Major issues face Hawaii in 2024, and the quality of decisions made will affect life in the islands for generations to come. This year, the state launches two newly separated departments concerned with public safety and corrections; chooses a “master developer” to coordinate building a new Aloha Stadium and a new community surrounding it; searches for a leader capable of nurturing and improving the University of Hawaii system of colleges; rides out and weighs in on a takeover of Hawaiian Airlines by Alaska Air; and expects advances toward more affordable housing, desperately needed to ensure a higher quality of life for this state’s working and disadvantaged residents.

Hawaii’s new Department of Law Enforcement (DLE) officially begins operation this year, but it already has a high-profile accomplishment under its belt: DLE’s Illegal Fireworks Task Force was formed midyear in 2023, coordinating with state, county and federal agencies to seize more than 33 tons of fireworks. The public will expect more results on this and other fronts, with a state law enforcement team that includes sheriffs and narcotics officers, harbor, homeland security and criminal investigative agents.

The state’s corrections system has evolved into the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Director Tommy Johnson has pledged “a complete paradigm shift,” but problems including overcrowding, inadequate facilities and insufficient funding loom. Cooperation from the Legislature and unflagging leadership from Johnson will be required to both move forward with construction and change the nature of incarceration in Hawaii, prioritizing treatment and rehabilitation.

Promising plans for a new, 25,000-seat Aloha Stadium in Halawa provide an opportunity to revive high-quality entertainment and athletic events, benefit the economy and improve Oahu’s housing availability. State officials believe a new stadium can open in 2028, so a lot is riding on the competence of the master developer who wins the bid to build a stadium and oversee development of a New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District (NASED). This will be on state-owned land surrounding the stadium, including restaurants, shops and attractions as well as housing — particularly, affordable housing. The public must keep close watch over contract negotiations this year to ensure that benchmarks for execution and for maintenance of the stadium and other public assets are included and enforced.

At UH, President David Lassner has announced he’ll retire at the end of 2024 or as soon as a next president is instated. Public outreach is being conducted to identify critical duties for a new president and qualities required to execute this mission. A nationwide search will follow, and a selection is expected by June. The university system’s next leader will need a range of skills to continue advancing the state’s educational goals, and much political expertise to successfully navigate Hawaii’s public, academic and legislative expectations.

As for the $1.9 billion proposed takeover of Hawaiian Airlines by Alaska Air, the stakes are high for state residents, who depend on air travel and consider Hawaiian homegrown, despite its investor-owned status. Federal regulators will examine details of the proposed purchase first, and islanders must be diligent in demanding affordable flights, Hawaii-based jobs and high standards of service as conditions of any deal.

And housing? Second-year Gov. Josh Green has made creation of more affordable housing for working families and the disadvantaged a cornerstone of his plans, and appointed policy analysts within his office to identify opportunities to fast-track approval and construction. He must move forward with more than 15,000 affordable housing and Hawaiian homestead housing units in the development pipeline on publicly owned land. Whether his Build Beyond Barriers Working Group can move the needle further and faster for privately controlled development — and overcome skepticism among opponents of the process — will be largely determined in 2024. Follow along, and find links to participate, at hale.hawaii.gov.