Civil Beat has asked candidates for the primary election on Aug. 8 to answer a survey about where they stand on various issues and what their priorities will be if elected. There are four nonpartisan candidates on the primary ballot for Honolulu City Council District 4 that includes the areas Waikīkī through Kaimukī, Kāhala and Hawaiʻi Kai.

If no candidate acquires 50% plus one vote cast in the primary, then the top two finalists will go into a runoff in the General Election ballot in November.

The following comes from Tara Malia Gregory, nonpartisan candidate for Honolulu City Council Member District 4.

Her primary opponents are Justin Liang, Trevor Ozawa and incumbent Tommy Waters.

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

Why are you best suited for this job? And why do you want it?

I am running for Honolulu City Council District 4 because I’ve already spent years serving this community without a government paycheck. I’m tired of watching local families get priced out of Hawaiʻi. I’m tired of watching our keiki graduate from high school or college and feel like they have to leave home just to afford the basics. I’m tired of watching residents work harder every year while falling further behind. I believe too many decisions are being made for systems instead of for people. Government should be focused on helping families thrive, not creating more bureacracy, waste and barriers to success.

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

The biggest issue facing District 4 is affordability. There is a common perception that because parts of our district are considered affluent, affordability isn’t a major concern. I disagree. 

What many people don’t realize is that District 4 has a significant kūpuna population. Many residents are living on fixed incomes while facing rising property taxes, insurance costs, utility bills and everyday expenses. I’ve met kūpuna who are living in small units on their own property while renting out the family home simply to afford to stay in the community they’ve spent their lives building.

Here’s one question from your constituents: How would you get homeless off beaches?

Our beaches are one of Hawai’i’s greatest public resources and should be safe, clean and accessible for everyone. The reality is that homelessness is not a one-size-fits-all issue. Some people have fallen on hard times and genuinely need help getting back on their feet. Others are struggling with addiction, mental illness or trauma and need treatment and support. And some individuals are committing crimes and making our public spaces unsafe. 

We need to stop treating all three groups as if they are the same.

After years of looking for a new spot to dump O’ahu’s trash, the city is proposing that the Westside host an expansion of the island’s only municipal landfill. Is this a workable solution? If not, where should O’ahu put its trash?

I do not believe expanding the landfill on the Westside should be O’ahu’s long-term solution. 

For decades, Westside communities have shouldered a disproportionate share of the burden for the island’s waste. Many residents were led to believe that this was not going to be a permanent or continually expanding solution. Government should honor its commitments to communities, and I understand why many Westside residents feel frustrated.

Honolulu’s housing market doesn’t have enough units that are affordable for residents. How would you try to increase the housing supply for locals? Are there approaches you think should be more seriously considered?

As a city council member, I would focus on the areas the city directly controls: permitting delays, zoning barriers, infrastructure capacity, sewer limitations, city fees, vacant or underutilized city-owned land and regulations that make housing more expensive. 

I support expanding multigenerational housing, accessory dwelling units where infrastructure can support them, redevelopment of underutilized properties and workforce housing that prioritizes local residents. I also believe community land trusts and long-term affordability models deserve more serious consideration so housing does not simply become another investment vehicle.

Homelessness remains one of Honolulu’s top issues. What should the city be doing to get more homeless people into housing? And what should it be doing to prevent more residents from ending up on the street?

We’ve spent hundreds of millions of dollars addressing homelessness over the years. Taxpayers deserve to know what programs are working, what programs aren’t and where the money is actually going. Success should be measured by outcomes, not spending. How many people were permanently housed? How many remained housed? How many entered treatment and recovery? We also need an honest conversation about addiction and mental health. Not every homeless person struggles with substance abuse, but for many who are chronically homeless, addiction is a major barrier to stability. Real compassion means helping people move toward recovery, treatment and long-term independence.

Hawai‘i has experienced a series of damaging and dangerous weather events that have exposed weaknesses in our planning, preparation and response. What needs to happen for your district to be better prepared for these events?

The recent storms exposed something many residents already knew: we don’t have a planning problem nearly as much as we have an execution and communication problem. 

During the Kona low storms, I watched communities, including our own, mobilize faster than government. As always, our churches opened their doors and immediately began outreach efforts. Volunteers organized supplies. Neighbors checked on kūpuna. Community organizations stepped up while many residents were still waiting for assistance.

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

Getting ahead of environmental challenges starts with restoring practical stewardship principles that Hawai’i understood long before the term “climate resilience” became popular. The ahupua’a system recognized the connection between our mountains, streams, wetlands, coastlines and communities. It emphasized responsible resource management, water security, food production and caring for the ‘aina so future generations could thrive.

Many of Honolulu’s parks are in rough shape. What are your solutions?

I believe simple daily checks and performance standards matter. Are restrooms clean and operational? Is trash being removed regularly? Are lights functioning? Is playground equipment safe? Are fields and common areas being properly maintained? Many of the concerns residents raise are not complex policy issues, they are basic quality-of-life issues that require consistent oversight and follow-through.

How we care for Hawai’i matters. Well-maintained parks reflect a community that takes pride in its surroundings and values the places where people come together. By focusing on accountability, transparency, and strong community partnerships, we can restore and maintain parks that residents are proud of and visitors remember for the right reasons.

Skyline, the city’s rail system, has experienced vast budget overruns and construction delays. What’s your vision for the future of Skyline, and how would you help make it happen?

The reality today is that Skyline exists, and taxpayers have already invested billions of dollars into it. My responsibility as a council member would be to ensure we maximize the value of that investment while demanding transparency and accountability moving forward. 

But Skyline also raises a larger question about priorities. While government has focused on massive projects like rail and the Aloha Stadium redevelopment, residents are still dealing with aging sewer infrastructure, potholes, deteriorating roads, flooding concerns and basic maintenance issues that affect daily life.

More than 80 people were killed last year on O’ahu’s roads. That was a 20% increase over 2024 deaths and the highest number of fatalities since 2007. How can our roads be made safer?

We need stronger enforcement against reckless driving, excessive speeding, impaired driving, illegal street racing and distracted driving. Public safety begins with personal responsibility, and repeat offenders who put lives at risk should face meaningful consequences. But enforcement alone isn’t enough. We also need to stop waiting for tragedies before addressing known safety concerns.

What is your most out-of-the-box idea to solve a county problem?

My most out-of-the-box idea may actually be one of Hawai’i’s oldest ideas: restoring stewardship principles inspired by the ahupuaʻa system. The ahupua’a system wasn’t just a cultural practice. It was a model of resource management, stewardship and community responsibility that allowed people to thrive for generations by understanding the relationship between land, water, food and people.