Really enjoying the comments on this video to start the new year in Hawaii. Busy as always, but hoping to see some positive changes in Hawaii in 2023.🤙
I’ve been on the mainland for many years now, and your videos along with a few other UA-cam folks helps to remind me of home. The islands have changed so much… sometimes for better and sometimes for worse. Living aloha was not just a catch phrase but a way of life and living, and hate hearing that it has somehow diminishing. Would love to move back home but with home prices skyrocketing into stratosphere, I couldn’t afford too. Great videos braddah and mahalo lui noa for sharing.🤙🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼
I keep writing what I know and then realizing they would have no problem killing me for just stating the obvious and I'm wondering if you were ignoring the root problem out of fear as well. I have never been to a country where the rule of law is so absent as it is here.
Thanks Chris. Not from Hawaii but always enjoy watching your channel. If you decide to run for office, my wife and I will move there and campaign for you 😂!
I definitely agree!! Even if I'm not a local I believe that Hawaii caters to tourists since it is a major part of the economy but they really need to focus on the people that live there!!
Happy New Year.. And yes, I do agree with you. On the topic of "aging parents" it is really hard. Not having things "prepared" and having to go through the paperwork for "medicade" was an eye opener for me. By the time we finished the paperwork and was able to get Mom into a long term care facility-she was there less then a year and passed away... And I agree the "ALOHA" needs to come back into EVERYONES hearts. Road rage incidents are happening more around here (Maui). People arguing about "manini" stuff and taking it to the up-teen level that turns physical. I am hoping the the 2023 brings better and brighter things for all... ALOHA...
My sons' kindergarten was in the same building as our town's senior center. The seniors loved interacting with the little ones...reading stories, helping with projects, etc....and many of the kids had grandparents who lived elsewhere and could not attend every event, so a senior was always available as a stand-in. Mutually beneficial arrangement.
The median is actually more accurate than the average when it comes to figuring out the general income in an area, because the median eliminates the outliers, see example below: Data set: $80k, $90k, $90k, $100k, $500k Median: $90k Average: $172k
But what if most of the population is earning tourism-related salaries? There are some who earn a lot, but also a lot of fixed income and low-income earners.
Interesting discussion of the things Hawaii can improve upon over the year and the future. This shows that the tropical paradise of Hawaii has its own set of unique problems as well, like we do here in California, and like we do in the greater Bay Area. It's sobering to hear it laid out so thoroughly. Hawaii to many, is still that idyllic location where people want to spend their vacations, and where many would like to move to. They don't think about the schools, the homeless, housing costs, finite land area, the cost of living in general, the congestion, the hard realities and tradeoffs of living in Hawaii that go with the lush vegetation, beautiful beaches, and ocean vistas. Lots of good discussion points in your video. Thanks for pointing it all out.
Aloha Chris! Refreshing to watch this again a few months after you posted it. We need to keep your three changes in mind during this year. #AlohaSpirit
Tough to keep building, especially on Oahu. There isn't an abundance of available land. When there are new builds they get bought up by those seeking 2nd homes for vacations, or bought by foreigners. Unfortunately we can't prohibit foreigners from buying land or homes here. More houses also equal more cars on roads, hence, more traffic and hours spent commuting.
Valid observation about the building on Oahu. No matter where or what is constructed, trying to keep it affordable and available those without existing ownership and working families in the islands comes at crossroads of those outside purchases with income or speculators, or tied up in court. Would the developers care, or will it just go to the highest bidder? Even more is built, it doesn't really address the waste management (landfill) on Oahu, water limitation on the aquifers, or the sewage treatment or traffic congestion on the island of Oahu. Building more housing doesn't address the corresponding additional problems on the existing infrastructures, especially when the income factor is limited to Hawaii's limited economy of tourism and DOD. Some blame the politics of government for being the problem, which I can't necessarily agree with. Hawaii is a limited income economy, with limited resources and a rapid population growth that managing its future comes at a price that gets more expensive the longer that it is delayed.
Aloha isn’t the only thing that has drifted a bit. We live in rural NorthCali and the mountain vibe has taken sort of a hit as well. We’ve gotta lead the way as young people to bring it all back. It will take a conscious and deliberate effort, but when people see it they will follow and the spirit will come with it. Mālama pono. 🤙🏼
On the island of Lanai, the mean income would be huge, because you would include Larry Ellison's income. But, the median would be close to what most people are making. That is an extreme case, but all of Hawaii has some really really rich people and most everyone else who just gets by. So, the medium of income is more useful than a mathematical average in looking at what most people can afford.
I think permanent residents of 10 yrs or more should get a annual rebate check in the mail. I think Alaska does that for their residents on top of any tax returns. They should be non-taxable income. A sort of State profit-sharing.
Great video, mahalo for keeping optimistic and keeping it real at the same time. It's good to see a local man have as much perspective as you do living in Hawaii. I moved away 12 years ago and have been thriving ever since. Having grown up in the 70's and 80's on Oahu I've seen the changes in ppl lacking in Aloha on every visit. The effects of Covid are far reaching and even in Austin Texas where we used to be laid back and friendly and nice, we are seeing more and more of those red light runners and general lack of thoughfulness creep into our culture too. I do agree with almost all of your points, especially about housing inventory and child care. The general lack of new housing developments and very limited affordable housing makes it very unlikely any talent will stay in Hawaii. I am curious about the even bigger issue though. Is Hawaii changing their salary caps (which were heavily influenced by IBM back in the 60s) which is about 20% less than mainland jobs? Even here in Austin, most of the companies are scrambling to maintain skilled and talented employees raising their salaries 30% to 50% more since Covid started calming down. Is any of that happening in Hawaii's job market? I know the market is different. There are only so many jobs and a lot of ppl who need work... and it IS an island. Again Mahalos for all your great videos in painting a truer picture of what life in Hawaii is like. All of us mainland migraters appreciate you especially when our co-workers question our sanity in that we left "paradise".
Mahalo for the comment. I know the minimum wage went up 20 percent, but not sure if that trickled up. I think it's hard to hire, especially as people leave Hawaii. New people who move to Hawaii can only supplement the population loss for only so long.
I loved your video! Well not on the same magnitude maybe, these are problems that are so prevalent in all of our lives. While housing is tough for me, it is manageable. However, groceries are accelerating at such a high rate that it is becoming a real challenge to feed my family. While doing my best, I still have to realize I'm raising a 14 year old grandson with an insatiable appetite. I may be able to get by with a nice bowl of ramen once a day, he cannot. Well my children are such a blessing to me and do all they can they help me, I do not want to interfere with their lives either. I have health issues which makes it a very real challenge for medical appointments. Well it is manageable today i, I don't know what the future holds. I'm pretty sure I cannot afford the type of care that I might need in the future. When my husband passed 5 years ago, his rent for a hospice facility was $18,000 a month at that time. This leaves me feeling that I can struggle by for today but I don't know if I can afford to live tomorrow. That is a very unsettling feeling. Thanks for a great video and letting me vent. Hopefully, some of these issues will truly be worked on in the near future for all!
Mahalo for the comment. Thank you for sharing your experience, especially with your health issues and concerns about costs of future care. It's going to be tough. Not sure where the help will come from, but hang in there. And I'm sure your grandson appreciates you.
Very interesting words of thought from you, I have always wanted to vacation in Hawaii and you’re video helps with a lot of insights on things to know . I will be exploring more of your videos as well as getting more information on it , thanks.
Shopping by to say hi. Recently saw you at Down to Earth while doing my weekly grocery shopping. I haven't been in Hawaii that long, but I agree with you. I don't see myself buying a home because it's out of reach financially and I am concerned about schooling for my son when he gets older. He's 3 months old.
We've been having this conversation in the UK, since I was in nappies (diapers), and I'm now 50. It's never going to happen! House prices will continue to rise, and what is happening in terms of gentrification, is happening all over the world.
Attitudes of the locals. They are resistant to any change especially for the progress of the people. Hawai’i is at least 50 years behind the mainland. I worked for the State on the Big Island. My office didn’t have mail delivery service and was without Wi-Fi only Ethernet. Even the computers were years behind as were the department’s vehicles, 20 years old.
Maybe there should be a limit to transplants buying homes. Building more would turn the islands into a concrete jungle and the culture of the native people would be hard to perpetuate. I would love to retire in Hawaii but it’s more expensive there than in Los Angeles where I’m barely making it. Pre-K should be a priority; possibly recruit stay at home moms & give them free education to teach the kids. Kapuna care. If everyone wasn’t working so many jobs it’d be a little easier but, if you got a family your own it’s that much harder. It does take a village- study the olden days - how’d they take care of each other & learn how to implement to modern times. I wish nothing but great things for the islands !
I have a travel channel and set out to visit all 50 states, but then discovered reasons to not go to Hawaii. I’m making a video now about that decision, and at the end I’m pointing people toward your channel, hope that’s okay!
While there is a lot of content on social media that discourages people from coming to Hawaii, I hope my videos don't come across like that. In fact, I'm quite the opposite. I just want people to understand and see what it's really like, for better or worse. Just don't want their expectations to be so high and romantic.
AMI is a good thing. But there is only so much land in HI. Back in the '80s, there were no high rise condominiums. I hope that HI never looks like NYC.
I haven't seen too much of people being more to themselves here on Maui but for sure it seems a little off sometimes, since the tourists came back in force it made everyone more busy but for the most part you still see local people greeting each other as if they haven't one another in years even though it's been a day
Hope is not a plan. Your local government has been dragging feet on this for a very long time your rail system is but a classic example. Here is Alaska we surveyed and built the Trans Alaska Oil Pipeline and the service road that parallels well over half of it's 800 miles, 12 pumping stations and support camps for tens of thousands of workers in harsh undeveloped wilderness with 1970s technology. That construction was 24/7 both winter and summer. Winter temperatures often were -50F and colder and mostly working in darkness during wintertime. And how many miles is your commuter rail line again?
Investors will continue to buy and short-term rent all the housing builders can supply in Hawaii. They will keep winning and locals will keep getting priced out until regulation and enforcement of short-term rentals gets serious.
Hope you don’t suggest moving more people to Waianae! It would b wise to find another location for the homeless or cheaper housing. The low income housing is filled with immigrants when Hawaii residents should b considered first choice. Being poor is never anyone’s choice.
With income data that is skewed like HI, median is the more accurate method to represent the average. Some ppl income might be 1mil/yr vs 5k/yr, that wont be able to represent through the average/mean.
My wish for Hawaii in 2023 is to see affordable housing for native hawaains who have lost their home and live in total poverty in tents and cars. More jobs with decent wages. It's so sad that people are forced to leave their homeland due to financial constraints, leaving behind their culture and roots.
Hi Chris. I'm not trying to be offensive with this comment, just for the sake of discussion and being realistic, but was wondering if you can see the hypocrisy in some statements in your video...when you point out there is not enough housing, congestion on the freeways, not enough good paying jobs, highly competitive schooling for kids, people facing a challenging life...there is one underlying reason for this: there are too many people, and yet you brought two more people into the situation you already knew existed, and they now have to deal with it all at no choice of their own. Basically, you have added to the problems you're concerned about.
Mahalo for the comment. Based on the last Census, Hawaii's population actually decreased, as it has for the last several years. So I'm not sure Hawaii has a population issue. I think it's an issue of affordability.
I love your content cause it’s all important stuff so I’m gonna piggyback on the big topic of affordable living here in Hawaii. Long term it won’t work. So many components at play but the key is the purchasing power of the US as a whole. If you have time please take a look at the ppp of the US over the last century. It’s down every year which means the average American is poorer every year. Free housing won’t fix this nor more taxes. Every time you buy something today it’s usually imported from Mexico Canada or China, which means our money is going to them. Somehow we have to increase productivity and make things that other countries want to purchase from us. Here in Hawaii our money maker is tourism but I feel like we haven’t dove in fully to that. There’s a lot of pushback for new development and ideas. All I’m saying is that there’s a lot of foreign funding that can be spent here if we offer the right things. Aloha 🤙
Honestly it’s a very big topic and prob not even worth discussing as politicians and lobbyists all have their own agendas, but when I initially moved here I spoke candidly with a mayoral candidate and we discussed polarizing topics like a casino in Waikiki. Crazy? Yes, but money has to flow here and then we’d hope and pray that the state government spends it in the right way. If the US represents anything of a free market at all, then you can’t stop gentrification. The people here just need more money in their pockets so they can gentrify it themselves
It's too expensive. Supposedly I have to make double of what I currently make here in the mainland to have the same buying power (standard of living). I go back to visit once in awhile but too expensive to go back to live.
Hawaii is a microcosm of the heavy struggles that many are enduring What is our place in the economic and social world? -That literal concrete hope of a home -The real investment in the next generation Summed up in the question: "do we care for our community?" Is that aloha?
I think it's better that Hawaiian natives get first chance at housing. They should pay cheaper prices than people coming from around the world. It is their home. They should have free land for their housing but the waiting list takes forever. If we have more settlers it means more land developed. That is not ideal.
Keiki and Kapuna care can be aided also by people planning for that eventuality. Investing in retirement and planning financially for an impending family. By not planning, many people are looking for the government to bail them out of these situations. In many instances, that leads to higher taxes and/or cutting of other programs. Here's one of mine . . . I hope that Hawaii moves away from purchasing Russian oil/gas/petroleum. As most all of the 48 contiguous U.S. doesn't rely on Russian gas, we need to move away from it because they are are proven to be an adversary, and that their war against Ukraine exposed how distant we are from the American financial market. One reflection of that was in 2022 as prices were falling on the mainland by over a dollar a gallon, they reduced by only a 1/4 of that amount.
Tough and complex topic, especially for the younger generations growing up on the islands and wanting to stay. Housing availability (rental/ownership) is tough, since it is market driven of limited availability, which is a first hurdle. The second hurdle is income/wages, which depending on occupation makes it challenging to want the first if there are a myriad of complicated barriers. Even if the first of housing is achieved, surviving the property taxes, waste management escalating costs/maintenance, transportation, crime let along raising a growing family and educated costs. The world is always changing, here as well as on the other side, it's prudent that staying or leaving is made with the same wide-open eyes as anything else, determine the pros and cons, face the challenges, and tackle them united and determined. My family and friends on the mainland all have their own share of hardships wherever they are living, putting up with their own challenges which I don't always hear about, but when I do talk with them, I know it's not always hunky dory all the time. Staying or leaving is something everyone now and before has faced, but it doesn't mean that those leaving or staying aren't depleting Hawaii Aloha. It's in the heart and if it keeps beating, it's still there.
I couldn't buy a house until I was 38 and I still needed my parents help for the down payment. My parents and my younger brother also lives with me because my pay goes to the mortgage and they help with utilities. And it was via a lottery for first time home buyers too. I was #32 on the list and the round was for 8 houses. I got the 8th and final house because everyone before me besides the 7 families that did get one, couldn't pass credit check and get loans. It is so bad in Hawaii right now.
Congrats on the house. That's a big accomplishment. I think financing could be a problem in the next couple of years, especially if people qualified under pre-2022 rates.
Have you watched finding Ohana on Netflix its like the Ghoulies but a Hawaiian adventure. Is it good because I want to know what should people do when portraying Hawaii in mythological fiction or historical fiction for culture representation .
If you take the same attitude that locals have around tourists, you would be okay with the lower income people moving off island. I mean keep the wealthy ones but say goodbye to the lower income ones. (Under 100k a year) NO I DON'T LIKE THAT IDEA. But I don't think over charging visitors is right either. It certainly doesn't show any Aloha. Great video and good talking points. Now next challenge is getting legislators to listen...good luck.
Im not from Hawaii, but something I've noticed in your videos is the governments attitude. On one hand, you speak of the hardships of being able to support a family. Then, on the other, you say by a certain date, pre K will be available to everyone.. Does anyone living there realize how expensive that is? More teachers, more healthcare costs, pensions that arent properly funded as it is now., are just a few of the big costs. Will the people be able to pay for such lofty goals? In areas of the country where local government takes on the role of provider, you get the situation you complain about in Hawaii. High housing costs, higher healthcare costs, less investment in business, poor infrastrucure, etc. Be careful what you wish for, you may just get everything you want, but won't be able to survive.
Mahalo for the comment. The funding for pre-K is already allocated for the classrooms. In terms of covering future costs, the State will have to figure out how to make that work in the confines of the budget or increase the budget, which will make the cost of living a little more expensive. Hoping they can find new ways to pay for it that don't directly affect locals.
Average will be lower than median for income because there will always be more number of lower income than the top incomes. Average can be raised by a single 10M income where median does not go up because of really high incomes.
I'd like to think to see that comparison. I don't know too many residents making $10 million. Seems like a lot of households are making way less, as evidenced by the high number of kids that qualify for free school lunch. Just an observation.
Totally feel you on the housing mkt, it's just so expensive. When your son is kindergarten age, check out HTA, I think you'll like it. I know it's a hike, but worth it.
I REALLY don't like posting remarksbut try United Methodist by Art Academy.for preschool. My son came home after 12yrs. so his daughter could grow uphere. He's a FIRM puplicschool believer. He got that from us.
I don't know that Oahu can build many more single family homes on fee simple land, since land simply isn't available. And, when a single family house is built, it won't be affordable to the average family. As you pointed out in one of your other videos, for locals to get houses, inheritance seems the most likely avenue. Oahu can only build up for sufficient and affordable homes. Then, what about parking, HOA fees, fire stations ability to fight high rise fires? I thought housing was expensive when Mililani was just being developed and homes started at $90K. Is there a ceiling to Hawaii home prices? The problem of affordable housing is hitting more and more states, but it's chronic in Hawaii. The mainland can still afford to build out and create urban sprawl. Hawaii will kill its appeal if high rises dominate the skyline....like Miami.
The thing about Hawaii is that it all goes in a loop and nothing is being done. Being Hawaii is very small smaller than San Fran it should be not difficult to manage but it is. So shame.
I've seen that history often repeats itself. Hawaii has been struggling with the same issues since statehood. I wonder if things will change in 30 years.
I suspect the income distribution is bimodal...A group of very high income earners and local residence. Is there any data on this? This would greatly skew the average (mean) income higher and basically displacing everyone making a "living wage".
Housing housing housing YES. Affordable housing. More shelters. More affordable SUD treatments programs. More programs for people who live on neighboring islands because they are suffering from lack of mental health/sud/housing assistance!!! Thanks for another great video man. :)
Another great Video, Chris! I totally agree with you on these topics. I used to think that Hawaii was far removed from the mainland and the outrageous policies and criminal activities that were happening on the mainland wouldn’t make it here. But I was wrong. A lot of people are not doing the right thing anymore. Many people are shoplifting, committing crimes and getting away with it with little or no consequences. Why is this happening? This is not a trend we want to continue seeing. I think it starts in the home and upbringing. We were always taught to do the right thing, treat others with respect and “no bring shame to the family.” Are these values still being taught to our children? Don’t know. It is up to our legislators to really care about the people of Hawaii and the country. Use a common sense approach to govern and not by political party. If it doesn’t make sense, don’t vote for it. Anyway, just wishful thinking. Thanks again for your perceptive insight!
It’s so sad that ppl have already dismissed what happened the last 2-3 yrs as if nothing happened and that it could not happen again or worse things happening in the near future. As if ppl don’t know what is going on. I don’t shame the ppl who steal esp. if it is to feed your family. When I get there next year, I will be giving hand ups where I can.
Marylee, I don’t think people are stealing to feed their family. There are many social services in Hawaii that provide free food to families who need it. The people who steal know they can take advantage of the system for their own benefit at the expense of good hardworking people. People can work. There are lots of jobs that are available but if one is lazy and doesn’t want to work and rather get free money to buy drugs or alcohol, then that is a problem.
For housing, wouldn’t it be great if someone would bring a prefab business to Oahu? And partner with government to streamline permitting and lot development? As to permitting in general, I voted for Richard Bissen for our Maui County Mayor, and luckily, he won. He already studied our permitting department and developed strategies for speeding the process, so I am hopeful for this. Also here on Maui, we have several great retirement complexes, subsidized for low income kupuna. They are very nice. As to pre K, what if parents could hui up to timeshare their own program, modeled after existing pre K? Every parent signs up for some time. Identify a small building to rent. Hire an aid. Doesn’t have to be daily. Maybe 3-4 days a week. That would give the kids good socialization, along with parental involvement. Government could partner with resources to get going.
Mahalo for sharing. I'm surprised we don't have more tiny or prefab homes. Some of them look nice. And it's great that Maui will probably find ways to speed up the permitting process. Still a work-in-progress on Oahu. 😁
I hate to say it,but Honolulu may need to start building like Hong Kong to become affordable ...building up than building out, that is, if it happens at all
3 things Oahu needs to change to improve the quality of life. #1) NOISE RESTRICTIONS on ALL VEHICLES. #2) OUTLAW all FIREWORKS Exception Chinese New Year. #3) Repeal the can RECYCLING LAW. Tourist do not want to see people digging in the trash cans. Instead use low level criminal offenders to keep the island clean. Little escape risk and a great economic deal for the city.
What drives up the cost of housing is lack of land and a very difficult permit process. When the parents die the kids will rarely elect to all live in the "family home" together. They will sell the house at market value and that will raise the price. It is very easy to be progressive in your thoughts and want to spend a lot of money to do things that sound good but the money needs to come from somewhere. Nothing is free, anything the state provides is paid for by someone. Having kids is also a choice and is a choice you make and is not the responsibility of others to give you their money so you can raise your kids, so if you want preschool you can pay for it. We already pay for their k to 12 education. Your parents are also not my responsibility to care for and support with my money as my parents are not your responsibility either. Give me a reason why my parents or I who worked hard and saved and put away enough that they and I could provide their and my own long term care should give their or I should give my savings to someone who chooses to not work and save anything?
Yea this. Liberal Hawaii is dying under their ultra communist response to Covid that did nothing but send prices sky high with mainlanders working from home, supply chain issues and printing too much money in response to Covid. Stop complying with everything Covid related or miss your islands good bye. They will just become a place filed with rich liberals, laughing at the poor natives
The system is designed to keep low income in rental units. Buy land and build a small home. I understand that permits are slow to come through. I see this scenario play out: Locals will leave Rich people will keep buying a place in 808. Hawai’i will import labor from Asia to replace locals that leave.
Theres no room on the south and sw side of the island to build. They did Kapolei and its filled up. I think they should build housing areas in the middle of the island for older people only. They dont work so they dont need to live in Honolulu. Maybe they sell their houses so younger families can move in. Theres alot of room east of the Waianae mountains. Middle of the island where nobody wants to live, too far to drive, keep it cheap so the Kapuna can afford it.
Hawaii needs more dense housing everywhere. Kapolei and Ewa Beach is sprawling with single family homes and nothing denser than a 2 story condo. Highrises near rail stations would help a ton.
This dude literally said the word free and preschool in the same sentence. Nothing in the world is free. Either your taxes go up or the market competes to solve the problem with privately owned businesses. There's no such thing as free. Wild
Thanks for the comment. If taxes are going to pay for pre-k, which will most likely be the funding mechanism, I hope that the tax revenues come from other sources besides locals. We have all of this outside money coming in from visitors and tourism. That could be a source of funding without affecting locals directly.
Housing will continue to be a forever issue, too many old NIMBYS who say in public they want housing but refuse to let developers build in their neighborhoods. Monster homes are a symptom of the bigger issue. Also the affordable housing program is bullshit too; they have low asset and income limits so if you applied yourself and worked hard, you dont qualify. If you do quality, the price of the little studio or 1 bedroom is to high that you instantly become an indentured servant to your lender forced to live on peanuts because your mortgage, utilities, HOAs, etc eat up a large amount of your budget. Hawaii will remain a playground for the old and rich, young people will only be kept here to serve them.
Aloha Chris, I’m an Airbnb user when I’m fortunate enough to visit the islands. I find them way more affordable than the resorts, but do they affect the housing market greatly. 🤙🇨🇦
Hotels in Hawaii are overpriced, and people like yourself want a different more homey experience where you can cook, come and go as you please with privacy. No need to apologize, for every buyer there is a seller, and vice versa. If people don't enjoy a destination for whatever reason, they will simply make other choices, e.g. Mexico is very inexpensive and provides a similar experience.
I was born and raised in PARADISE. my parents and grandmothers were born in PARADISE. many people want to live in PARADISE and move to PARADISE. but you have to pay to live in PARADISE... it takes a lot of kala to be a part of PARADISE. I remember my UH tuition was $113 @ semester.
Chris it’s nice to dream. The reality is this: nothing will change in Hawai’i until the attitude of the people change, unions loosen their stranglehold on their trades and costs, wages being paid are adjusted and the corruption within government ceases. I am absolutely certain about these changes as I was employed by the State and saw it first hand. The waste in government and ridiculous regulations in order to get construction projects (school remodels) completed blew my mind, if only the people knew! Things will never change until the people say that they’ve had enough, educate themselves about how the government isn’t running properly or efficiently and completely rid the state of liberal democrats in office.
Your heart is in the right place, but goes against the Golden Rule: "They who have the gold make the rules." Housing is a complex issue driven by supply, demand, and greed. The other factor is overpopulation. There are too many people competing for finite resources and the ones with the most "kala" have the advantage, they always have and always will. As for aloha, my retiree friends returned to Yokohama after spending 4 months on the East Coast. They commented that people are angry and mean, and they couldn't wait to get back to Japan. I put the blame solidly on DT and the Republicans.
What Hawaii needs is a rent control type of act or the ability to roll back to prices to 1990. A 40 yr old 3bdrm 2 bath is likely appraised over 500k. It should be in the 250-300k price range, especially if the original purchase price was 100k or less. One's greed will block any actions to control the rent/costs because no one will want to suffer a loss. If the government did not appraise the prices as high as they currently appraise them for, then maybe they can force the market back down. Just a thought, but I know no one will actually attempt it. Developers and rich people will lobby this bill so it goes no where. Rent/mortgage is the #1 expense to just about everyone's/family's expenses (unless they already own their own home), yet no one will touch this with a 10ft pole. I am a Kamaina and have moved away... I too would like to come back, but Hawaii is overpriced and getting worse. I remember paying 6-8 bucks for a plate lunch, not like 15-18 bucks now.
It's definitely getting more expensive, but not sure rent control would work. I just wish there was more housing options available, whether rentals or for sale units.
@@HelloFromHawaii That might help, but the I think the pricing of rentals/new home/condo sales would eventually outpace any wage increases and inflation. The Property tax system and Pricing in Hawaii is broken. Maybe if there were ceilings on (based on unit sizes/location) then maybe mortgage/rental prices could be forced down and banks would scrutinize/deny loans for overpriced units based on valuation guidelines. Sellers would have difficulty justifying exorbitant value increases when no additional value was put into the home besides age and would if they sell their homes would have to settle for the value based on the size/location and write off the losses on their taxes. This could also affect rentals if mortgage prices (monthly mortgage payments) were driven down, then likely the rental prices would as well... just an idea, I don't expect any politician would back this rollback of pricing. More housing options might work but where are you going to build them? Hawaii is building more condos, but the prices are getting too high for at least mean avg of households. Builders in Hawaii are looking to make X amt on a project and not necessarily maximize building the most units they can.
Hawaii needs to stop being greedy, we had to pay higher taxes over covid years. The city & government have our taxes money, beacuse they will provide more supply for shipping costs. You're missing one point, you said "we need more supplies" for housing stuff. The shipment isn't cheap to stock up the supplies, das why. Hawaii needs to renovate or update the homes, not build more new houses-enough, every home is getting an ugly and eye-sore place to live. Also I don't want to see monster housing and building tall buildings. We dont want hawaii to look like Japan or China. We wanted hawaii to be Hawaii.
I'm not sure how to cut the costs of building homes. Prices for construction supplies went up, but I heard they are staying up. If people are willing to pay, might as well keep the prices high, right?
I was looking into apartments i do agree housing is very outdated and HOA fees are insane as apartments gets older…i hope there wont be next Miami collapse happening but i wont be surprised if that happens..and property taxes are crazy too compare to suburbs in dmv…
Really enjoying the comments on this video to start the new year in Hawaii. Busy as always, but hoping to see some positive changes in Hawaii in 2023.🤙
I’ve been on the mainland for many years now, and your videos along with a few other UA-cam folks helps to remind me of home. The islands have changed so much… sometimes for better and sometimes for worse. Living aloha was not just a catch phrase but a way of life and living, and hate hearing that it has somehow diminishing. Would love to move back home but with home prices skyrocketing into stratosphere, I couldn’t afford too. Great videos braddah and mahalo lui noa for sharing.🤙🏼🤙🏼🤙🏼
Glad the videos help. Can always visit 🤙
My wish for Hawaii 2023 is lower house prices and low cost, no tax groceries. People need access to nutritious healthy food at a reasonable cost🙏
Great ideas. 🤙
I keep writing what I know and then realizing they would have no problem killing me for just stating the obvious and I'm wondering if you were ignoring the root problem out of fear as well. I have never been to a country where the rule of law is so absent as it is here.
Not gonna happen. Better chance u find something that pays more. Haha
this kind of mature + well thought out content on youtube deserves more love ❤️
Mahalo 🤙
We need to be able to defend our homes and things! STAND YOUR GROUND!
Thanks Chris. Not from Hawaii but always enjoy watching your channel. If you decide to run for office, my wife and I will move there and campaign for you 😂!
😄 Appreciate it
I definitely agree!! Even if I'm not a local I believe that Hawaii caters to tourists since it is a major part of the economy but they really need to focus on the people that live there!!
It would be nice if there was more of a balance.
Happy New Year.. And yes, I do agree with you. On the topic of "aging parents" it is really hard. Not having things "prepared" and having to go through the paperwork for "medicade" was an eye opener for me. By the time we finished the paperwork and was able to get Mom into a long term care facility-she was there less then a year and passed away... And I agree the "ALOHA" needs to come back into EVERYONES hearts. Road rage incidents are happening more around here (Maui). People arguing about "manini" stuff and taking it to the up-teen level that turns physical. I am hoping the the 2023 brings better and brighter things for all... ALOHA...
Mahalo for sharing your experience with Medicaid. It's hard to navigate. Hope there are programs that can help individuals with that.
So much for hope. Regardless, hope you survived the fires😭
Thank you for another good video. These issues really need to be addressed and there is no one simple solution. Happy 2023!
My sons' kindergarten was in the same building as our town's senior center. The seniors loved interacting with the little ones...reading stories, helping with projects, etc....and many of the kids had grandparents who lived elsewhere and could not attend every event, so a senior was always available as a stand-in. Mutually beneficial arrangement.
Great idea. Would be nice to bring the generations together like that.
That’s great!!!
It makes children smarter & grandparents live longer.
The median is actually more accurate than the average when it comes to figuring out the general income in an area, because the median eliminates the outliers, see example below:
Data set: $80k, $90k, $90k, $100k, $500k
Median: $90k
Average: $172k
But what if most of the population is earning tourism-related salaries? There are some who earn a lot, but also a lot of fixed income and low-income earners.
Interesting discussion of the things Hawaii can improve upon over the year and the future. This shows that the tropical paradise of Hawaii has its own set of unique problems as well, like we do here in California, and like we do in the greater Bay Area. It's sobering to hear it laid out so thoroughly. Hawaii to many, is still that idyllic location where people want to spend their vacations, and where many would like to move to. They don't think about the schools, the homeless, housing costs, finite land area, the cost of living in general, the congestion, the hard realities and tradeoffs of living in Hawaii that go with the lush vegetation, beautiful beaches, and ocean vistas. Lots of good discussion points in your video. Thanks for pointing it all out.
Great point. Most people don't think about the real life issues. Not as trendy as waterfalls and beaches on social media. 😆
Aloha Chris! Refreshing to watch this again a few months after you posted it. We need to keep your three changes in mind during this year. #AlohaSpirit
Aloha and mahalo. I do enjoy hearing things from your prospective that you share. Enlightening and profound.
Tough to keep building, especially on Oahu. There isn't an abundance of available land. When there are new builds they get bought up by those seeking 2nd homes for vacations, or bought by foreigners. Unfortunately we can't prohibit foreigners from buying land or homes here. More houses also equal more cars on roads, hence, more traffic and hours spent commuting.
Valid observation about the building on Oahu. No matter where or what is constructed, trying to keep it affordable and available those without existing ownership and working families in the islands comes at crossroads of those outside purchases with income or speculators, or tied up in court. Would the developers care, or will it just go to the highest bidder? Even more is built, it doesn't really address the waste management (landfill) on Oahu, water limitation on the aquifers, or the sewage treatment or traffic congestion on the island of Oahu. Building more housing doesn't address the corresponding additional problems on the existing infrastructures, especially when the income factor is limited to Hawaii's limited economy of tourism and DOD. Some blame the politics of government for being the problem, which I can't necessarily agree with. Hawaii is a limited income economy, with limited resources and a rapid population growth that managing its future comes at a price that gets more expensive the longer that it is delayed.
I think there is still opportunity to build on Oahu. Around the rail stations would be a good place to start.
Here's to a better 2023 in Hawaii. My son has really benefited from preschool, best of luck finding a good one for your son.
Good to know. We're hoping he gets in this year.
Aloha isn’t the only thing that has drifted a bit. We live in rural NorthCali and the mountain vibe has taken sort of a hit as well. We’ve gotta lead the way as young people to bring it all back. It will take a conscious and deliberate effort, but when people see it they will follow and the spirit will come with it. Mālama pono. 🤙🏼
Mahalo for sharing 🤙
I’m with you regarding more real estate being available for regular local people to purchase…and live in.
🤙
Aloha. Great humble rant. Couldn’t agree anymore. Mahalo for always providing great content.
Mahalo 🤙
On the island of Lanai, the mean income would be huge, because you would include Larry Ellison's income. But, the median would be close to what most people are making. That is an extreme case, but all of Hawaii has some really really rich people and most everyone else who just gets by. So, the medium of income is more useful than a mathematical average in looking at what most people can afford.
Mahalo for the comment. I wish there was a study on this because I'm curious.
I think permanent residents of 10 yrs or more should get a annual rebate check in the mail. I think Alaska does that for their residents on top of any tax returns. They should be non-taxable income. A sort of State profit-sharing.
Interesting idea. That would be nice.
Great video, mahalo for keeping optimistic and keeping it real at the same time. It's good to see a local man have as much perspective as you do living in Hawaii. I moved away 12 years ago and have been thriving ever since. Having grown up in the 70's and 80's on Oahu I've seen the changes in ppl lacking in Aloha on every visit. The effects of Covid are far reaching and even in Austin Texas where we used to be laid back and friendly and nice, we are seeing more and more of those red light runners and general lack of thoughfulness creep into our culture too. I do agree with almost all of your points, especially about housing inventory and child care. The general lack of new housing developments and very limited affordable housing makes it very unlikely any talent will stay in Hawaii. I am curious about the even bigger issue though. Is Hawaii changing their salary caps (which were heavily influenced by IBM back in the 60s) which is about 20% less than mainland jobs? Even here in Austin, most of the companies are scrambling to maintain skilled and talented employees raising their salaries 30% to 50% more since Covid started calming down. Is any of that happening in Hawaii's job market? I know the market is different. There are only so many jobs and a lot of ppl who need work... and it IS an island. Again Mahalos for all your great videos in painting a truer picture of what life in Hawaii is like. All of us mainland migraters appreciate you especially when our co-workers question our sanity in that we left "paradise".
Mahalo for the comment. I know the minimum wage went up 20 percent, but not sure if that trickled up. I think it's hard to hire, especially as people leave Hawaii. New people who move to Hawaii can only supplement the population loss for only so long.
I loved your video! Well not on the same magnitude maybe, these are problems that are so prevalent in all of our lives. While housing is tough for me, it is manageable. However, groceries are accelerating at such a high rate that it is becoming a real challenge to feed my family. While doing my best, I still have to realize I'm raising a 14 year old grandson with an insatiable appetite. I may be able to get by with a nice bowl of ramen once a day, he cannot. Well my children are such a blessing to me and do all they can they help me, I do not want to interfere with their lives either. I have health issues which makes it a very real challenge for medical appointments. Well it is manageable today i, I don't know what the future holds. I'm pretty sure I cannot afford the type of care that I might need in the future. When my husband passed 5 years ago, his rent for a hospice facility was $18,000 a month at that time. This leaves me feeling that I can struggle by for today but I don't know if I can afford to live tomorrow. That is a very unsettling feeling. Thanks for a great video and letting me vent. Hopefully, some of these issues will truly be worked on in the near future for all!
Mahalo for the comment. Thank you for sharing your experience, especially with your health issues and concerns about costs of future care. It's going to be tough. Not sure where the help will come from, but hang in there. And I'm sure your grandson appreciates you.
Very interesting words of thought from you, I have always wanted to vacation in Hawaii and you’re video helps with a lot of insights on things to know . I will be exploring more of your videos as well as getting more information on it , thanks.
Shopping by to say hi. Recently saw you at Down to Earth while doing my weekly grocery shopping. I haven't been in Hawaii that long, but I agree with you. I don't see myself buying a home because it's out of reach financially and I am concerned about schooling for my son when he gets older. He's 3 months old.
Mahalo for the comment. We stop by Down to Earth every so often. Great local market 😁
We've been having this conversation in the UK, since I was in nappies (diapers), and I'm now 50. It's never going to happen! House prices will continue to rise, and what is happening in terms of gentrification, is happening all over the world.
Attitudes of the locals. They are resistant to any change especially for the progress of the people. Hawai’i is at least 50 years behind the mainland. I worked for the State on the Big Island. My office didn’t have mail delivery service and was without Wi-Fi only Ethernet. Even the computers were years behind as were the department’s vehicles, 20 years old.
Maybe there should be a limit to transplants buying homes. Building more would turn the islands into a concrete jungle and the culture of the native people would be hard to perpetuate. I would love to retire in Hawaii but it’s more expensive there than in Los Angeles where I’m barely making it. Pre-K should be a priority; possibly recruit stay at home moms & give them free education to teach the kids. Kapuna care. If everyone wasn’t working so many jobs it’d be a little easier but, if you got a family your own it’s that much harder. It does take a village- study the olden days - how’d they take care of each other & learn how to implement to modern times. I wish nothing but great things for the islands !
Coming in 2 weeks. It’s been 3 years since I was there, very anxious to see how different things are. Hopefully I’m not disappointed.
Hope you have a great time. You might be a little surprised.
Thanks for the tips I moved to Oahu in January 2023.
Good luck!
I have a travel channel and set out to visit all 50 states, but then discovered reasons to not go to Hawaii. I’m making a video now about that decision, and at the end I’m pointing people toward your channel, hope that’s okay!
While there is a lot of content on social media that discourages people from coming to Hawaii, I hope my videos don't come across like that. In fact, I'm quite the opposite. I just want people to understand and see what it's really like, for better or worse. Just don't want their expectations to be so high and romantic.
AMI is a good thing. But there is only so much land in HI. Back in the '80s, there were no high rise condominiums. I hope that HI never looks like NYC.
I share all your wishes hopes & wants ... Will include in my prayers ❤
Mahalo. Appreciate it 🤙
Typically for income median is the best way to measure income because the Uber rich people will heavily skew the scale upward, just a thought!
I haven't seen too much of people being more to themselves here on Maui but for sure it seems a little off sometimes, since the tourists came back in force it made everyone more busy but for the most part you still see local people greeting each other as if they haven't one another in years even though it's been a day
Glad to hear
Hope is not a plan. Your local government has been dragging feet on this for a very long time your rail system is but a classic example. Here is Alaska we surveyed and built the Trans Alaska Oil Pipeline and the service road that parallels well over half of it's 800 miles, 12 pumping stations and support camps for tens of thousands of workers in harsh undeveloped wilderness with 1970s technology. That construction was 24/7 both winter and summer. Winter temperatures often were -50F and colder and mostly working in darkness during wintertime. And how many miles is your commuter rail line again?
Spot on! Great sharing. Thanks so much for addressing this!
Thanks for watching!
Investors will continue to buy and short-term rent all the housing builders can supply in Hawaii. They will keep winning and locals will keep getting priced out until regulation and enforcement of short-term rentals gets serious.
Thank you. You are so kind. Your words are wise. You are a good and positive force for change.
Mahalo 🤙
Hope you don’t suggest moving more people to Waianae! It would b wise to find another location for the homeless or cheaper housing. The low income housing is filled with immigrants when Hawaii residents should b considered first choice. Being poor is never anyone’s choice.
There are a lot of places on Oahu that could have denser housing. East side? 😀
With income data that is skewed like HI, median is the more accurate method to represent the average. Some ppl income might be 1mil/yr vs 5k/yr, that wont be able to represent through the average/mean.
My wish for Hawaii in 2023 is to see affordable housing for native hawaains who have lost their home and live in total poverty in tents and cars. More jobs with decent wages. It's so sad that people are forced to leave their homeland due to financial constraints, leaving behind their culture and roots.
Hi Chris. I'm not trying to be offensive with this comment, just for the sake of discussion and being realistic, but was wondering if you can see the hypocrisy in some statements in your video...when you point out there is not enough housing, congestion on the freeways, not enough good paying jobs, highly competitive schooling for kids, people facing a challenging life...there is one underlying reason for this: there are too many people, and yet you brought two more people into the situation you already knew existed, and they now have to deal with it all at no choice of their own.
Basically, you have added to the problems you're concerned about.
Mahalo for the comment. Based on the last Census, Hawaii's population actually decreased, as it has for the last several years. So I'm not sure Hawaii has a population issue. I think it's an issue of affordability.
@@HelloFromHawaii smh
I've loves your wishes for all Hawaiian.
I love your content cause it’s all important stuff so I’m gonna piggyback on the big topic of affordable living here in Hawaii.
Long term it won’t work. So many components at play but the key is the purchasing power of the US as a whole. If you have time please take a look at the ppp of the US over the last century. It’s down every year which means the average American is poorer every year. Free housing won’t fix this nor more taxes. Every time you buy something today it’s usually imported from Mexico Canada or China, which means our money is going to them. Somehow we have to increase productivity and make things that other countries want to purchase from us.
Here in Hawaii our money maker is tourism but I feel like we haven’t dove in fully to that. There’s a lot of pushback for new development and ideas. All I’m saying is that there’s a lot of foreign funding that can be spent here if we offer the right things.
Aloha 🤙
Mahalo for the comment. What are some ways you think Hawaii can further dive into tourism?
Honestly it’s a very big topic and prob not even worth discussing as politicians and lobbyists all have their own agendas, but when I initially moved here I spoke candidly with a mayoral candidate and we discussed polarizing topics like a casino in Waikiki. Crazy? Yes, but money has to flow here and then we’d hope and pray that the state government spends it in the right way. If the US represents anything of a free market at all, then you can’t stop gentrification. The people here just need more money in their pockets so they can gentrify it themselves
It's too expensive. Supposedly I have to make double of what I currently make here in the mainland to have the same buying power (standard of living). I go back to visit once in awhile but too expensive to go back to live.
Hawaii is a microcosm of the heavy struggles that many are enduring
What is our place in the economic and social world?
-That literal concrete hope of a home
-The real investment in the next generation
Summed up in the question: "do we care for our community?" Is that aloha?
I think it's better that Hawaiian natives get first chance at housing. They should pay cheaper prices than people coming from around the world. It is their home. They should have free land for their housing but the waiting list takes forever. If we have more settlers it means more land developed. That is not ideal.
There are opportunities for locals first, but residency is hard to determine.
Yeah our xmas party was 3 years ago. Never seen them. Lol. Those that had kids, they got big during that time.
Keiki and Kapuna care can be aided also by people planning for that eventuality. Investing in retirement and planning financially for an impending family. By not planning, many people are looking for the government to bail them out of these situations. In many instances, that leads to higher taxes and/or cutting of other programs.
Here's one of mine . . . I hope that Hawaii moves away from purchasing Russian oil/gas/petroleum. As most all of the 48 contiguous U.S. doesn't rely on Russian gas, we need to move away from it because they are are proven to be an adversary, and that their war against Ukraine exposed how distant we are from the American financial market. One reflection of that was in 2022 as prices were falling on the mainland by over a dollar a gallon, they reduced by only a 1/4 of that amount.
Tough and complex topic, especially for the younger generations growing up on the islands and wanting to stay. Housing availability (rental/ownership) is tough, since it is market driven of limited availability, which is a first hurdle. The second hurdle is income/wages, which depending on occupation makes it challenging to want the first if there are a myriad of complicated barriers. Even if the first of housing is achieved, surviving the property taxes, waste management escalating costs/maintenance, transportation, crime let along raising a growing family and educated costs.
The world is always changing, here as well as on the other side, it's prudent that staying or leaving is made with the same wide-open eyes as anything else, determine the pros and cons, face the challenges, and tackle them united and determined. My family and friends on the mainland all have their own share of hardships wherever they are living, putting up with their own challenges which I don't always hear about, but when I do talk with them, I know it's not always hunky dory all the time. Staying or leaving is something everyone now and before has faced, but it doesn't mean that those leaving or staying aren't depleting Hawaii Aloha. It's in the heart and if it keeps beating, it's still there.
Great point that there are hardships everywhere.
I couldn't buy a house until I was 38 and I still needed my parents help for the down payment. My parents and my younger brother also lives with me because my pay goes to the mortgage and they help with utilities. And it was via a lottery for first time home buyers too. I was #32 on the list and the round was for 8 houses. I got the 8th and final house because everyone before me besides the 7 families that did get one, couldn't pass credit check and get loans. It is so bad in Hawaii right now.
Congrats on the house. That's a big accomplishment. I think financing could be a problem in the next couple of years, especially if people qualified under pre-2022 rates.
@@HelloFromHawaii I really want to go back to school I grew up in Houston Tx and I went to Different community colleges how are the schools there?
@@HelloFromHawaii I want to transfer to the University of Hawaii.
Well said we need a reset in the economics and cost of living in Hawaii
Have you watched finding Ohana on Netflix its like the Ghoulies but a Hawaiian adventure. Is it good because I want to know what should people do when portraying Hawaii in mythological fiction or historical fiction for culture representation .
If you take the same attitude that locals have around tourists, you would be okay with the lower income people moving off island. I mean keep the wealthy ones but say goodbye to the lower income ones. (Under 100k a year) NO I DON'T LIKE THAT IDEA. But I don't think over charging visitors is right either. It certainly doesn't show any Aloha.
Great video and good talking points. Now next challenge is getting legislators to listen...good luck.
😆 We'll see
Im not from Hawaii, but something I've noticed in your videos is the governments attitude.
On one hand, you speak of the hardships of being able to support a family. Then, on the other, you say by a certain date, pre K will be available to everyone..
Does anyone living there realize how expensive that is? More teachers, more healthcare costs, pensions that arent properly funded as it is now., are just a few of the big costs. Will the people be able to pay for such lofty goals? In areas of the country where local government takes on the role of provider, you get the situation you complain about in Hawaii. High housing costs, higher healthcare costs, less investment in business, poor infrastrucure, etc.
Be careful what you wish for, you may just get everything you want, but won't be able to survive.
Mahalo for the comment. The funding for pre-K is already allocated for the classrooms. In terms of covering future costs, the State will have to figure out how to make that work in the confines of the budget or increase the budget, which will make the cost of living a little more expensive. Hoping they can find new ways to pay for it that don't directly affect locals.
@Hello From Hawaii government isnt creative spenders. It's.not their money. They just take more. They always find new ways to take in more.
Average will be lower than median for income because there will always be more number of lower income than the top incomes. Average can be raised by a single 10M income where median does not go up because of really high incomes.
I'd like to think to see that comparison. I don't know too many residents making $10 million. Seems like a lot of households are making way less, as evidenced by the high number of kids that qualify for free school lunch. Just an observation.
Kee p up the good work 👍
Totally feel you on the housing mkt, it's just so expensive. When your son is kindergarten age, check out HTA, I think you'll like it. I know it's a hike, but worth it.
Thanks for the recommendation. Looks like a great school.
I REALLY don't like posting remarksbut try United Methodist by Art Academy.for preschool. My son came home after 12yrs. so his daughter could grow uphere. He's a FIRM puplicschool believer. He got that from us.
I don't know that Oahu can build many more single family homes on fee simple land, since land simply isn't available. And, when a single family house is built, it won't be affordable to the average family. As you pointed out in one of your other videos, for locals to get houses, inheritance seems the most likely avenue.
Oahu can only build up for sufficient and affordable homes. Then, what about parking, HOA fees, fire stations ability to fight high rise fires? I thought housing was expensive when Mililani was just being developed and homes started at $90K. Is there a ceiling to Hawaii home prices?
The problem of affordable housing is hitting more and more states, but it's chronic in Hawaii. The mainland can still afford to build out and create urban sprawl. Hawaii will kill its appeal if high rises dominate the skyline....like Miami.
It's going to be tough on Oahu. I think we need to start building up and dense.
The process and the wait for DPP approval are ridiculous.
Yeah, hopefully they can streamline the process.
The thing about Hawaii is that it all goes in a loop and nothing is being done. Being Hawaii is very small smaller than San Fran it should be not difficult to manage but it is. So shame.
I've seen that history often repeats itself. Hawaii has been struggling with the same issues since statehood. I wonder if things will change in 30 years.
More affordable houses for low income
I mean low income .
Prices are insane .,
Mahalo for sharing . Love your videos
🤙
Pre-K is not free. Everyone should pay for it. Sometimes fairness is not fair.
I suspect the income distribution is bimodal...A group of very high income earners and local residence. Is there any data on this? This would greatly skew the average (mean) income higher and basically displacing everyone making a "living wage".
I wish there was more data on this. The data and what I see doesn't seem to add up. Maybe just my limited perspective.
Housing housing housing YES. Affordable housing. More shelters. More affordable SUD treatments programs. More programs for people who live on neighboring islands because they are suffering from lack of mental health/sud/housing assistance!!!
Thanks for another great video man. :)
Yeah, we need more housing. And quickly.
Another great Video, Chris! I totally agree with you on these topics. I used to think that Hawaii was far removed from the mainland and the outrageous policies and criminal activities that were happening on the mainland wouldn’t make it here. But I was wrong. A lot of people are not doing the right thing anymore. Many people are shoplifting, committing crimes and getting away with it with little or no consequences. Why is this happening? This is not a trend we want to continue seeing. I think it starts in the home and upbringing. We were always taught to do the right thing, treat others with respect and “no bring shame to the family.” Are these values still being taught to our children? Don’t know.
It is up to our legislators to really care about the people of Hawaii and the country. Use a common sense approach to govern and not by political party. If it doesn’t make sense, don’t vote for it. Anyway, just wishful thinking. Thanks again for your perceptive insight!
Mahalo for the comment. It's sad to see some of those things happening. The values may be changing, but I hope the aloha spirit doesn't fade.
It’s so sad that ppl have already dismissed what happened the last 2-3 yrs as if nothing happened and that it could not happen again or worse things happening in the near future. As if ppl don’t know what is going on. I don’t shame the ppl who steal esp. if it is to feed your family. When I get there next year, I will be giving hand ups where I can.
Marylee, I don’t think people are stealing to feed their family. There are many social services in Hawaii that provide free food to families who need it. The people who steal know they can take advantage of the system for their own benefit at the expense of good hardworking people. People can work. There are lots of jobs that are available but if one is lazy and doesn’t want to work and rather get free money to buy drugs or alcohol, then that is a problem.
For housing, wouldn’t it be great if someone would bring a prefab business to Oahu? And partner with government to streamline permitting and lot development? As to permitting in general, I voted for Richard Bissen for our Maui County Mayor, and luckily, he won. He already studied our permitting department and developed strategies for speeding the process, so I am hopeful for this. Also here on Maui, we have several great retirement complexes, subsidized for low income kupuna. They are very nice. As to pre K, what if parents could hui up to timeshare their own program, modeled after existing pre K? Every parent signs up for some time. Identify a small building to rent. Hire an aid. Doesn’t have to be daily. Maybe 3-4 days a week. That would give the kids good socialization, along with parental involvement. Government could partner with resources to get going.
Mahalo for sharing. I'm surprised we don't have more tiny or prefab homes. Some of them look nice. And it's great that Maui will probably find ways to speed up the permitting process. Still a work-in-progress on Oahu. 😁
There never too much Zippy’s Korean Chicken! Still waiting for them to bring back the turkey neck soup!
😆
Hereʻs to improving 🤙
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I was looking to buy in Oahu but the cost of living just isn't a very responsible stewardship of money.
There are ways to save money, but it's tough to buy right now.
I hate to say it,but Honolulu may need to start building like Hong Kong to become affordable ...building up than building out, that is, if it happens at all
There have been ideas similar to Singapore. Dense and high.
3 things Oahu needs to change to improve the quality of life. #1) NOISE RESTRICTIONS on ALL VEHICLES. #2) OUTLAW all FIREWORKS Exception Chinese New Year. #3) Repeal the can RECYCLING LAW. Tourist do not want to see people digging in the trash cans. Instead use low level criminal offenders to keep the island clean. Little escape risk and a great economic deal for the city.
Interesting suggestion about the recycling program. Maybe a topic for another video. 🤙
HI is never becoming affordable for housing same as here in CA. You're best bet is to save and move out.
What drives up the cost of housing is lack of land and a very difficult permit process. When the parents die the kids will rarely elect to all live in the "family home" together. They will sell the house at market value and that will raise the price. It is very easy to be progressive in your thoughts and want to spend a lot of money to do things that sound good but the money needs to come from somewhere. Nothing is free, anything the state provides is paid for by someone. Having kids is also a choice and is a choice you make and is not the responsibility of others to give you their money so you can raise your kids, so if you want preschool you can pay for it. We already pay for their k to 12 education. Your parents are also not my responsibility to care for and support with my money as my parents are not your responsibility either. Give me a reason why my parents or I who worked hard and saved and put away enough that they and I could provide their and my own long term care should give their or I should give my savings to someone who chooses to not work and save anything?
Back to pre-Covid prices for tourists. Hawai'i is mostly only getting the upper scum now.
Yea this. Liberal Hawaii is dying under their ultra communist response to Covid that did nothing but send prices sky high with mainlanders working from home, supply chain issues and printing too much money in response to Covid. Stop complying with everything Covid related or miss your islands good bye. They will just become a place filed with rich liberals, laughing at the poor natives
It's getting pretty expensive. Those food prices 😯
The system is designed to keep low income in rental units.
Buy land and build a small home. I understand that permits are slow to come through.
I see this scenario play out:
Locals will leave
Rich people will keep buying a place in 808.
Hawai’i will import labor from Asia to replace locals that leave.
Hope it never comes to importing labor. Would be sad to see that many locals move away.
Theres no room on the south and sw side of the island to build. They did Kapolei and its filled up. I think they should build housing areas in the middle of the island for older people only. They dont work so they dont need to live in Honolulu. Maybe they sell their houses so younger families can move in. Theres alot of room east of the Waianae mountains. Middle of the island where nobody wants to live, too far to drive, keep it cheap so the Kapuna can afford it.
Mahalo for the comment. Interesting idea. I still think there is room in Kapolei. Just need to start building up and dense.
Hawaii needs more dense housing everywhere. Kapolei and Ewa Beach is sprawling with single family homes and nothing denser than a 2 story condo. Highrises near rail stations would help a ton.
Agree. Hopefully they start building around those rail stations soon.
Why hasn’t the state done cheaper housing for the locals and natives?
There are some opportunities, but even then, it's still expensive.
This dude literally said the word free and preschool in the same sentence. Nothing in the world is free. Either your taxes go up or the market competes to solve the problem with privately owned businesses. There's no such thing as free. Wild
Thanks for the comment. If taxes are going to pay for pre-k, which will most likely be the funding mechanism, I hope that the tax revenues come from other sources besides locals. We have all of this outside money coming in from visitors and tourism. That could be a source of funding without affecting locals directly.
Other focus areas ... homelessness, crime, educational reform.
Housing will continue to be a forever issue, too many old NIMBYS who say in public they want housing but refuse to let developers build in their neighborhoods. Monster homes are a symptom of the bigger issue. Also the affordable housing program is bullshit too; they have low asset and income limits so if you applied yourself and worked hard, you dont qualify. If you do quality, the price of the little studio or 1 bedroom is to high that you instantly become an indentured servant to your lender forced to live on peanuts because your mortgage, utilities, HOAs, etc eat up a large amount of your budget. Hawaii will remain a playground for the old and rich, young people will only be kept here to serve them.
Holy smokes… 1,100 for preschool??? And that’s cheap? Hopefully there is a solution soon!
Yeah, we've been looking around and it's about $1500 a month.
Aloha Chris, I’m an Airbnb user when I’m fortunate enough to visit the islands. I find them way more affordable than the resorts, but do they affect the housing market greatly. 🤙🇨🇦
Hotels in Hawaii are overpriced, and people like yourself want a different more homey experience where you can cook, come and go as you please with privacy. No need to apologize, for every buyer there is a seller, and vice versa. If people don't enjoy a destination for whatever reason, they will simply make other choices, e.g. Mexico is very inexpensive and provides a similar experience.
I was born and raised in PARADISE.
my parents and grandmothers were born in PARADISE.
many people want to live in PARADISE and move to PARADISE.
but you have to pay to live in PARADISE...
it takes a lot of kala to be a part of PARADISE.
I remember my UH tuition was $113 @ semester.
Hawaiians really looove going to Vegas, don’t they?
Chris it’s nice to dream. The reality is this: nothing will change in Hawai’i until the attitude of the people change, unions loosen their stranglehold on their trades and costs, wages being paid are adjusted and the corruption within government ceases. I am absolutely certain about these changes as I was employed by the State and saw it first hand. The waste in government and ridiculous regulations in order to get construction projects (school remodels) completed blew my mind, if only the people knew! Things will never change until the people say that they’ve had enough, educate themselves about how the government isn’t running properly or efficiently and completely rid the state of liberal democrats in office.
I appreciate the comment. I wonder what it will take to get people to do something about these issues.
Your heart is in the right place, but goes against the Golden Rule: "They who have the gold make the rules." Housing is a complex issue driven by supply, demand, and greed. The other factor is overpopulation. There are too many people competing for finite resources and the ones with the most "kala" have the advantage, they always have and always will.
As for aloha, my retiree friends returned to Yokohama after spending 4 months on the East Coast. They commented that people are angry and mean, and they couldn't wait to get back to Japan. I put the blame solidly on DT and the Republicans.
Japan was nice. Enjoyed our time there. Not sure I'd want to go back, but I'm sure very pleasant compared to other parts of the US.
Heard that eggs are going for 12 to 14 dollars in hawaii..insane
Haven't seen them that high yet
What Hawaii needs is a rent control type of act or the ability to roll back to prices to 1990. A 40 yr old 3bdrm 2 bath is likely appraised over 500k. It should be in the 250-300k price range, especially if the original purchase price was 100k or less. One's greed will block any actions to control the rent/costs because no one will want to suffer a loss. If the government did not appraise the prices as high as they currently appraise them for, then maybe they can force the market back down. Just a thought, but I know no one will actually attempt it. Developers and rich people will lobby this bill so it goes no where. Rent/mortgage is the #1 expense to just about everyone's/family's expenses (unless they already own their own home), yet no one will touch this with a 10ft pole. I am a Kamaina and have moved away... I too would like to come back, but Hawaii is overpriced and getting worse. I remember paying 6-8 bucks for a plate lunch, not like 15-18 bucks now.
It's definitely getting more expensive, but not sure rent control would work. I just wish there was more housing options available, whether rentals or for sale units.
@@HelloFromHawaii That might help, but the I think the pricing of rentals/new home/condo sales would eventually outpace any wage increases and inflation. The Property tax system and Pricing in Hawaii is broken. Maybe if there were ceilings on (based on unit sizes/location) then maybe mortgage/rental prices could be forced down and banks would scrutinize/deny loans for overpriced units based on valuation guidelines. Sellers would have difficulty justifying exorbitant value increases when no additional value was put into the home besides age and would if they sell their homes would have to settle for the value based on the size/location and write off the losses on their taxes. This could also affect rentals if mortgage prices (monthly mortgage payments) were driven down, then likely the rental prices would as well... just an idea, I don't expect any politician would back this rollback of pricing. More housing options might work but where are you going to build them? Hawaii is building more condos, but the prices are getting too high for at least mean avg of households. Builders in Hawaii are looking to make X amt on a project and not necessarily maximize building the most units they can.
Get rid of all the gold courses and build more affordable housing.Golf courses are a waste of land, energy, and resources for a little ball.
Median Income: Elon walks into a bar, everyone in the bar becomes a billionaire.
lol
YES!!! 🌺🌈🤙
🤙
That link and that Facebook group is for tiny houses I'm tired of you coming up with excuses you're talkin about me and Roy are getting it done
Red light running, road rage, karen, entitled behavior has taken over everywhere 😢
Hawaii needs to stop being greedy, we had to pay higher taxes over covid years. The city & government have our taxes money, beacuse they will provide more supply for shipping costs. You're missing one point, you said "we need more supplies" for housing stuff. The shipment isn't cheap to stock up the supplies, das why. Hawaii needs to renovate or update the homes, not build more new houses-enough, every home is getting an ugly and eye-sore place to live. Also I don't want to see monster housing and building tall buildings. We dont want hawaii to look like Japan or China. We wanted hawaii to be Hawaii.
I'm not sure how to cut the costs of building homes. Prices for construction supplies went up, but I heard they are staying up. If people are willing to pay, might as well keep the prices high, right?
I was looking into apartments i do agree housing is very outdated and HOA fees are insane as apartments gets older…i hope there wont be next Miami collapse happening but i wont be surprised if that happens..and property taxes are crazy too compare to suburbs in dmv…
Yeah, the HOA fees are high in some buildings. Almost as high as the mortgage.
Less democrats
It is disgusting that these Transplants have made it IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE HAWAIIAN PEOPLE TO LIVE IN THEIR OWN LAND!