Civil Beat has asked candidates for the Hawaiʻi General Election on Nov. 3 to answer a survey about where they stand on various issues and what their priorities will be if elected.

The following comes from Kyle Kepano Jones, nonpartisan candidate for the office of Hawaiʻi County Council Member District 6, which covers the rural southern and western portions of the Big Island, including the communities of Volcano, Pāhala, Nāʻālehu, Ocean View, Captain Cook, Kealakekua, and Hōnaunau.

His opponents are Zed Kaʻapana Aki, Justin Canelas, Guy Enriques, and Jason Masters.

Go to Civil Beat’s 2026 Election Guide for general information, and check out the other candidates on Civil Beatʻs 2026 Hawaiʻi Primary Ballot.

Why are you best suited for the job of council member? And why do you want the job?

I was born in Kealakekua and I’ve lived in District 6 my entire life. I received my Bachelor’s in Political Science from UH Hilo, and I also worked as a congressional intern for Sen. Brian Schatz in Washington, D.C. I am running because I feel that District 6 has a number of pressing needs and has often been marginalized by the county. I identify as a “pothole politician,” which means I want to start by going back to basics and focusing on direct quality-of-life improvements for residents.

What is the biggest issue facing Hawai‘i County, and what is the first thing you would do to address it in the first six months after being elected?

Insurance companies have pulled out of providing homeowner insurance in Lava Zones 1 and 2, making it impossible to get affordable homeowner insurance, which means it’s impossible to obtain a mortgage. This makes it challenging for our residents to sell their property, but it also changes the character of our neighborhoods because only cash buyers can afford them. I want to do everything possible from the county side, as well as work with State Rep. Greggor Illgan to fix this crisis.

Here’s one question from a constituent: How would you make it safer to get in and out of Puna?

I support recent efforts to add more roundabouts to Puna roads. Roundabouts have been proven to enhance traffic flow and lower traffic fatalities by a significant margin. If accidents do occur, they’re much less likely to be fatal. I also support the alternative Puna Makai route that’s been proposed as an oceanside bypass. I support passing a road alignment study to finalize the exact route. Repairing road infrastructure throughout the county is one of my highest priorities if I am elected.

The county’s Homelessness and Housing Fund is due to expire in 2027 and some council members are skeptical that the fund has helped solve the problem. Would you vote to extend the fund, and what would you do to come to grips with this persistent problem?

Homelessness is a particularly tricky issue to tackle because of how expensive housing is. Even individuals with no prior mental health or addiction issues and full-time jobs can become homeless. The only way to actually solve the crisis is to place people into permanent housing. It’s simply the only way forward. We also need more county-operated addiction treatment centers, based on modern research, that can help individuals struggling with addiction to recover and achieve independence.

Vacation rentals — illegal or not — are often blamed for reducing availability of affordable housing on the Big Island. What steps should the county take to deal with the proliferation of vacation rentals and create more affordable housing?

Hawaiʻi County already has had substantial regulation in place for unhosted (standalone) vacation rentals in non-conforming zones since 2018. But hosted rentals, where the owners live on site and offer an ohana or room for rent should be allowed, and be easy and inexpensive so locals have a chance to participate in the visitor economy. We should allow ohana/ADUs with full kitchens in residential zones and continue to expand affordable housing projects such as Kauhale’i Ke Kula Uka.

Half of Hawai‘i’s cesspools are on the Big Island – an estimated 49,000 –  and Mayor Kimo Alameda has already said the county will not meet the state’s 2050 deadline to convert them to cleaner systems. What steps should the county take to address the cesspool issue?

Conversion of the remaining cesspools on the Big Island is a massive problem because of the excessive cost required to convert every single unit. It’s financially unfeasible to expect the average homeowner in District 6 to convert on their own. The county should set up a small fund and help transition the most egregious and leaking cesspools first. Long term, we will need more federal and state funding to help with this issue because the costs are very high for Hawaiʻi County to fund on its own.

What specific steps should the county take to relieve traffic congestion in and around Kailua-Kona and along the Puna-Kea‘au-Hilo corridor?

I acknowledge that roundabouts can make people uncomfortable at first. Once drivers get used to the way they work, they like them. They create better traffic flow than street lights, as the heaviest traffic is in continual motion. I support Representative Ilagan’s recent efforts at securing funding to expand the roundabout and road system on the Puna highway and his proposal for a bypass along the ocean in Puna. Perhaps Lako Street in Kailua-Kona, which bottlenecks, needs a similar solution.

Investors have sunk more than $500 million into the Pepe‘ekeo bioenergy plant known as Hu Honua or Honua Ola, but the plant has still been unable to begin producing power. Should the biomass energy plant be allowed to start operating? Why or why not?

I understand that we are all looking for new and novel ways to produce power. Hawaiʻi island has some of the highest electrical costs in the nation because of our need to import the fuel the island uses. However, I find it ridiculous that one of these proposals is to burn trees to produce power and try to call it “sustainable.” I believe we should be moving the exact opposite direction – away from fossil fuels – with a strong focus on geothermal, solar and wind energy.

Both the state and county are showing interest in expanding production of geothermal energy on Hawaiʻi island. What is your position on geothermal power, and what constraints should be placed on it?

I strongly support the rapid expansion of geothermal energy on Hawai’i island. We have the highest power bills in the nation because of our need to import fossil fuels for diesel generators. Given recent international issues that have created instability in global energy markets, it is more important than ever to cast off the yoke of fuel imports. Geothermal is a very clean and renewable form of energy that can only work in a few locations. No reason for us to have the highest bills.

What specific plans do you have to improve disaster preparedness and response on the Big Island?

We just survived a large tropical storm that damaged lots of infrastructure in District 6 and an extremely violent 6.0 earthquake that damaged many properties, including my own. The county was responsive, cleaned the roads quickly, and delivered water to affected neighborhoods. The main issues with our disaster response has been slow state and federal help. I will continue to fully support Civil Defense and work with state reps to get federal and state help faster following an emergency.

What should Hawaiʻi County do to get in front of climate change rather than just reacting and adapting to it?

Climate change is already affecting Hawaiʻi deeply, from coral bleaching from warm water to inclement and chaotic weather patterns, such as the El Niño forecast for the Pacific this summer. It’s important to be knowledgeable about what exactly is coming. I support following the conclusions of the Hawaiʻi County Integrated Climate Action Plan, including creating a directly county-managed climate data collection, and prioritizing projects that are most likely to cause serious issues or damage.

Hawai‘i has a long-stated goal of growing more of its own food. What would you do to further that effort toward increased food sustainability?

I strongly support all of the current county efforts aimed at food sustainability, such as cooperating with The Food Basket. So much food that is perfectly viable goes bad and is wasted. I want to see more county funding for the Food Basket’s efforts to feed hungry families but also limit food waste through food bank programs. I’d support funding for microgrant programs, which encourage residents with small cash awards in rural areas to grow and share their own crops.