Could a pre-fab factory get more native Hawaiians into homes?
The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is looking to build modular housing as a cheaper, quicker way to chip away at its waitlist of more than 29,000 applicants.
Lawmakers have proposed giving the department money to buy a 196,000-square-foot hangar in Kalaeloa, which would be converted into a manufacturing facility to produce modular housing units that are 10% to 15% less expensive than traditional construction. The hangar is currently owned by the University of Hawaiʻi and used to store helicopters for the police and fire departments.
Homes would be assembled at the facility and sold to beneficiaries when they are awarded a land lease.
Lawmakers still haven't determined how much money to give DHHL to acquire the hangar. The land underneath the hangar currently has an assessed value of $4.4 million. Department Director Kali Watson estimated that it would cost another $4.8 million to refurbish the hangar.
DHHL, tasked with housing Native Hawaiians, has struggled for decades to provide enough housing lots to beneficiaries on its waitlist, many of whom have died before receiving a lease for land promised to them by a 100-year-old federal law.
When plots of DHHL land have become available, many Hawaiians have found it difficult to finance construction of a new home. The department believes that modular housing would offer a cheaper alternative and that an Oʻahu factory could produce up to 40 homes a month.
'It may be our go-to approach if we find the savings is tremendous,' Watson told lawmakers earlier this month.
The department plans to partner with Fading West, a company based in Colorado that specializes in off-site homebuilding. It's already done work in Hawaiʻi, building 82 homes for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to place in Lahaina.
According to Eric Schaefer, the company's chief business development officer, the homes were delivered from Fading West's facility in Buena Vista, Colorado, and were ready for occupancy within about four months of FEMA's order.
Home designs on Fading West's website are meant to fit in with Colorado's architecture, but DHHL would create its own designs that wouldn't look out of place in a neighborhood in Hawaiʻi, Schaefer said.
Production of the modular homes runs a bit like an assembly line at a car facility. Schaefer said Fading West based its process off Toyota's approach to building cars.
'Instead of building Corollas and Camrys, we're building two- (and) three-bedroom homes,' Schaefer said.
Fading West and DHHL envision homes that are up to 15% cheaper than homes built on-site in Hawaiʻi. Right now, new homes in Honolulu cost upward of $500 per square foot to build, according to the construction cost calculator from the consulting firm Rider Levett Bucknall, meaning DHHL could save about $75,000 building a 1,000-square-foot modular home
Fading West plans to do a 24-home pilot project for DHHL on Maui. The homes would be built on the mainland and shipped here where Maui contractors would install things such as roofing, plumbing and electrical wiring.
Pre-fab housing previously faced opposition from the building industry over worries that constructing cheaper homes could reduce construction workers' wages. But the rush to rehouse people after the Lahaina wildfire seems to have softened the industry's stance.
DHHL was the only state agency that testified on Senate Bill 1553, the proposal to buy the hangar. The bill has received no opposition so far.
The agency received a historic cash infusion of $600 million three years ago. Most of that money has been allocated to homelands projects across the state, and the department is now seeking an additional $600 million from the Legislature this year.
SB 1553 cleared the Senate Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday and now moves to the full Senate for a vote.
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New York Times
a day ago
- New York Times
Pronman: Analyzing major decisions for 7 teams picking at top of 2025 NHL Draft
Today, we dive into the major decisions facing teams at the top of the 2025 NHL Draft. This isn't a mock draft, but rather an analysis of the specific issues facing teams in their particular situation and how it will relate to the top of this draft class. The lottery delivered the Islanders a franchise-altering opportunity. With the No. 1 pick, the conversation likely starts with Matthew Schaefer versus Michael Misa. Misa had a very strong year and is viewed by many NHL scouts as the second-best prospect in the draft. He's a well-rounded, highly productive forward with top-line potential down the middle. But while his season impressed, he doesn't rise to the truly special level of player who can break a game open. Advertisement Schaefer does. Even in a limited number of games, he consistently flashed the highest-end tools in the class. He's an elite skater, can drive offense from the back end, is highly competitive and has all the traits to become a true No. 1 defenseman. That kind of profile is both rare and incredibly valuable. He's the only player in this draft whom I saw consistently dominate games at both the club and international level. The more complicated debate is with Long Island native and a player formerly projected as the No. 1 pick in this draft, James Hagens. He was very good but didn't have the dominant season some expected at Boston College, but he still brings an elite skating/skill combination and the ability to drive play at the highest level. He was the No. 1 center for USA's gold-medal World Junior team and has a long track record of high-end offensive production. If you told me he went second or third, I wouldn't have an issue with it. But taking him over Schaefer would be a reach. Hagens has some minor flags — how much he plays on the perimeter, some inconsistency as a finisher, and whether he sticks at center in the NHL. He's also nearly a full year older than Schaefer. The hometown angle is real, and after John Tavares spurned the Islanders, I can understand the temptation to take the local player if it was close. But it's not close. Unless something changes in the next month, Schaefer should be the pick. If Schaefer somehow falls to No. 2, San Jose shouldn't overthink it. He's the best player in the draft and fills a major organizational need of a premier young defenseman along with Sam Dickinson. Assuming Schaefer is off the board, the decision becomes more nuanced. Management has made it clear they want to get bigger and heavier. That could lead them to look at a big winger such as Porter Martone or a two-way center with size, such as Caleb Desnoyers or Anton Frondell. Martone, in particular, played well alongside Macklin Celebrini for Canada this spring at the senior level and could bring size and scoring touch to their forward group. Advertisement But the best forward in the class is Misa. He's an excellent skater with high-end skill, great offensive instincts and a long track record of being a top player at the junior level. He's competitive enough that you can realistically project him as a center in the NHL, which is important context for San Jose's roster construction. The Sharks' rebuild has been focused on the two pivots they've taken lately: Celebrini, who was the first pick last summer, and Will Smith, who went No. 4 the prior year. Celebrini looks like a foundational first-line center. Smith's long-term fit down the middle is murkier — he played a lot of wing this season and, while gifted offensively, doesn't have all the traits you want in a center on a contending team when he doesn't have the puck. Misa has more traditional center elements than Smith, as he's a better skater and a little more competitive. He could reasonably project as a second-line center behind Celebrini, and if he hits, that gives San Jose a chance to build around two high-end pivots and a potential high-end power play. You could make reasonable arguments for Desnoyers or Frondell, depending on how you view Misa or Smith's chances to play center on a contender, as some scouts are murkier on how Misa's game will fare in that regard. If you are a big believer in Smith, then maybe Martone could fit. I think those arguments are too speculative, though, to not just dumb it down and take the best forward in the draft, especially when San Jose is so far away from contending and just needs talent in any form. The big question for Chicago at No. 3 isn't just who the best player available is — it's how the Blackhawks want to build around Connor Bedard. The entire conversation hinges on whether the organization views Bedard as a long-term center, particularly someone who can be a 1C on a contending team. If they do, the path likely shifts toward wingers or complementary skill. If they don't, the focus becomes finding the right center to play with or support him. Advertisement That leads to three primary options: Jake O'Brien, Frondell and Desnoyers. O'Brien is the most skilled of the group — he's a dynamic playmaker who could be the type to feed Bedard the puck in dangerous areas. But Frondell and Desnoyers aren't far behind him in pure talent and bring more complete, two-way games. Both have legitimate offensive upside, can skate and have the kind of center traits you want if Bedard ends up needing to move to the wing. The Blackhawks have also prioritized speed in how they draft and build their forward group. That's why it's hard to see someone like Martone fitting here with his so-so footspeed, unless they're just blown away by him due to his size, skill and compete and think Bedard can be a 1C on a contender. If Misa gets to No. 3, he'd likely be the pick. He's the top forward in the class, has the high-end skating and skill, versatility to play center or wing, and gives them flexibility in how they use Bedard long term. Hagens seems unlikely. Despite being a high-end skater and extremely skilled, Chicago already has drafted a lot of smaller forwards high and using another top pick on a sub-6-footer alongside Bedard probably doesn't fit. My lean would be toward Desnoyers here. Frondell would also be a strong option. Either could fill the Jonathan Toews role to Bedard's Kane. Utah's unexpected jump from 14 to 4 in the draft order changed the scope of the players they were looking at. In an ideal world, they would be adding a defenseman to their desirable group of young forwards they are building. Even the biggest supporters of defensemen like Radim Mrtka, Kashawn Aitcheson or Jackson Smith would say fourth overall is aggressive, though. So we turn to the forwards. Utah's philosophy is to be a highly competitive and hard team to play against. I would rule Hagens out of this group, though, due to his size, and I will presume Misa is off the board by this stage. The decision thus will probably come down to a combination of Desnoyers, Frondell, Martone, O'Brien, Brady Martin and Roger McQueen. McQueen would be an ideal fit due to his size, skating, skill and the physicality he showed when healthy this season, but his back injury would pose a major risk. This would be a call for the Mammoth's doctors. Any of those other forwards would make a lot of sense for how Utah wants to build and on talent at the 4 slot. I like their center depth. Logan Cooley is a potential 1C on a good team, Barrett Hayton a 2/3C and Cole Beaudoin a 3/4C. There's no such thing as too many good centers, but I don't think they need to force the issue if they decide, for example, that Martone is the best player or they envision Martin or Frondell as a winger. Stylistically, in terms of being a heavy team to play against, Desnoyers, Frondell, Martone or Martin would make the most sense. Advertisement Nashville's pick feels less convoluted than the others in terms of the variables they have to consider. The Predators were at the bottom of the league in terms of offense last season, and while they have some good young forwards coming, they lack truly elite talent in their system. If you zoomed in and looked at their depth chart, you would conclude they could use a true premier center talent more than a winger, but everyone in this range basically does. They shouldn't turn away from Hagens or Martone due to positional factors, they need talent, period. Once we start getting to this point of the draft, a lot of decisions will have been made for the Flyers. There is a consensus top group in the NHL of about 7-8 players, depending on whether some have the green light to pick McQueen. In an ideal world, the Flyers would be adding a scoring center to their pipeline, so I'd be a bit surprised to see Martone as the pick here. The only consensus top 'center' prospect who most in the league view as a for sure top-two-line NHL center is Desnoyers; all the other ones have plausible outcomes where they end up on the wing. The Flyers will need to weigh whether they think the prospects in the mix project down the middle for them or not. Hagens getting to 6 would provide a unique dilemma for them. He's a dynamic playmaker, but the last two forwards they've taken with high picks in Jett Luchanko and Matvei Michkov have been 5-11 or smaller, and they turned 6-3 forward Cutter Gauthier into 5-11 defenseman Jamie Drysdale. They will have to debate whether adding Hagens makes them too small a team, even if the value could be tantalizing. Like with Philadelphia, Boston will find a lot of decisions were made for them, and they will have what is left of the top group. They have a pressing need to add a legit top young center to the organization, and it's highly expected that there will be a run on the top center prospects leading up to this pick. Boston will primarily be faced with the McQueen question if he's available at 7: Do you swing on a top-five talent who missed most of the season due to back issues? Otherwise, they would take whichever of Hagens, O'Brien, Desnoyers, Frondell or Martin is left. This is around the point of the draft, though, where the difference between a healthy McQueen and the next best prospect starts becoming noticeably large. (Photos of Matthew Schaefer and Michael Misa: Michael Miller / ISI Photos / Getty Images)
New York Times
2 days ago
- New York Times
NHL Mock Draft 2025: Schaefer at No. 1 and Misa at No. 2 in Corey Pronman's first round projection
It's NHL combine week, and as teams begin to conclude meetings and we start hearing general trends about how the league values certain players, here is our latest attempt to project the first round of the NHL Draft. Schaefer gives the Islanders a true potential No. 1 defenseman to build around. His high-end mobility, intelligence and competitiveness project him as a cornerstone on the blue line for years to come. Misa's elite speed and creativity give San Jose a franchise-caliber center. The addition of Misa gives the Sharks flexibility to move either him or Will Smith to the wing long term while building one of the most desirable groups of young forwards in the league. Frondell brings high-end skill, an elite shot and a complete 200-foot game and fills Chicago's need for a strong two-way pivot to pair with Connor Bedard or potentially move Bedard to the wing. Utah prioritizes being hard to play against, and Martone will provide a lot of size and a high compete level while also being very skilled for a big man. Nashville adds high-end skill and speed down the middle with Hagens, even if he isn't the biggest player. He brings the potential to be a major point producer. Desnoyers is a complete center with the size, skating, skill and off-puck play to be a big-minute NHL center, which is something Philly truly craves. Martin brings an intense, physical two-way game while also having an excellent skill level. He is a potential top-two-line center that Boston desperately craves and plays the way the Bruins like. Mrtka is a 6-foot-5 defenseman who skates well and has offensive flashes, giving Seattle a rare right-shot blueliner with top-four upside and much needed young defense talent. O'Brien is a cerebral, playmaking center with top-line upside. His skill and vision are clear NHL traits, which will give Buffalo some more dynamic traits at forward. A 6-foot-5 center with speed, hands and bite, McQueen gives Anaheim a potential massive talent down the middle. He would have gone top five if it weren't for a concerning back injury. Aitcheson adds significant physicality to Pittsburgh's system while also having the size, mobility and skill of a top-four NHL defenseman. A fast, strong winger with a dangerous shot, Carbonneau adds both scoring and the power elements that the Rangers tend to target in their draft picks. Eklund's speed, high motor and ability to create offense gives Detroit an important addition of offensive talent to its system. Smith brings size, skating and offensive tools to the Blue Jackets' blue-line pipeline. He didn't end his season on a high note at the U18 worlds but the league is still very high on this player and his potential. A competitive and highly skilled winger who plays a physical game, Bear could provide a lot of elements to Vancouver's top six. Reschny is a very skilled and intelligent player who plays hard and was as good as any junior player in the second half of the CHL season. Reid is a dynamic skater who closes well defensively and can generate clean exits and secondary offense. He adds to an already promising Habs blue-line group. Cootes brings speed, compete and two-way versatility to the Flames' forward group, giving them a hardworking center with offensive potential. Lakovic is a big man with legit speed, skill and goal-scoring ability. He would be a highly talented forward addition to the Blues' system, even if his compete level still draws some debate. Nesbitt is a heavy center with strong puck skills and playmaking vision. Despite questions about his skating, his offense and physicality make him a legit first-round pick. Fiddler's size, defensive ability, skating and hardness make him exactly the type of defenseman Ottawa has coveted. A responsible, hard-nosed, two-way center, Gastrin adds leadership traits and versatility to the Flyers' forward group that is building their center depth with this draft class. Hensler adds a reliable two-way defenseman to Nashville's system, with size, mobility and puck-moving skill that they hope will lead to top-four minutes. One of the better-skating defensemen in the class coming off a record-setting U18 World Championship, Boumedienne provides transition ability with the potential for some offense at the NHL level as well, to go with a decent frame. A big, skilled forward with great hockey sense, Horcoff needs to work on his skating but has the potential to be a legit scorer as a pro and looked quite good at the college level as a U18 player. Ravensbergen is a big, athletic goaltender with starter upside — the type of swing Nashville can afford to take here with multiple first-round picks, though his stock has cooled a bit recently. Washington rolls the dice on the top Russian in this class, who is a tall, fast winger who is very physical and has some scoring touch, too. Brzustewicz is a smart, mobile right-shot who adds a steady two-way game to a Jets system that needs reliable defenders. The Hurricanes take a swing on a tall winger with NHL-caliber feet, hands and scoring ability, hoping he becomes a future middle-six scorer. Spence brings high effort, responsible two-way play and a solid track record for Canada. He's not the flashiest forward but has enough talent to play in a middle six and plays the way the Sharks want. Zonnon is a big winger who skates and shoots well enough to be a middle-six contributor in Calgary's forward pipeline. Potter's great skating and puck skill give the Flyers a dynamic, high-upside forward, even if his size and perimeter play do raise questions. (Photos of Matthew Schaefer and Michael Misa: Michael Miller / ISI Photos / Getty Images)
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
On the Record: Trucking industry surges as tariffs threaten holiday season
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — As uncertainty over tariffs persist, trucking companies are hustling to move goods as fast as possible to store shelves. Don Schaefer, who heads the Midwest Truckers Association, joined 'On the Record' for a snapshot of what's happening here in Central Illinois. He said the transportation, distribution and logistics industries, which represent about one in 10 jobs in the Midwest, are feeling the pressure. 'We're seeing a mad dash to get products into the country, especially from places like China and Hong Kong,' he said. 'This is the trucking industry's Christmas. Everything that hits store shelves for the holidays has to be stateside by Labor Day.' Many products, especially toys and electronics, come from overseas. Schaefer says the journey can take up to two months, starting by boat, then train, and finally by truck. 'Right now, it's all over the board because everyone's kind of up in the air about, what the tariffs mean, and how quick things are going to move, what's going to come over and what is not going to come over,' he said. Schaefer says truck shipments are up 70% compared to this time last year, a sign that companies are racing to beat potential tariffs. 'Trucks are full right now,' he said. 'The uncertainty about tariffs is why there's this pressure.' That concern stretches beyond consumer goods. Central Illinois farmers are watching closely too, especially those exporting soybeans and corn. Much of their product is trucked to river terminals along the Illinois River before being shipped abroad. With harvest season approaching, Schaefer said timing is critical. 'The export of that is critical, especially right now, because what the farmers want to do is make sure they get their grain beans cleared up before harvest time comes in the fall. So it's a very tight timetable,' he said. So what does this mean for you at the store? Schaefer says companies are doing what they can to avoid raising prices, even if tariffs go into effect. 'If a tariff is imposed, the goal is to keep price hikes minimal. But much depends on ongoing trade negotiations,' he said. 'The administration wants fair agreements, so we could see more deals struck in the months ahead.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
