Housing Shouldn't Be Unattainable!

Affordable housing is one of the most important issues facing our community today.

Right now, in Hawaiʻi, the median price for a home on Oʻahu is over a million dollars. Statewide, we’re still seeing prices well above what our working families can afford. And the reality is — our wages are not keeping up.

That means our local families, our teachers, our first responders — the very people we depend on — are being priced out of the communities they grew up in.

At the State level, we have a responsibility to step in and make real change.

First, we need to prioritize local families. I will push for policies that give Hawaiʻi residents a fair shot at purchasing homes before outside investors. That means creating a local preference period for new developments, so our people get the first opportunity — not what’s left over.

Second, we need to support first-time homebuyers. I will work to create state tax credits and financial assistance programs that help local families with down payments and closing costs. If you live here, work here, and contribute to our community — you should be able to own here.

Third, we must protect our workforce. Our teachers, our police officers, our firefighters, and our healthcare workers should not have to leave Hawaiʻi just to afford housing. I will support expanding workforce housing programs and using state lands to build affordable housing specifically for those who serve our communities.

And finally, we need to address speculative and outside investment. Housing in Hawaiʻi should be for homes — not just investments. I will support efforts at the State level to discourage speculative buying and ensure that local residents are prioritized.

Because the truth is — we didn’t just move here and start calling this place home. Our families built these communities. And it’s time our housing policies reflect that.

I’m committed to fighting for solutions that keep our people here, strengthen our communities, and make Hawaiʻi a place where local families can continue to live, work, and thrive.

Public Safety

Public safety at the state level should feel safe, consistent, and respected in every community. Our families deserve to feel comfortable in their neighborhoods, parks, and public spaces.

We must take a balanced approach—one that addresses homelessness with compassion, while also protecting our communities.

Address homelessness by expanding transitional housing, mental health care, and treatment programs—while requiring accountability and participation in services
Restore safety in public spaces by improving enforcement, maintenance, and coordination with counties
Support law enforcement and first responders with better resources, training, and retention incentives
Invest in prevention through youth programs, education, and workforce opportunities
Set clear statewide standards so efforts are coordinated, effective, and accountable

Public safety is about more than enforcement—it’s about taking care of our people while keeping our communities safe and strong.

Our Keiki Need the Support

At the state level, investing in our youth must be a top priority. Our keiki are the future of Hawaiʻi, and we have a responsibility to ensure they are supported, guided, and given every opportunity to succeed. This means strengthening our public education system, increasing resources for teachers, and expanding access to after-school programs, mentorship, athletics, cultural education, and the arts. We must also create clear pathways for career and technical training so our youth can build a future here at home. By investing in our young people early, we not only uplift individuals, but we also strengthen families, reduce crime, and build safer, more resilient communities. When we take care of our keiki, we are investing in the long-term success of our entire state.

Protect our Culture and Preservation

At the state level, protecting our culture and preserving our heritage must be a core responsibility of government. Hawaiʻi is not just a place—it is a people, a history, and a living culture that must be actively supported, not just acknowledged. We must ensure that Native Hawaiian culture, local traditions, and community values are protected and passed on to future generations.

This starts with education. The state should continue to expand and fund Hawaiian language immersion programs, ʻike-based curriculum, and culturally grounded education in our public schools. Every student in Hawaiʻi should graduate with a strong understanding of our history, culture, and values. We must also invest in teacher training and resources so educators are equipped to teach this ʻike in meaningful ways.

We must also support cultural practitioners and community programs. Too many of the individuals who carry our traditions—whether in hula, voyaging, fishing practices, farming, or language—do so without consistent support. The state should create and expand grant programs, stipends, and partnerships that allow practitioners to teach, mentor, and pass down their knowledge. Supporting organizations, halau, and community groups that are already doing this work is essential.

Protecting our culture also means protecting our land and sacred places. The state must take a stronger role in ensuring that development respects cultural sites and environmental resources. This includes stricter oversight, better consultation with lineal descendants and cultural experts, and prioritizing stewardship over overdevelopment. Our ʻāina is directly tied to our identity, and protecting it is non-negotiable.

We must also address the economic side of cultural preservation. Local families and Native Hawaiians are being priced out of their own communities. Preserving culture is impossible if our people cannot afford to live here. That is why cultural preservation must be tied to housing, land use, and economic policies that prioritize local residents and generational families.

In addition, the state should invest in youth-focused cultural pathways—programs that connect keiki and young adults to culture through mentorship, internships, apprenticeships, and career opportunities in education, conservation, and cultural resource management. This ensures that culture is not only preserved, but lived and carried forward.

Finally, we must ensure that culture is respected across all levels of government decision-making. This means integrating cultural impact considerations into state policies, supporting Hawaiian language access in public services, and making sure that cultural voices are not just heard, but prioritized.

Protecting our culture is not just about honoring the past—it is about securing the future of Hawaiʻi. When we invest in our culture, we strengthen identity, community, and pride. And when we do that, we build a stronger, more grounded, and more united state.