʻi Advisors had told existing tenants they could remain while the building was renovated and that rents would rise only modestly, but she alleged that work began without appropriate building permits, architectural plans, or a community noise variance. She reported that city inspectors had cited unpermitted work, including plumbing, and that the Department of Health had raised noise-compliance issues. Because the building is more than 50 years old, she said plans and permit applications should be reviewed by the State Historic Preservation Division, even if the property ultimately lacks historic significance. Concerns were also raised about transparency, possible eventual rent increases, code compliance, setbacks, and fire safety. Because time was limited, the board agreed to continue the matter in November, and residents sought direct contact information for the appropriate inspector.
Meeting Records and Candidate Forum Authorization
The board approved the written summary for the September 17, 2026 meeting without correction. It also adopted the previously presented permitted-interaction-group report authorizing the candidate forum, with no opposition. The forum was described as informational rather than a debate, with two-minute introductions, timed answers, no rebuttals, and two-minute closing statements.
State House District 23 Candidate Victor Mu
Republican candidate Victor Mu, owner of the Superhuman human-optimization clinic on Kalākaua Avenue, said his principal focus would be strengthening and diversifying Hawaiʻi’s economy. He argued that dependence on tourism and imported goods causes local earnings to flow out of the state and compared tourism revenue to a blood transfusion that sustains Hawaiʻi without stopping the underlying economic “bleeding.” He advocated producing more food and goods locally, expanding agriculture and related technology, maintenance, and transportation jobs, and retaining more wealth in Hawaiʻi. On homelessness, Mu said responses should be based on individual causes: economic growth and job creation for people priced out of housing, and direct treatment for addiction, mental-health, or other conditions. He also supported safer crossings, accessible sidewalks, stronger park and transit connections, noise reduction, intergovernmental cooperation, deadlines, and public progress updates.
State House District 26 Candidate Ian Ross
Democratic candidate Ian Ross described his roots in Makiki, experience as a caregiver, work in public health, and eight years on the neighborhood board, including five years as chair. He highlighted prior work on dangerous intersections, illegal game rooms, homelessness in local streams, and securing the meeting space at the United Korean Association of Hawaiʻi facility. His principal safety priority was pedestrian protection, particularly after serious and fatal collisions in the area. On homelessness, Ross discussed his work with RYSE and legislation allowing unaccompanied homeless minors to consent to shelter rather than being forced out at night. He advocated expanded use of the federal Medicaid Section 1115 waiver to shift spending from costly emergency-room care toward mental-health and substance-use treatment, noting an estimate of roughly $900 million annually in emergency-room costs related to people experiencing homelessness. To improve government responsiveness, he proposed consistent communication, case tracking, escalation to department leaders, staff follow-up, and using legislative budget hearings to demand results.
State House District 26 Candidate Tony Silva
Republican candidate Tony Silva described himself as a husband, father of eight, co-executive director of the Tangata Moana Hui Foundation, small-business owner, musician, and long-time community connector. He emphasized service-oriented leadership, public transparency, daily or weekly updates, monthly community gatherings, and a biweekly call-in radio program. Silva prioritized senior care and emergency hubs, noting that by 2035 approximately one in four Hawaiʻi residents is expected to be age 65 or older and that family caregivers spend an average of about $7,000 out of pocket. On homelessness, he drew on childhood experiences of housing insecurity and advocated direct outreach through churches, nonprofits, Catholic Charities, Word of Life, HPD, medical providers, and treatment programs. On community safety, he supported school-based civic service in which students could assist kūpuna, as well as philanthropic and private-sector support for small infrastructure needs such as lighting, fencing, plumbing, and traffic calming.
City Council District 6 Candidate Corey Morihara
Candidate Corey Morihara described himself as a general contractor, city building inspector, and small dessert-business owner who entered the race out of frustration with political responses that do not produce solutions. He said change should be practical and incremental, with each officeholder resolving a manageable set of problems. Morihara emphasized that policies should be driven by residents because neighborhood needs vary, and he offered direct contact information so community priorities could guide his work. On homelessness, he argued that the population has diverse circumstances, including mental illness, poverty, reentry from prison, families in crisis, veterans, and people engaged in criminal behavior, and therefore requires individualized task forces rather than a single solution. He criticized city rules that may discourage departments from repairing or maintaining facilities because touching an asset can create permanent responsibility. He also mentioned pedestrian bridges and other infrastructure options and promised to respond directly to constituent concerns.
City Council District 6 Candidate Tyler Dos Santos-Tam
Incumbent Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam said his goal was a city with adequate housing, reliable transportation, safe parks, functioning infrastructure, and multiple ways to travel safely. He cited work on the Prospect-Alapai-Iolani intersection, speed humps on Tantalus Drive, illegal game-room enforcement, and a legislative record in which his office sponsored 57 percent of bills originating from the council. His central neighborhood policy was pedestrian safety, including sidewalks, affordable bus service, bicycle facilities, and safer street design. On homelessness, he highlighted transitional housing in Chinatown, expansion of Crisis Outreach Response and Engagement operations, MH-3 emergency mental-health interventions, housing options at different price levels, and the need for better discharge planning between hospitals, Medicaid and Medicare providers, and community services so patients are not released directly onto the street. He said longstanding board concerns require an active council office that can coordinate departments and use the city budget in stages for planning, design, construction, and ongoing maintenance.
Oʻahu Metropolitan Planning Organization Report
Board representative Adam Kirchman reported that the Oʻahu Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Citizen Advisory Committee had received a completed city traffic-signal optimization and demand-management study. He expressed frustration that consultants were paid to document traffic conditions residents already understand and said committee members had not been invited to provide meaningful neighborhood-specific advice. He also described being discouraged from discussing the effect of the Pensacola Street bike lane on parking as Bill 7 developments increase local density. He urged the board to coordinate its transportation concerns so he could carry a clearer set of priorities into future meetings.
Transportation Funding and Citizen Advisory Role
Former Oʻahu MPO employee Dylan Armstrong explained that federal law assigns metropolitan planning organizations responsibility for programming funds for surface-transportation projects, regionally significant improvements, and planning studies. He urged the board to maintain active communication with Oʻahu MPO, particularly before the City Council’s capital-improvement budgeting season, and to focus on larger concerns such as network performance, congestion, and climate resilience. He acknowledged longstanding organizational friction and said the Citizen Advisory Committee has often lacked support and clarity about its authority. He encouraged committee leadership to attend policy-board meetings and remain visible to HDOT, city transportation officials, HART, and other stakeholders rather than functioning as a rubber stamp.
Bicycle Safety and Education
A resident raised concerns about cyclists disregarding traffic signals, moving unpredictably between streets and sidewalks, and riding in large groups that obstruct traffic, sometimes with young children present. He said unsafe cycling can harm riders and create emotional, financial, and legal consequences for motorists involved in crashes. Kirchman, drawing on years of bicycle commuting in Chicago, acknowledged the need for mutual understanding between drivers and cyclists and agreed to identify local bicycle organizations that might support road-safety education. Participants also questioned the placement of bike lanes outside curbside parking and asked for clearer education on traffic laws.
Next Meeting and Public Information
The next regular meeting of the Makiki-Lower Punchbowl-Tantalus Neighborhood Board was scheduled for Thursday, November 19, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at Makiki District Park’s former library space on the second floor, with Webex access available. The October meeting was scheduled for broadcast on ʻŌlelo Focus 49 on October 28 at 8:30 a.m. Residents were directed to the board’s Facebook page and the Honolulu Neighborhood Commission Office website for meeting information and updates.