No 6 Pālolo Neighborhood Board Regular Meeting October 2026
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6 Palolo Neighborhood Board Meeting – October 16, 2026
Meeting Opening and Attendance
The meeting opened with the introduction of Kelly Nakamura, the board’s new neighborhood board assistant, who conducted roll call. Six board members were initially reported present, with one member absent and another participating online. Later in the meeting, the board announced that it lacked the quorum needed to conduct formal business, so approval of prior meeting minutes and an at-large vacancy matter were deferred. The minutes are expected to return for consideration at the December meeting.
Fire Department Report and Holiday Safety
The Honolulu Fire Department reported its September 2026 activity in the area, consisting of two activated alarms, 39 medical alarms, and one mountain rescue. With the holiday season approaching, the department advised residents to purchase electrical decorations and devices certified by nationally recognized testing laboratories and to follow manufacturers’ instructions. Residents were reminded never to leave indoor or outdoor cooking unattended, to keep combustible materials away from flames and heat sources, and to remain alert while walking or driving, particularly between dusk and dawn.
Police Department Crime Statistics and Halloween Safety
Honolulu Police Department Lieutenant Muir reported seven motor-vehicle thefts, four burglaries, seven thefts, no unauthorized entries into motor vehicles, and 5,808 calls for service during the previous month. HPD also offered Halloween guidance, recommending bright or reflective costumes, discreet emergency identification containing a child’s name and contact information, and flashlights for visibility. Parents were advised to know who their children would be with, keep contact information for other parents, accompany younger children, and inspect collected candy before it is eaten. Homeowners were asked to remove tripping hazards such as hoses, flowerpots, low branches, and support wires from walkways and to keep porches and paths well illuminated.
Police Chief’s Proposed Board Appearance
A board member thanked HPD for following up on the board’s request to host newly appointed Honolulu Police Chief Lazar. The chief had tentatively agreed to attend on January 13, 2027, to answer questions from residents and board members. However, members noted that January has traditionally been one of the Pālolo board’s recess months, along with November and June. The board will therefore need either to reschedule the chief’s appearance or decide whether to hold a January meeting as an exception.
Board of Water Supply Activity and Construction
The Honolulu Board of Water Supply reported one water-main break in Pālolo during September, located on 9th Avenue. Three construction efforts were described. The Waimau Homestead Road eight-inch water-main installation has been completed, the roadway has been restored, and a pre-final inspection is being scheduled. Under Pālolo Water System Improvements Part 3, the main has been installed and chlorinated, and the contractor is transferring individual services. A newly announced service-lateral replacement project has completed work on Kilihune Place, Palahia Place, and Hoa Noho Place and is continuing along Pālolo Avenue and Uilani Place.
Water Conservation During Power Outages
Board of Water Supply representative Raya Kwezan explained why residents are asked to conserve water during and immediately after storms and power failures. Water is normally pumped from wells into reservoirs and then delivered to homes by gravity; when electricity is unavailable, the community must rely on the water already stored in those reservoirs until pumping can resume. Residents should limit use during outages to drinking, cooking, and personal hygiene and avoid nonessential activities such as washing vehicles or recreational water use. Conservation should continue for a period after electricity returns because the reservoirs need time to recover to normal levels. Additional explanations, including slides from an earlier board presentation, are available through the board’s shared files and the agency’s website and social-media channels.
Reported Leak at Pālolo Avenue and Orchid Street
A board member asked the Board of Water Supply to investigate a suspected leak near the corner of Pālolo Avenue and Orchid Street, reporting that water had been leaking there for some time. The representative agreed to check the location. Discussion clarified that nearby construction approaching 10th Avenue and the Board of Water Supply reservoir is part of Pālolo Water System Improvements Part 3. Residents associated with Pālolo Chinese Home requested advance information about when construction would reach their area because traffic controls may temporarily block access to driveways. The representative agreed to consult project personnel and return with a more specific work schedule.
Road Restoration After Water Work
Residents expressed concern about the rough and heavily disturbed condition of Pālolo-area streets during water-system construction, describing travel toward Waiʻalae as an unusually bumpy drive. The Board of Water Supply confirmed that road restoration is included after main and service-lateral replacements. Agency crews or contractors will repave affected areas after utility work is completed, although no precise completion date was given for the streets under discussion.
Pālolo Water Sources and Emergency Reliability
A board member asked whether a building served through infrastructure nearer St. Louis would retain water if another major main failed, noting that a prior break had interrupted the building’s service. The Board of Water Supply could not guarantee continued service after a main break because damaged sections may have to be isolated and shut down. However, the representative explained that Pālolo has several sources of emergency resilience: water imported from outside the valley, a local well that pumps into a reservoir serving most homes by gravity, a second higher-elevation reservoir supplied by another pump, and the Keanu Tunnel at the rear of the valley. These facilities should provide some protection during storms and ordinary power interruptions, provided an outage is not prolonged, but they cannot eliminate disruption caused by a major break or required system shutdown.
Pālolo Chinese Home Services
Blaise Chun, Director of Community Services at Pālolo Chinese Home, outlined the organization’s continuum of elder care, including skilled nursing, long-term care, overnight respite, senior day care, wellness services in clients’ homes, and meals for pickup or delivery. Both frozen and warm delivered meals remain available to seniors in the Pālolo area. The organization’s goal is to help kūpuna preserve independence, dignity, and quality of life while supporting family caregivers. Day-care activities emphasize social connection, cognitive wellness, and meaningful engagement and recently have included cooking demonstrations, a small garden, a monthly puzzle challenge, seasonal celebrations, and an upcoming visit from a classical bonsai club on October 27. Pālolo Chinese Home is also exploring volunteer opportunities, partnerships with local businesses and organizations, and intergenerational activities involving area schools.
Proposed Pālolo Growing Network
Board member Kaleolani followed up on a September presentation by asking the board to support the formation of a Pālolo growing network in partnership with the nonprofit Long Spoon Farms. The proposed network would connect residents who already grow food or want to learn with neighbors able to share knowledge, seedlings, surplus produce, growing space, and other resources. It could include backyard gardens, fruit trees, apartment balconies, residents needing guidance, and households with more fruit than they can use. As a clinical nutritionist, Kaleolani described the network as a way to bring nourishing food closer to local families while strengthening relationships with the ʻāina and among neighbors. Long Spoon Farms offered to convene an initial working group that would listen to residents, identify existing growing projects and available resources, and select a small, practical first project. The group would later return to the board with a more detailed community-shaped proposal.
Kuheya Place Road Reconstruction Agreement
Resident Bill Chismar reported progress on Kuheya Place, a road-access problem that has remained unresolved for roughly 12 years and has come before the board several times. Residents have been unable to drive up the road for nine years. The road is jointly owned by seven residents and the City and County of Honolulu and was associated with the larger Kuheya slide, which the city repaired without restoring Kuheya Place itself. During the prolonged loss of access, one lifelong resident died before seeing the road reopened, another resident in her 80s moved away because walking to her home had become too difficult and dangerous, and another elderly lifelong resident has effectively become confined to her home because of unsafe pedestrian access. Two weeks before the meeting, residents met with Department of Design and Construction Director Millis and reached an agreement in principle: the city will pay to reconstruct the road, while the residents will release the city from its ownership share and future liability. Legal documents are now being prepared, and the residents were asked to share the finalized agreement with the board.
Request to Fund and Expedite Kuheya Place Repairs
Although the Kuheya Place agreement represents a significant step, residents asked the neighborhood board, Mayor’s Office, and City Council representatives to help secure construction funding and accelerate the project. They do not want the agreement to be followed by another delay of several years before work begins or is completed. The board indicated that receiving the final written agreement would help it evaluate what assistance or advocacy it can provide.
Ahe Street Parking, Cones, and Fire Hydrant Access
Ahe Street resident Lei Ho‘opi‘i raised multiple parking and traffic-enforcement concerns shared by other residents. She questioned why HPD has not acted against individuals placing cones on a public city street to reserve parking, especially because residential units already have assigned stalls and remaining street parking is understood to be first come, first served. The practice can create conflict when visitors unfamiliar with the claimed spaces arrive for community activities. Ho‘opi‘i operates Nesian’s Flag Football, whose participating families come from Pālolo and communities extending toward Kāhala Mall, Kapiʻolani Boulevard, Makiki, and Kalihi, increasing demand for legal public parking during events. She also reported vehicles parking too close to parking-lot entrances and exits, obstructing drivers’ views of traffic and children crossing the street, as well as vehicles blocking fire hydrants without apparent enforcement. A board member noted that residents had previously been told to call 911 about cone disputes, traffic obstructions, and hydrant access but asked whether a more effective reporting method exists because traffic-related calls can be frustrating for residents and police. The board said it would follow up with the HPD lieutenant.
Ānuenue School Traffic and Bus Conflicts
Ho‘opi‘i also described severe afternoon congestion near Ānuenue School, particularly around the 2:15 p.m. dismissal period. She said vehicles continuously exit the campus without stopping because there is no stop sign or active traffic control, sometimes forcing other motorists to wait through 15 to 20 departing vehicles before they can proceed. Congestion has led some vehicles to move along the right side of the roadway, creating additional danger. She recently stopped her own vehicle and asked an exiting driver to yield so blocked traffic could move and subsequently raised the issue with a school monitor, who said she would speak with the school principal. Illegal parking near posted no-parking boundaries at the campus driveway also prevents large school buses from completing left turns. Buses then have to maneuver repeatedly or travel down Ahe Street through the housing area while children are leaving school.
Requests for Raised Crosswalks Near Schools
As a city paratransit driver familiar with roadway conditions across Oʻahu, Ho‘opi‘i asked why Ānuenue School, Pālolo Elementary School, and Jarrett Middle School do not have raised crosswalks comparable to those near other schools. She proposed raised crossings near the cafeteria and 9th Avenue for Pālolo Elementary, near Ānuenue School and before Pālolo Chinese Home, and on both Pālolo Avenue and Kalua Road for Jarrett Middle School. A representative from Councilmember Scott Nishimoto’s office said the resident could send the office the exact requested locations. The office would then ask the Department of Transportation Services to evaluate the sites. Parking and enforcement matters would remain primarily under HPD jurisdiction.
Board Vacancies and Vice Chair Resignation
The board encouraged interested Pālolo residents to apply for its open positions and contact neighborhood board assistant Kelly Nakamura to verify residency. Although three vacancies appeared on the agenda, the board had received notice the previous day that Vice Chair Andrew had resigned, increasing the total to four open positions. Members wished him well. An at-large appointment or vacancy item previously failed because the board lacked a quorum and will be revisited later.
November Recess and Deferred Minutes
The board clarified that it will not meet in November, despite an error on the published agenda. Its next regular meeting is scheduled for December 9. Because the board did not have a quorum for formal action, approval of meeting minutes was postponed until that December session. Members also discussed the board’s traditional recess schedule, which generally includes November, January, and June, a schedule that must be reconciled with the police chief’s tentative January appearance.
Electronic-Waste Recycling Drive
A representative from Councilmember Scott Nishimoto’s office announced an electronic-waste recycling event for Saturday, November 7, from 9 a.m. to noon at Mānoa Elementary School. Residents may bring unwanted electronic equipment for responsible recycling rather than placing it in ordinary household waste.
Albizia Trees on Narcissus Street
Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s representative, Regina Malayapai, reported that there was still no update from the Department of Facilities Maintenance concerning overgrown albizia trees on Narcissus Street. The Mayor’s Office continues to seek information and will keep the matter on its follow-up list because it has remained unresolved for an extended period.
10th Avenue Fencing
The Mayor’s Office also reported on proposed or requested fencing along the makai side of 10th Avenue. Following an investigation, the Department of Facilities Maintenance indicated that the work was pending completion by the end of 2026. Its trades section expected to begin work around mid-October. The update followed an earlier question about whether additional wire fencing was needed beside the 10th Avenue sidewalk.
Coqui Frog Control and Biosecurity Staffing
State Representative Jackson Sayama reported that he joined the Pālolo coqui frog hunters and personnel from the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity for an evening field operation attended by approximately 12 people. The visit allowed state personnel to observe firsthand how local eradication work is conducted. Officials clarified that the existing 89-day temporary hires supporting operations in Pālolo are not simply being eliminated. Additional biosecurity inspector positions are being created so workers can complete the Biosecurity Academy, become licensed and certified, and continue efforts to prevent new invasive species from entering Hawaiʻi while containing or eliminating species already present in Pālolo and elsewhere in the state.
Happy Days Cleanup and Support for Kaimukī Businesses
Representative Sayama discussed cleanup at the former or affected Happy Days site in Kaimukī, an issue that has affected nearby businesses patronized by Pālolo residents. After communication with the Department of Health and Department of Planning and Permitting, most of the rotting food and other material in the kitchen and refrigerators had been removed. Hazardous and highly unpleasant conditions meant cleanup workers could remain inside for only 15 to 30 minutes at a time before taking breaks, contributing to the length of the process. The odor has improved significantly and is now generally noticeable only immediately next to the building. Sayama urged residents to return to neighboring businesses such as Maguroya and the nearby kimchi business, noting that some long-established establishments have been unusually empty because of concerns about the smell. He encouraged support for Kaimukī’s local businesses so they do not suffer closures similar to Big City Diner.
Pālolo Avenue Construction Information
Representative Sayama said his office has continued helping residents understand construction and roadwork occurring along Pālolo Avenue. He acknowledged the disruption and asked for patience while the infrastructure projects continue.
Election and Ballot Information
With the 2026 election approaching, Representative Sayama encouraged residents to vote and research the numerous questions appearing on the ballot. He directed voters to the City and County of Honolulu’s online materials explaining proposed charter amendments and noted that information is also available on the two proposed state constitutional amendments. Residents were encouraged to discuss the measures with family and friends and make informed decisions because the ballot contains significant local and statewide questions.
Other Elected Officials
No report was given from Congressman Ed Case’s office, Governor Josh Green’s office, or Senator Les Ihara’s office. Representative Sayama noted that he was serving House District 21 through November.
Community Events and Broadcast Information
The board shared a Department of Transportation invitation to the blessing and opening of the Aloha Tower Observation Deck on October 15 and 16, with event flyers available through the meeting’s Google Drive. Residents were also reminded that Honolulu City Lights is scheduled for December 5, before the board’s next meeting, with flyers available at the meeting site. A rebroadcast of the Pālolo Neighborhood Board meeting was scheduled for November 7 at 8 a.m., and archived meetings can be viewed through the ʻŌlelo Community Media website.
December Meeting and Holiday Potluck
The next Pālolo Neighborhood Board meeting is scheduled for December 9, following the November recess. Members confirmed that the board’s traditional holiday potluck will take place at that meeting. Attendees are welcome and encouraged to bring food, but participation is not dependent on contributing a dish, and residents may attend either in person or online.