Cost of Living

“How is it that very profitable development went from under $100/SF in rural towns to over $600/SF in big cities in less than two decades?”

... The legislation focuses on increasing housing production, reducing regulatory barriers, and supporting the infrastructure necessary to sustain growth ....

... LNG may be the bridge Hawaii needs to secure a cleaner, more affordable, and reliable energy future ....

... state and county testimonies submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii in the latter half of February 2026 ....

"Typical Residential Bill Stable in 2025."

... “left-behind places” share a common pattern: a dominant industry stops growing, productivity stalls, and incomes stagnate ....

... When it comes to supporting agricultural production in Hawaii, there seems to be a big difference between rhetoric and reality ....

... the state’s high cost of living, fueled by high taxes and too many regulations, are continuing to drive residents to more affordable places on the mainland ....

...Grassroot’s new “Hawaii housing policy playbook” outlines 10 policies that research has shown could encourage more homebuilding, which would make housing in our state more abundant and affordable.... 

... The “housing policy playbook” is intended to help state and county lawmakers remove or reform the many regulatory barriers that stifle Hawaii homebuilding ....

... The agreement orders Express Scripts to offer plan members the lowest available cost for medicine like insulin rather than artificially inflated prices ....

... Hawai‘i is one of only four states that still taxes groceries at the full rate ....

... Hawaiʻi’s wages and productivity have lagged the rest of the country for more than three decades, placing the state among the most economically distressed in the U.S. ....

... Young local families dominate Hawaii’s departure statistics .... 

... In Hawaii, households spend $157 per week on groceries, up 9.6% from the prior year ....

... it could be another year for big, positive changes ....

... three important recommendations that would enable farmers and ranchers to build more housing on their land ....

...What if we could help farmers, ease the housing crisis and improve Hawaii’s economy all at the same time?....

...Allow more small homes to be built on agricultural lands....

... Hawaii, at nearly $4.41 a gallon, still has the highest gasoline prices in USA ....

... REALITY: Carpenters Union Wages War Against Affordable Modular Housing ....

... 29% now expect they will relocate to a less expensive state, up from 26% last year ....

... parents of young children who both work need to earn at least $119,226 together to pay for child care ....

... and Lihue comes in 7th ....

... the More Homes on the Market Act would double exclusions for home sales and adjust them annually for inflation going forward ....

... Honolulu 16th-highest cost of living ....

... This marks the third step in a series of scheduled increases, culminating in a final rate of $18.00 per hour on January 1, 2028 ....

...The final vote to approve Bill 9 was 5-3 with Gabe Johnson, Shane Sinenci, Keani-Rawlins-Fernandez, Nohelani Uʻu-Hodgins and Tamara Paltin voting yes. Yuki Lei Sugimura, Tom Cook and Chair Alice Lee voted no....

... In Honolulu, health care costs 8.69% of median monthly income, 15th highest in USA.  And most of the top 15 cities have substantially lower median incomes ....

... information to purge allegedly fraudulent recipients ....

... some properties were re-classified within high-risk zones — known as Special Flood Hazard Areas — for the first time ....

... We identify prior addresses and follow vacancy chains across multiple rounds of moves ....

... The current use of deed restrictions traps residents, preventing them from downsizing or upsizing as their needs change without facing a financial penalty ....

... Grassroot will never hold back from trying to make Hawaii more free and prosperous for all ....

... key drivers for the increase being rising medical and pharmacy costs and growing utilization, especially in high-cost therapies such as specialty drugs ....

... the USDA guidance, which would exclude noncitizens who are permanent residents from eligibility for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The USDA manages SNAP ....

... better watch out because there are changes coming ....

... housing is at the center of every crisis we face ....

... free “Condorama XV” event via webinar, on Saturday, November 15, 2025. The event runs from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. ....

... survey of over 3,200 local workers from across industries shows the cost-of-living crisis affects families across the economic spectrum ....

... and increasing ...

... Green became the first governor in the nation to declare their state’s housing crisis a statewide public emergency in summer 2023 ....

... Speaking to an audience of more than 70, including state and county lawmakers and department executives, the four presenters touched on myriad possible reforms, including those related to land-use laws, inclusionary zoning, density regulations, parking and amenities requirements, and farm-worker housing ....

... parking mandates are adding tens of thousands of dollars to the cost of construction of new homes on Oʻahu ....

... Our housing crisis is the result of past choices. The solution requires the courage to make new ones going forward ....

... know how to win ....

... Legislative action in all four of Hawaii’s counties could soon help ease the state’s acute housing shortage ....

... Lawsuit Settlement will Impose ‘Big Expense’ on Your ‘fuel, groceries, and airfare’  ....

... However, DTRIC will continue to administer all active policies, manage claims and meet its contractual and statutory obligations, over the next several years ....

... The Oct. 15 event will focus on research and practical reforms aimed at addressing Hawaii's acute need for more housing ....