Hawaii's Changing Economy

High Housing Costs Force Hawaiʻi Residents Into ‘Impossible Choices’ Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2025

High Housing Costs Force Hawaiʻi Residents Into ‘Impossible Choices’

The latest housing report from the University of Hawaiʻi notes some improvements in the market but authors say they are small and slow.

Airbnb As Tax Collector? It’s A Familiar Debate In The Legislature Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Airbnb As Tax Collector? It’s A Familiar Debate In The Legislature

Taxpayer information collected by booking companies would be used to collect taxes but not to allow counties to crack down on illegal vacation rentals.

HECO Customers May See Electric Bill Increases In 2027 Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2019

HECO Customers May See Electric Bill Increases In 2027

A green energy group that previously opposed the rate increase has joined HECO in asking regulators to hike rates.

Does Japan Hold The Answer To Fixing Honolulu’s Rail System? Craig Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

Does Japan Hold The Answer To Fixing Honolulu’s Rail System?

Gov. Josh Green is negotiating an agreement with a Japanese rail conglomerate to work on transit-oriented development along the Skyline.

HMSA Proposal: Hawaiʻi Health Care Could See Radical Transformation Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2019

HMSA Proposal: Hawaiʻi Health Care Could See Radical Transformation

Changes could touch 760,000 HMSA members and their doctors.

Hawai‘i Doctor Shortage Has Patients Paying Fees For Fast Care Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

Hawai‘i Doctor Shortage Has Patients Paying Fees For Fast Care

Direct primary care is a burgeoning business model that bypasses insurance. If widely adopted, it could lessen the state’s dire shortage of primary care doctors — or make things worse.

Hawaiʻi’s Cost Of Living Is High. But There’s Another Huge Problem Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2016

Hawaiʻi’s Cost Of Living Is High. But There’s Another Huge Problem

A recent UH report likens Hawaiʻi’s economy to that of West Virginia — another place being “left behind.”

National Turmoil Is Adding To Hawaiʻi’s Budget Angst Nick Grube/Civil Beat/2022

National Turmoil Is Adding To Hawaiʻi’s Budget Angst

The governor’s budget chief says the administration will submit legislative proposals to walk back promised tax cuts in 2027 and beyond.

Hawaiʻi Cracked Down On Pension Spiking. It’s Still Costing Taxpayers Millions Nanea Kalani/Civil Beat

Hawaiʻi Cracked Down On Pension Spiking. It’s Still Costing Taxpayers Millions

In 2012, lawmakers tried to get a handle on unexpectedly high pensions by billing state and county employers. In most cases, it’s only gotten worse.

Is Senator’s Affordable Housing Plan Happening? Depends Who You Ask David Croxford/Civil Beat/2023

Is Senator’s Affordable Housing Plan Happening? Depends Who You Ask

State authority says market conditions and project requirements put Aloha Homes on the shelf. Sen. Stanley Chang says the Kakaʻako development remains underway.