Cost of Living

... inflation means you’re not making any more money, but you’re being taxed a lot more for the money that you’re making ....

... Starting in 2023, buildings 100,000 square feet and larger were required to begin annually reporting their utility data to the City. By June 30, 2024, buildings 50,000 square feet and larger must report, followed by buildings 25,000 square feet and larger by June 30, 2025 ....

... Green assigns the BBB’s duties to the Hawai‘i Housing Finance and Development Corporation (HHFDC), which will review developer applications for eligibility and process fee waiver exemptions ....

... good housing bills, awful tax bills at Legislature ....

... Hawaii ranks last with an adjusted after-tax income per capita of only $47,894 ....

... ‘What will it cost, and at what price in terms of reliability?’ ....

... On Thursday, February 8, the House Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce will take up three measures aimed at reducing the financial burden for Hawaiʻi's residents ....

“...We get used to the low level of economic freedom here in Hawaii, but we don’t realize that that’s the reason our children are leaving...."

"... The estimated impact on a typical monthly bill for a residential customer using 500 kilowatt hours will be $0.17 on Oahu, $0.47 on Hawaii Island and $0.39 in Maui County ...."

... Have a day job?  You are sooo screwed ....

... reduce housing regulations, support reform of the federal Jones Act and cut taxes ....

... the minimum lot size on Maui of 6,000 square feet incentivizes the construction of large homes rather than smaller, more affordable ones ....

... In the 2023 legislative session, that legislation was amended beyond recognition in both the House and Senate ....

... the report presents “aggressive scenarios of emission-reduction targets that will be incredibly challenging" ....

 ... road quality ranks 49th ....

... dead last ....

... Hawaii annual retirement expenditures highest in USA: $103,610 ....

... Hawaii 8th highest cost of smoking ....  

... Small, focused policies could free up homebuilders and generate a wave of new housing construction ....

... they often foot the bill for property tax increases in the form of higher rent ....

... Hawaii 3rd biggest loser ....

... the plan will not only continue to exacerbate the rental market's hyperinflation but also displace West Maui families by relocating them to long-term accommodations at Maui Lani ....

... 12 people per day ....

... Honolulu consumers will be subjected to a double whammy next year ....

... a roadmap that can help make it happen ....

... “The BWS’ decision to raise water rates by about 50% may create a hardship for many residents. It’s important for the BWS to take advantage of available federal funding to reduce the costs it passes on to O‘ahu residents,” said Governor Josh Green, M.D. ....

... Whether we’re talking about buying groceries, paying utilities or just keeping roofs over your heads, Hawaii is always at or near the top of the national rankings for cost ....

... if Hawaii is so popular, why has its population declined for seven years in a row? ....

... government actions created the demand for STRs in the first place, and government regulatory failures “created housing unaffordability long before STRs even came into existence." ....

... Are we going to put more pressure on our taxpayer base to dig into their pockets ever more deeply? ....

... States with the Most People in Financial Distress in 2023 .... 

... An analysis of average electricity prices by state shows Hawaii is easily the most expensive at 30.31 cents per kilowatt ....

... keeping you distracted while keeping housing costs high ....

... This is only the second time in KIUC’s 20-year history – and the first time in 12 years – that a rate increase was sought ....

... when you come home from work, you will be paying 52 cents per kilowatt-hour on Oahu, and 62 cents per kilowatt-hour on the Big Island ....

... U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawai'i recently reintroduced bipartisan legislation that would incentivize state and local governments to liberalize housing regulations around transit projects ....

... the state’s lone geothermal plant on Hawaiʻi Island produces five times the amount of electricity as one of the state’s largest solar farms, while requiring 80% less land area ....

... “It has among the strictest restrictions on residential building in the country. And in 2022, the state worsened the problem by enacting a statewide urban growth boundary that limits land development.” ....

... at $52.85, Hawaii has the highest average turkey prices of all the states ....

... Were you fooled when the Carpenters Union pretended to end its opposition to panelized construction after the Lahaina Fires?  Sucker ....

... For most lessees, the increase is a $1,250 jump in rent per month. ...

... Grassroot videos on Instagram rack up more than 1 million views in October ....

... 28% of Hawaii respondents — or 410,410 people — said they suffer from insomnia because of concern over their debt ....

... Hawaii residents had the largest debt increase in Q3 2023 at $1,093 per household ....

... since 1969, the median home price in Hawaii has surged from being less than three times the median income to nearly 10 times the median income today ....

... Hawaii is the only state where a six-figure salary is required to live comfortably — and no other state even comes close ....

... all boards involved in an affordable housing project covered by the proclamation should comply with the Sunshine Law’s requirements ....

... Hawaii ranks third-highest with a $223 median student loan payment ....

“...Does social housing actually work? Setting the record straight on the Vienna Model....”

... Hawaii is the most expensive state for realtor fees with a transaction costing $44,576 to the buyer and seller. ...