Latest news with #TylerDosSantos-Tam
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Aloha payphones: Honolulu to remove ‘outdated' city accessories
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi signed a law that updates sidewalk regulations, as the city's Department of Parks and Recreation works to remove more than 100 payphones from the city. Bill 6 was introduced by Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam and eliminates long-defunct structures in city code such as freight elevators, freight chutes and more. According to the city, the targeted structures have not been used in years and are often targets of vandalism. 'No public value,' City looks to remove Hawaii payphones 'Our modern city deserves modern ordinances,' Dos Santos-Tam said. 'Each and every one of our payphones stopped working years ago, and freight chutes belong to another era. This bill is about making space to focus on the tools and technologies that serve the public today.' The DPR has worked to remove the payphones since 2024, while also working with local historians to preserve any notable elements of the old phones before they are demolished. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Honolulu City Council looks at ADUs to bolster housing supply
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Increasing housing supply is the target of a bill that just passed its third reading in the Honolulu City Council. It extends accessory dwelling unit fee waivers set to expire. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news 'Bill 63 expands the sewer waivers, permitting fee waivers, the grading and stockpile. My cousins live with my grandma, and this is really a chance for local families to be able to add on additional space for family members,' said City Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam. Pushback on the bill has been sparse, but some residents are concerned about parking availability and neighborhood character. 'Doing our small part,' state officials on Iwilei's traditional housing project 'Other issues that we have, of course, is the capacity of our neighborhoods, things like sewer capacity, parking, and all of these other issues that we as the council and the mayor through the administration are also gonna have to work on in order to really, make a dent in our housing crisis.' Dos Santos-Tam said. The bill has garnered support from entities like the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii and the Building Industry Association of Hawaii. Last year, the state passed a bill that allows for at least two additional dwelling units per residential lot. 'So we've seen, several hundred ADUs, some possibly over a thousand, being built over the past few years,' Dos Santos-Tam said. 'We hope that that pace increases. But, again, it's gonna take an all of the above approach really to start making a dent.' Adding ADUs is just a part of local government plans to add housing inventory for residents. 'It's really difficult to build kinda small and medium apartments, and that's why we see out in the market.' Dos Santos-Tam said. 'We have a lot of, the sort of subdivision developments out in West Oahu. We have a lot of high rises coming up in town, but those kinds of small and medium apartments really haven't been built, the kind of things you might see in Makiki or McCully. So we're looking at changing the standards for how we build these small apartments. In addition, of course, we need to also look at office conversions. We have a couple of these downtown office buildings that are practically vacant, and so that's also gonna help to transform our downtown area.' Check out more news from around Hawaii Bill 63 has been transmitted to Mayor Rick Blangiardi, who has until March 13 to return it. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Resident preference' housing bill unanimously OK'd
Legislation that seeks a 'resident preference ' for those who participate in city-run housing programs received Honolulu City Council approval this week. Without discussion, the Council voted unanimously Wednesday to adopt Bill 19, meant to ensure the preference for city residents who participate in 'various housing programs offered by the city ' be offered that preference 'to the extent allowed by law.' As defined by the bill, a 'city resident ' is 'any individual who has a stated intent to reside or be domiciled in the city.' The measure states it would provide 'city residents with housing opportunities they can afford pursuant to the Oahu General Plan objective ; stem the rapid out-migration of city residents ; provide a sufficient workforce to maintain efficient city functioning ; and stabilize Oahu families and communities.' It also noted that based on the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism analysis 'Hawaii Population Characteristics 2019, ' the Council 'believes that a resident preference for city affordable housing programs will not have a significant, adverse, and disproportionate effect on any protected group under the federal or state housing laws or constitutions.' For Honolulu, Bill 19 asserts as the state enters nearly a decade of population decline, 67, 257 people left Hawaii between 2021 and 2022. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. 'Between July 1, 2020 and July 1, 2023, the city had an average net loss of 9, 894 people per day, or an average out-migration of approximately 27 people per day, according to DBEDT, ' the bill states. Still, the measure says more housing is still needed on Oahu. 'In March 2024, DBEDT estimated that, based on historical trends, 23, 999 units would need to be built by 2035 to meet the city's housing demand, ' the measure states. Introduced in March by Council members Tyler Dos Santos-Tam and Radiant Cordero, the original bill was modeled after similar legislation in Boston that eventually became part of that city's municipal code. After the meeting, Dos Santos-Tam said Bill 19 as adopted was aimed at housing 'our local families.' 'For projects that use city money, it's common sense that Oahu residents should get preference for these units, ' he said in a statement. 'This will help us start chipping away at our housing crisis.' In her statement, Cordero said, 'With home prices on Oahu reaching a record $1.1 million—nearly three times the national average—many residents can no longer afford to buy or rent, contributing to rising homelessness and more people leaving the islands.' 'This bill directly addresses these challenges by ensuring that residents have equitable access to the housing resources they need, helping to slow the out-migration, stabilize families, and support our communities, ' she added. Although adopted this week, an early draft of the measure was not fully embraced by the nine-member panel. During a Council meeting in March, Matt Weyer said although he fully supported Bill 19's intent 'to create housing opportunities for local residents, ' he wanted to proceed differently. 'I do think that my preference … is to focus our efforts on the root causes of the problem, which I would say are the more affluent folks investing in properties and buying properties and converting them into vacant homes or vacation rentals, ' he said. To that end, Weyer said he'd rather see more done on a possible rental relief bill. 'Maybe providing a lower rate for folks who are renting versus folks who just want to keep their home empty, ' he said previously. At Wednesday's meeting no one from the public, city administration or the Council spoke for or against Bill 19.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Spike in e-bike accidents prompts rise of new law
HONOLULU (KHON2) — A new measure introduced by Councilmembers Tyler Dos Santos-Tam and Augie Tubla hopes to combat the surge in e-bike accidents on Oahu. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news The Honolulu City Council passed Bill 52, a measure that aims to establish clear safety guidelines for bicycle riders and pedestrians. According to Councilmember Dos Santos-Tam, the initiative emphasizes the need to take action with Oahu e-bike injuries nearly tripling within the past two years. E-Bike Safety and Speed: Key Insights from Hawai'i Bicycling League 'We needed to take decisive action to protect our keiki and all riders. This bill establishes clear safety guidelines while ensuring e-bikes remain a viable transportation option for our community,' said Dos Santos-Tam. The bill calls for a 750-watt power limit for e-bikes on public roads, helmet requirements for all riders under 18 years old and guidelines to prevent reckless riding that gives HPD clear enforcement authority. Honolulu Police Department and Emergency Medical Services strongly support the bill as it reduces preventable injuries and promotes responsible e-bike usage. 'This isn't about restricting e-bike use – it's about protecting our community. With the support of HPD and EMS, these measures will help ensure that everyone can safely share our roads,' Councilmember Tulba added. Check out more news from around Hawaii The bill now awaits a signature from Mayor Rick Blangiardi's desk for approval. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
