Editor’s note: For Hawaii’s Nov. 8 General Election, Civil Beat asked candidates to answer some questions about where they stand on various issues and what their priorities will be if elected.

The following came from Zahz HewLen, candidate for Hawaii County Council District 7, which covers a portion of Kona and South Kona. The other candidates include Joshua Montgomery, Wesley Moore, Rebecca Villegas and Jennifer Wilkinson.

Go to Civil Beat’s Election Guide for general information, and check out other candidates on the General Election Ballot.

1. What is the biggest issue facing your district, and what would you do about it?

We need a champion to secure funding for our most critical infrastructure needs in District 7 and bring balance to the distribution of tax dollars islandwide.

Our wastewater treatment plant fails to meet EPA standards, leaks sewage that threatens our reef and lacks water recycling capabilities. Our park facilities have been severely neglected, and our roads and intersections are congested and outdated, compromising public safety.

Addressing houselessness and the lack of affordable housing is essential, but these issues must be addressed alongside our infrastructure improvements.

Investing in infrastructure, the bones of our community, is crucial and will stimulate job creation. My goal is to get Kona on the council agendas. With aloha, I’ll maintain a collaborative working relationship with state representatives for federal funding, our mayor and fellow council members, regardless of personal beliefs, to bring funding to Kona.

Once we establish a clear direction, budget and plan for infrastructure improvements, we can then have a foundation that to focus on delivering innovative solutions to community issues that further align with the needs of the people.

2. Overtourism can degrade the environment, threaten biodiversity, contribute to wear and tear on infrastructure, generate traffic and disrupt neighborhoods. What do you think about the amount of tourism on the Big Island and how it’s managed?

Balance is crucial. My holistic approach aims to make tourism work for us, not the other way around.

Although precise data on tourism’s contribution to Kailua-Kona’s GDP is not readily available, it’s likely over 50%. We need to invest in studies to leverage this effectively to make data-driven management decisions that don’t harm our economy.

Let’s consider implementing small visitor fees to be allocated to environmental purposes, such as expanding public transit, animal control, revitalizing native species and preserving coral reefs. Seasonal higher fees or restricted access to specific places during periods when our environment needs recovery from high tourist usage could also be beneficial.

A few dollars per visitor could generate millions for environmental initiatives. Ultimately, we must be realistic with our visitors, avoiding the romanticization of Hawaii, our indigenous culture and resources.

Tourism should be concentrated in resort zones or areas with the infrastructure to support it. When it comes to resources like water and energy, residents must be the priority.

3. What needs to happen to relieve traffic congestion in and around Kailua-Kona and along the Puna-Keaau-Hilo corridor?

Traffic congestion would be significantly reduced if we had affordable housing, bike/pedestrian-friendly roads and adequate public transportation for workers in high employment areas.

If more of our workforce didn’t have to relocate to South Kona to find affordable housing, Queen Kaahumanu Highway wouldn’t be as congested, and the same applies to the east side of the island.

We either need to create job opportunities in Puna and South Kona or increase the affordable housing inventory in Kailua-Kona.

The west side must take priority, as residents moving from Kona to Hilo for housing while still working in Kona will strain Hilo’s housing supply, creating a cycle of displacement.

Although new roads and expansions are included in our current General Plan drafts, we need to address the root causes of traffic congestion: the lack of affordable housing and public transportation in high-employment areas.

4. The cost of living on Hawaii island is rising rapidly. How are working and middle-class people expected to buy a house or pay the rent as well as take care of other expenses? And how can the county government help?

In Kailua-Kona, housing options are polarized between high-end and low-income, leaving middle-income earners with few choices and high competition.

These hardworking individuals and families typically can’t afford expensive homes or rent and don’t qualify for assistance due to income limits. This leaves a large portion of our population without support.

It’s crucial for the county to expand assistance programs, cut taxes, establish clear definitions for “affordable,” prioritize residents legislatively and increase the supply of affordable housing and food.

Affordable housing developments are in the works, but we need clear pricing expectations and legislation to ensure new housing serves full-time residents. The county can provide financial literacy programs, gather input and address needs collaboratively. The county can support current and future entrepreneurs, small businesses and farmers with the resources they need to succeed.

There are people and organizations doing incredible things for our island and the county can assist these groups in fulfilling their missions. I can relate to the struggle of working hard with multiple streams of income and long hours, only to feel like you’re barely making it. These strategies coupled with expanding access to mental health resources can help improve overall quality of life.

5. Do you support the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea?

No, I do not. Despite my personal collection of environmental, principle and cultural reasons, the TMT project has caused significant turmoil within our island community.

I am disappointed by the division propagated by a foreign entity welcomed by the state without adequate transparency, sufficient coordination and community involvement from the start. The future of astronomy in Hawaii must be transparent and aware of the spaces or resources they impact. Many violations have occurred throughout the historic relationship between the State of Hawaii and Kanaka oiwi who are one and the same with this aina.

This turbulent cycle of proceeding without overwhelming consent from our indigenous population needs to end.

6. Homelessness remains a problem statewide, including on Hawaii island. What would you do to come to grips with this persistent problem?

The county is working on a project across from the West Hawaii civic center and there are organizations doing incredible work to help our houseless population.

Despite our efforts, we must be prepared to accept that houselessness speaks to a much larger and complex societal issue. There are immediate actions I would take and build upon from there:

Cease sweeps: I would advocate to stop all “sweeps.” Humans deserve to be treated with dignity and moving them from place to place without real solutions wastes resources and time.

Prevent population growth: Work with airlines to stop one-way travel for those who cannot show proof of residency or accommodations for however long they stay here. It doesn’t serve anyone when our local houseless compete for resources with those who come to Hawaii having no intent or capacity to change their circumstances.

Resource support: Bolster organizations with the resources they need to fulfill their missions, such as the reunification of individuals with families in other states.

Community engagement: Create community programs that provide meaningful activities, like caretaking community gardens or learning cultural practices. People need opportunities to engage with aina to allow realignment and healing to occur from the inside out.

7. Half of Hawaii’s cesspools are on the Big Island, some 49,300. Seepage from cesspools can make people sick, harm coral reefs and lead to a variety of ecological damage. By law, cesspools must be upgraded to septic systems by 2050. What can be done to help people who may not be able to afford the conversion?

Education is paramount to get the public on the same page and we need to offer alternative solutions that are effective yet affordable.

I would first place our focus on high density shoreline and special management areas as we pursue a gradual phase out. We can invest in our wastewater treatment facility and extend sewer lines along Alii Drive.

The county can offer grants, subsidies or tax credits for homeowners making the switch. We can assist in helping communities pool resources to fund conversions as a collective. We cannot abandon our residents to figure it out on their own.

8. What is the first thing Hawaii County should do to get in front of climate change rather than just reacting to it?

The county must prioritize self-sufficiency and the integration of indigenous knowledge within decision-making spaces. Hawaii relies too much on external sources for necessities. Our kupuna understood how to steward this land for generations to enjoy with practices and thinking that can be used in contemporary systems to combat any changes in climate.

We need to build the infrastructure to capture and recycle water, produce innovative renewable energy solutions that are both efficient and economical, an agricultural committee dedicated to establishing food security and streamlined permitting processes for housing development.

To be proactive, we can increase setback requirements from shorelines to focus any new development upland, build communities that are integrated with existing topography to reduce land clearing as much as possible and plant trees in desolate areas to assist in maintaining cool temperatures.

9. Should the Hu Honua biomass energy plant be allowed to start operating? Why or why not?

Like I’ve stated in previous answers, it is crucial to me to pilot innovative solutions to energy production. I understand that there are environmental concerns related to air quality, pollutants and the amount of biomass the plant will need to consume, but I think it’s worth getting started to test for public health and effectiveness.

This plant would supply many jobs and it’s important to me that those workers remain in good health as well. The public deserves transparency and to be involved in the decision-making process for any new technologies we bring to Hawaii island.

As long as we have the overwhelming consent of the public, I wouldn’t oppose moving forward. 

10. How would you make the county administration more transparent and accessible to the public?

I have already committed to being accessible and open in my interactions with the public as an elected official. This involves actively engaging on social media and other platforms.

I propose establishing neighborhood or community boards that county administration can interact with to gather input and address specific community needs. The county needs to host more town hall meetings in general including evenings to accommodate working individuals.

Improving the county website to enhance user experience and ensure transparency is crucial. If residents cannot easily access information on the county website and if the county does not actively deliver information to the public through other means, it undermines trust in the county’s efforts to be transparent.

I will prioritize making the county website more user-friendly and ensuring that it delivers accessible and transparent information to the people.