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Editor’s note: For Hawaii’s Aug. 10 Primary Election, Civil Beat asked candidates to answer some questions about where they stand on various issues and what their priorities will be if elected.

The following came from Esther Kiaaina, candidate for Honolulu City Council District 3, which includes Ahuimanu, Heeia, Haiku, Kaneohe, Maunawili, Kailua, Olomana, Enchanted Lake and Waimanalo. The other candidates are Christopher Curren, David Kauahikaua and Kelsey Nakanelua.

Go to Civil Beat’s Election Guide for general information, and check out other candidates on the Primary Election Ballot.

1. What is the biggest issue facing your district and what would you do about it?

The overcommercialization of our residential communities is a big threat in my district, whether it be the continued proliferation of illegal short-term rentals and monster homes, the enforcement of our bans on commercial activities at Windward beach parks or state efforts to increase density in residential communities.

I have fought for our district to address the overcommercialization of our residential communities by authoring a law to ban most commercial activities in Waimanalo beach parks, successfully countered an attempt to repeal the ban on commercial activities at Waimanalo and Kailua beach parks, pressed for and supported increased funding for stricter enforcement of illegal short-term rentals and monster homes and strongly opposed state efforts to allow for two accessory dwelling units and a single-family home to be built on as small as a 2,000-square-foot lot.

Although the new state law was modified, I still oppose allowing for two accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on top of a single-family home to be built on residentially zoned property.

During the City Council’s efforts to overhaul our Land Use Ordinance under Bill 64 (2023), I authored a provision to allow for one ohana unit and one accessory dwelling unit on residential properties to truly promote multi-generational housing and deter outside investors.

2. Year after year, we talk about the need to diversify the economy away from a reliance on tourism. Do you think that is even possible and if so what would you do?

I continue to support initiatives and funding for the City’s Office of Economic Revitalization to work with our private sector, the University of Hawaii and our state and federal partners to help with Oahu’s diversification efforts.

In 2021, the City Council adopted a resolution, which I sponsored, to urge the city administration to establish an Agricultural Grants Program. I also secured the necessary funds for this program to help our farmers, promote food security and diversity our economy. In 2023, $3 million in grants up to $50,000 were awarded to 66 small farmers, ranchers and growers on Oahu.

I also fully support the role of our small businesses in Hawaii’s economy, including the establishment of OER’s Oahu Business Connector Program, which connects businesses to nonprofits, government partners and support organizations so they can grow and create good jobs.

3. In Hawaii, the term affordable housing has lost its meaning. What would you do to help people buy homes or move into rental units?

Addressing the affordable housing crisis requires 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 ity’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.

4. The city wanted to eliminate short-term rentals from neighborhoods because they brought overcrowding. On the other hand a new state law sought to allow for higher density and more construction of homes on the same property which could bring more congestion to some neighborhoods. How do you balance the need for additional housing and private property rights while preserving the character of neighborhoods?

The two efforts contradict each other. I played a crucial role in passing a resolution urging the state to phase out short-term rentals, which supplemented the state’s effort to enact a law to do so. I am committed to collaborating with the city administration in light of the new law in addressing the impacts of short-term rentals in Honolulu.

My immediate focus is on cracking down on illegal short-term rentals to address residential impacts and enforcing the current city law ensuring B&Bs and TVUs are registered, complying with tax obligations and adhere to off-street parking requirements.

Most recently, I strongly opposed the state’s efforts to allow for two accessory dwelling units and a single-family home on as small as a 2,000-square-foot lot. Although the new state law was modified, I still oppose allowing for two ADUs on top of a single-family home to be built on residentially zoned property.

During the City Council’s efforts to overhaul our Land Use Ordinance under Bill 64 (2023), I authored a provision to allow for one ohana unit and one accessory dwelling unit on residential properties to truly promote multi-generational housing and deter outside investors.

5. What should be the future of the Honolulu rail project? How do you to resolve this seemingly endless drain on public money and continuing delays? Should the line continue to Ala Moana as originally planned and how will you keep operating costs under control?

I support the city’s commitment to ensuring that rail reaches Kakaako, as well as Ala Moana if the necessary funds can be secured for the latter.

To me, what is critically important is the retention of the current executive director of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation. She has been a good administrator in keeping the rail on track, addressing cost overruns and delays, providing transparency and allaying the concerns of city and federal funders.

I also support the transfer of the operations of rail to the city’s Department of Transportation Services, sooner rather than later. In addition to a competent executive director, such a transfer can potentially help in keeping operating costs more efficient, under control and the project on track.

6. Homelessness remains a problem on Oahu. What should the city be doing differently?

The city invests heavily into housing vouchers and homeless services to support homelessness. The city also started new programs such as Crisis Outreach Response and Engagement to assist those that need serious mental and other medical attention, acquired multiple properties for expanded homeless services and shelters  and substantially increased its coordination with the state.

Ultimately, the long-term solution to homelessness is housing that our local families can afford. We have to continue to do everything we can — beyond appropriating and seeking city funds, we also need to increase allowable density and responsibly eliminate hurdles to private development of additional housing units.

I am committed to getting Bill 64 (2023), which would allow construction of residential housing on commercially zoned lands and allow one accessory dwelling unit and one ohana unit on most residentially zoned lands, enacted into law so that it can contribute to increased private production of housing.

Finally, I will continue to initiate and support innovative and new partnerships, including with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to facilitate the production of more housing for Oahu families.

7. What should be done to improve policing and police accountability in Honolulu? Should oversight of the police department be strengthened or reformed?

Addressing the shortage of Honolulu police officers, which is over 400, is the most effective way to reduce crime in Honolulu. More HPD officers on the streets will help HPD have more manpower to deter crime.

In addition to the recent $25,000 bonus for new recruits, I agree with the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers that retention of current HPD officers and retiring HPD officers through competitive incentives and benefits must be part of the overall strategy.

I also believe that bolstering the number of officers assigned to HPD’s Community Policy Teams is also an effective way to deter crime as they are boots on the ground in each of our districts. Increased surveillance cameras can be part of an effort to deter crime but not the only solution.

8. Honolulu has some of the worst traffic congestion in the nation. What should the city do to alleviate congestion?

The lessons of the Covid-19 pandemic with teleworking, the efficiency and increased participation rate of attendance of online meetings and the availability of online educational courses and training programs should encourage us to see how we can encourage such policies and tools, when suitable, to decrease the amount of drivers on our roads.

I also think staggered work and school hours is worth exploring as well.

I also support the city’s Complete Streets Program which seeks to balance the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders and motorists in Honolulu. Engaging communities, while using sound data to implement safety improvements, is very important.

9. What more should Honolulu be doing to prepare for the effects of climate change, including sea level rise and threats to the reefs?

I am a strong supporter of the city’s Office of Climate, Sustainability, and Resiliency, which has completed the city’s first-ever Climate Action Plan. Implementation of such a plan will require a lot of resources, which is why I have encouraged the city administration to bolster its capacity in competing for federal discretionary grants, including under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act.

As the chair of the Planning and Economy Committee, in 2023 I helped to pass two bills into law addressing shoreline setback and special management area requirements:

Ordinance 23-23 updated the city’s shoreline setback laws in order to conform with existing state requirements by pushing development on shoreline lots further mauka from 40 feet to at least 60 feet.

Ordinance 23-4 brought the city into compliance with state law regarding Coastal Zone Management regulations, and enhanced and clarified special management area regulations at City level.

I also secured an amendment which created a policy that requires the council and relevant agency to reasonably minimize risk of development from sea level rise and other coastal hazards by siting habitable structures away from the sea level rise exposure area.

10. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to fill vacancies on the police department, the parks department and in many other city agencies. The city is struggling to provide basic services. What would you do to solve this problem and attract qualified people to fill essential services?

All city departments and their vacancy challenges are different, so a one-size-fits-all approach is impossible. However, updating antiquated job descriptions and pay scales is a no-brainer. More city internship and fellowship programs should be made available to create a pipeline of workers.

As it relates to HPD, which should be one of our highest priorities given the number of vacancies (over 400) and the importance of public safety, I support the recent $25,000 bonus for new recruits. I also think we build affordable workforce development housing for HPD and other first responders.

11. Oahu’s only municipal landfill is due to close in 2028, but the city still doesn’t know where to put the next one. What will you do address this issue?

The mayor has already committed to no landfill on the west side of Oahu moving forward. Therefore, it will take all of us 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.

12. What lessons have you learned from the Lahaina fire? What can be done to prevent devastating wildfires on Oahu?

The lessons learned from the Lahaina fire is the need for improved collaboration on fire mitigation strategies and disaster preparedness efforts across all levels of government, utilities and service providers and volunteer organizations like our Community Emergency Response Teams.

I also believe that the Lahaina fire has also confirmed what we know about being island economies. That is, given our geographical isolation, high shipping costs, cost of living and being tourism-reliant, Hawaii’s economy is extremely vulnerable due to catastrophic fires and other natural disasters. Any adverse impact of one island’s economy, in this case Maui, has an impact to Hawaii’s overall economy, including Oahu.

That is why I joined a delegation of civic, business and nonprofit leaders to Washington, D.C., last fall to meet with federal officials about the medium- and long-term economic development needs of Maui after post-disaster recovery efforts.

I believe that given the magnitude of the devastation on Maui, the high level of funding that will be coming in, and what will be needed to rebuild, that nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and the private sector will be critical to helping the governor of Hawaii, the mayor of Maui and our Hawaii congressional delegation in reconstruction and redevelopment efforts.