Name on ballot:

Esther Kiaaina

Running for:

Honolulu city council – District 3

Political party:

No answer submitted

Campaign website:

www.votekiaaina.com

Current occupation:

Vice-Chair of the Honolulu City Council and Councilmember for District III

Age:

61

Previous job history:

• Executive Director, Pacific Basin Development Council
• Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas, U.S. Department of the Interior, Obama
Administration
• First Deputy Director, Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources
• Chief Advocate, Office of Hawaiian Affairs
• Land Asset Manager, The Kamehameha Schools
• Chief of Staff, U.S. Congressman Ed Case, 2nd Congressional District
• Chief of Staff, U.S. Congressman Robert Underwood of Guam
• Legislative Assistant to U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka
• Volunteer Intern, U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye

Previous elected office, if any:

Councilmember for District III, 2021 – Present

Please describe your qualifications to represent the people of Oahu.

Over the last 30 years, I’ve had the privilege of serving at the county, state, and federal levels of government. My journey began as a volunteer intern for Senator Daniel Inouye in Washington, D.C., and I worked my way up to senior management roles on Capitol Hill and the federal Executive Branch. In Hawaii, I worked for Hawaii’s largest private landowner, a state agency that serves Native Hawaiians, a state agency that manages Hawaii’s 1.3 million acres of lands and natural resources, and a non-profit that advances economic development in the U.S. Pacific territories and Hawaii. This breath of experience has served me well at the City Council. I strive to represent my district and the people of Oahu with dedication and understanding.

Throughout my career, I’ve been committed to navigating the complexities of government, identifying funding and policy opportunities, and collaborating with diverse communities to advocate for policies and funding that benefit the people of Hawaii and the U.S. Pacific Islands Region. It has been rewarding to have contributed to numerous laws, funding initiatives, and programs that have positively impacted communities.

What is the most pressing issue facing Oahu residents, and how would you address the problem?

Addressing the affordable housing crisis is the most pressing issue, requiring an all-hands-on-deck approach. This means coordination between the City Administration and Council, coordination between the City, the State, and Federal governments, and incentivizing private development.

The Honolulu City Council’s role is to approve housing development projects, including affordable housing projects, appropriate funding for affordable housing and set the City’s affordable housing, land use, and zoning policies.

I have secured over $100 million for affordable housing initiatives, supported the continuation of pilot affordable housing policies, successfully fought to increase the percentage of affordable housing units when approving permits for larger development projects, initiated specific affordable projects and City-State housing partnerships, advocated for city funding and modifications to state law to improve the Department of Planning and Permitting’s capacity, led initiatives to mitigate the expansion of the use of residential properties for commercial purposes, and moved forward changes to the City’s land use laws to substantially increase the number of housing units that can be responsibly built on residential and commercially zoned lands.

I will continue to seek untapped sources of federal funds to acquire additional properties, increase the City’s affordable housing inventory, and invest in much-needed infrastructure, one of the key barriers to housing development.

What are the best ways for Honolulu to alleviate its homelessness crisis and to increase the availability of affordable housing?

The City is making significant investments in housing vouchers and homeless services to support those experiencing homelessness. New initiatives such as the Crisis Outreach Response and Engagement (CORE) program are dedicated to assisting individuals who require intensive mental and medical care. Additionally, the City has acquired multiple properties to expand homeless services and shelters while strengthening collaboration with the State.

Ultimately, affordable housing for our local families is the key to addressing homelessness. We are committed to doing everything within our power to achieve this. In addition to allocating City funds, we are focused on increasing allowable housing density and responsibly removing barriers to private housing development.

One tangible way the City Council can address this issue is through our Land Use Ordinance. As the Chair of the Committee on Planning and the Economy, I am reviewing Bill 64 (2023) to make changes that benefit our residents, businesses, and communities. Regarding housing, we are working to pass provisions allowing residents to have one accessory dwelling and one ʻohana unit on their properties. Furthermore, we aim to permit residential housing on commercially zoned lands, increasing private housing production and enabling families to stay in their communities.

I am committed to initiating and supporting new partnerships, including collaborations with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL), to facilitate more housing production for Oahu families.

What measures, if any, should city government take to regulate short-term vacation rentals in residential neighborhoods?

The City Council recently passed Ordinance 22-7 to enforce a stricter short-term rental law that requires registration for all bed and breakfast units (B&B) and transient vacation units (TVUs). Despite a federal court’s ruling against the 90-day rental requirement, we have made significant progress, including setting annual nonconforming use certificate renewal fees for B&Bs and TVUs at $500, initial registration fees at $1,000, and imposing new requirements for hosting platforms.

I also played a crucial role in passing a resolution urging the State to phase out short-term rentals, which resulted in the state enacting a law. Moving forward, I am committed to collaborating with the City Administration to address the impacts of short-term rentals in Honolulu County. My immediate focus is enforcing the current law, ensuring all B&Bs and TVUs are registered, complying with tax obligations, and cracking down on illegal short-term rentals to address residential impacts effectively.

What reforms, if any, would you propose to make the Honolulu Police Department more transparent to the public?

While any organization always has room for improvement, HPD has done some good things to make information more readily available. For example, their website has a crime database that allows the public to see what kinds of crimes are happening where. This database is updated frequently: https://www.honolulupd.org/information/crime-mapping. HPD also posts the arrest logs daily.

I leave it to HPD to determine what information can or cannot be shared with media outlets based on privacy concerns of information transmitted. Balancing the media’s desire for more information with public safety is paramount in any discussion. I supported Resolution 24-12, which urged first responders to develop reasonable and practical access to dispatch radio. HPD needs to use its channels to become a credible source of information on public safety in Honolulu.

Do you support capping the pay of Council members and removing them from process of approving their own pay raises?

I do. Most recently, I championed Resolution 24-105, CD1, concerning Councilmember salaries. The resolution successfully passed the City Council and received approval from the Mayor on June 26. This measure makes vital amendments to the Revised City and County of Honolulu Charter. It is set to be presented as a question on the General Election ballot this November. The question will read as follows:

“Shall the Revised City Charter provisions relating to the salaries for Councilmembers be amended to cap any annual increase at no more than five percent, require that any changes be tied to the average annual salary changes of city employees in the City’s collective bargaining units, and remove the Council’s authority to vote on its raises?”

Has the city done enough to reduce the building permit backlog at the city Department of Planning and Permitting? What more could it do? Please explain.

The City Administration and the Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) continue to prioritize greater efficiency of the permitting process at DPP. As the Chair of the Planning and the Economy Committee, I have prioritized keeping the Administration’s feet to the fire to address the backlog. I have requested updates from DPP at various committee meetings and have been encouraged by their efforts to reduce the backlog. These reports have demonstrated they are getting the backlog down, but it is still a work in progress.

The City Council has also supported increased funding for DPP process improvements (Clariti/Speridian Permitting Software, Avolve ePlans Upgrade, CivCheck AI Code Review, ICC Code Reviewers, Accuity – Process Improvements, and Granicus – STR Software). I am optimistic that in six months to a year from now, we will see a significant drop in the backlog at DPP, given all the resources invested to address this issue. I am also pleased that DPP now has two Deputy Directors to help the department.

Should the city continue to use Waimanalo Gulch Landfill in Leeward Oahu or find a new location? If you favor a new location, where?

The Mayor has already committed to no landfill on the west side of Oahu moving forward. Therefore, it will take us all to find a suitable site, which will continue to be a challenge for the City given current law and justifiable Board of Water Supply concerns over locating any landfill over our aquifers. I am committed to working with the Blangiardi Administration and the City Council to look for the appropriate government or private land for a new landfill.

Do you support the continued construction of Honolulu’s rail system to Kakaako? Do you support extending the rail line to Ala Moana?

I fully support the City’s commitment to ensuring that the rail extends to Kakaʻako and Ala Moana, as long as the necessary funds can be secured for the latter. The current Executive Director of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) must remain in place. She has effectively managed the rail project, dealt with cost overruns and delays, promoted transparency, and addressed the concerns of city and federal funders. I also believe that transferring rail operations to the City’s Department of Transportation Services should happen sooner rather than later. Alongside having a competent Executive Director, this transfer can help maintain efficient and controlled operating costs, ultimately keeping the project on track.

What more needs to be done to reduce crime in Honolulu? Should more police surveillance cameras be part of that effort?

To effectively reduce crime in Honolulu, addressing the shortage of over 400 police officers is crucial. Allocating more HPD officers to patrol the streets will provide the necessary human resources to deter crime. Alongside the recent $25,000 bonus for recruits, it is imperative to heed the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers’ call for competitive incentives and benefits to retain current and retiring HPD officers. Strengthening the number of officers in HPD’s Community Policy Teams is essential as they are the frontline in our districts. While increasing surveillance cameras may play a role in crime prevention, it cannot be the sole solution.

What will be your top priority if elected?

Please see my answer on the most pressing issue. It is the same answer.

Is there anything more that you would like voters to know about you?

I have been privileged to serve as the Councilmember for District III (ʻĀhuimanu, Heʻeia, Haʻikū, Kāneʻohe, Maunawili, Kailua, Olomana, Enchanted Lake and Waimānalo) at the Honolulu City Council over the past three and a half years.

I am seeking reelection so that I can continue to effectively advocate to improve the quality of life for our Windward community and for all residents of Oahu.