Civil Beat Staff

Brittany Lyte

Brittany Lyte is a general assignment reporter for Civil Beat who specializes in watchdog reporting, narrative storytelling and coverage of neighbor island and social issues. Prior to joining the Honolulu newsroom in March 2018, Brittany lived on the north shore of °­²¹³Ü²¹Ê»¾±, where she juggled a freelance writing career. Her writing during this period appeared in publications including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Atlantic and Hana Hou! magazine. In 2021 she moved back to °­²¹³Ü²¹Ê»¾± to help expand Civil Beat’s coverage on the neighbor islands. Previously, she worked for Hearst Newspapers in Connecticut. An Upstate New York native, she has a degree in journalism from Boston University.

In a decade of reporting, Brittany has traveled to Russia, Poland and across the U.S., interviewing subjects ranging from the Dalai Lama to Ghostface Killah of the Wu-Tang Clan. Her writing has explored a similarly vast range of topics, from the plight of an accused cannibal on the run from police to an investigation into undocumented toxic waste buried beneath suburban Connecticut homes. Her series on the latter subject earned national accolades and inspired the state legislature to adopt a new real estate disclosure law to better protect homebuyers.

In pursuit of a good story, Brittany has learned to fly an M-26 Air Wolf and chased down a suspected killer while wearing heels and a silk dress.

±á²¹·É²¹¾±Ê»¾± Official Winces As LA Residents Ignore Health Risks To Survey Ruins Ku‘u Kauanoe/Civil Beat/2023

±á²¹·É²¹¾±Ê»¾± Official Winces As LA Residents Ignore Health Risks To Survey Ruins

Just like in Lahaina, residents returning to assess damage could be exposed to toxins in the ash of burned buildings and vehicles.

Recreational Use Only: Princeville Park Dispute Shutters Kaua‘i Farmers Market Courtesy: Desirea Hirani/2025

Recreational Use Only: Princeville Park Dispute Shutters Kaua‘i Farmers Market

A neighbor’s complaint triggered an investigation by the county Planning Department.

°­²¹³Ü²¹Ê»¾± Rooster Farm Stokes Cockfighting Criticism AP/2024

°­²¹³Ü²¹Ê»¾± Rooster Farm Stokes Cockfighting Criticism

A token of country life, roosters are stirring up a fraught debate over the right to raise noisy fowl and the right to a good night’s sleep in Hawai‘i. 

Too Many To Handle: Fireworks Tragedy Overwhelms ±á²¹·É²¹¾±Ê»¾±’s Medical System Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024

Too Many To Handle: Fireworks Tragedy Overwhelms ±á²¹·É²¹¾±Ê»¾±’s Medical System

More people needed specialized care for burns from the Salt Lake blast than from the Maui wildfires.

±á²¹·É²¹¾±Ê»¾±’s Physician Shortage Hits Maui Hardest Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024

±á²¹·É²¹¾±Ê»¾±’s Physician Shortage Hits Maui Hardest

Doctors were scarce before the Lahaina fire, which burned medical facilities, displaced health care workers and patients and heightened financial stress.

Low-Income Housing Project Gets A New Life On Billionaire-Owned ³¢Äå²Ô²¹Ê»¾± Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2022

Low-Income Housing Project Gets A New Life On Billionaire-Owned ³¢Äå²Ô²¹Ê»¾±

Public dollars for hefty infrastructure costs could revive a long-stalled affordable housing project on this tiny isle of 3,300 residents.

This Lahaina Family Finally Finds A House To Call Home — At Least For A While Brittany Lyte/Civil Beat/2024

This Lahaina Family Finally Finds A House To Call Home — At Least For A While

In the span of a week, the Dadez family moved from a resort condo to a pair of studio hotel rooms and then, finally, into a five-bedroom home in Napili.

Maui Planning Commission Vacancies Restrict Time Spent On Major Rental Housing Proposal Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024

Maui Planning Commission Vacancies Restrict Time Spent On Major Rental Housing Proposal

The delay in confirming new members has made it harder to make and keep quorum.

Lahaina Fire Survivors Prepare To Test Maui County’s Rules On Living In The Burn Zone (Courtesy: U‘i Kahue-Cabanting/2024)

Lahaina Fire Survivors Prepare To Test Maui County’s Rules On Living In The Burn Zone

With the trailer on a barge en route to Hawaii, two business partners plan to set up a makeshift home on the now-cleared property.