A recent report said that the state is facing a shortage of 50,000 housing units in the next two years. Let's not forget that when the state says "housing unit," what they mean is "home for a local family." If these 'ohana don't have family to live with, they are basically forced to move away. Their children won't get to grow up as kama`aina and will likely only enjoy our beautiful environment as visitors once or twice a year. This HAS to change. There can be a balance between protecting our `aina and building affordable homes in a smart way. The picture below is linked to the article.

Native Hawaiian fishponds - loko i`a - were among the first conservation projects launched in Hawai`i. Its time to unlock their potential for community-based food production, cultural restoration, and environmental conservation!

http://www.civilbeat.com/2014/06/a-dream-realized-progress-in-easing-hawaiian-fishpond-restoration-regulations/

Honolulu Star Advertiser published an article today about the use of backyard aquaponic systems as a way of achieving self-sufficiency. Our 'ohana - my in-laws - have been utilizing this system for years now, growing and eating their own produce. Check out my vlog for more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdXcJohdER0&feature=youtu.be.

Sign-waving and giving the shaka is an art-form. Jarrett Keohokalole for House District 48 explains.

The math speaks for itself. Too many young families are being priced-out of their own communities because they can't afford both the costs of rent and childcare. We should not have to choose between raising our kids and staying in our own communities! As a father of two, this issue is very important to me and will be one of a top focus of mine as your Legislator.
https://www.civilbeat.com/reg/articles/2014/05/01/21959-living-hawaii-where-child-care-can-cost-more-than-college/

It's not surprising that the City & County of Honolulu is again ranked near the top in terms of the cost of living in the U.S. What is surprising is exactly how far we are from an affordable standard of living. A $10 minimum wage would be excellent, but it still falls $17/hr short of a living wage for a 1 bedroom apartment on O'ahu.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/04/22/what-youd-need-to-make-in-every-county-in-america-to-afford-a-decent-one-bedroom/

Hauling 'ōpala up from the streambed.

Here was some of the crew from the workday, still looking great after pulling invasive species and hauling them away from the streambed so that the water could flow better down to the lō'ī and out to the bay. Kamehameha Schools and University of Hawai'i students, as well as community members and families all pitched in to help mālama 'āina here at beautiful Papahana Kuaola in the back of Hā'iku Valley. For more information on this and other monthly community workdays in our community, visit www.huihawaii.org.

Tuition at private schools in Hawai'i already exceeds the tuition I paid for law school. Three schools are now set to go over $20,000/yr. That's over $1,600/mo! There is something wrong when a parent has to take on a second job to ensure that their kids get a quality education. We need to encourage more innovation and community involvement in our public schools to ensure that every child gets a quality education that doesn't force parents out of the home just to pay for it.

http://www.staradvertiser.com/s?action=login&f=y&id=254158201