Honolulu City Council Meeting - July 8, 2026: Budget, Housing, and Land Conservation
Honolulu City Council Meeting - July 8, 2026
The Honolulu City Council convened on July 8, 2026, to consider nominations, legislation, and resolutions. Key actions included confirming Krishna Jayaram as managing director, passing bills to expand affordable housing and reduce vehicle weight tax, approving two major conservation easements, and overriding the mayor's veto to cut funding for the Office of Economic Revitalization (OER). The meeting ran from morning into the afternoon.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes of previous session were approved without objection.
- First Reading Bills (Bills 42-50) were advanced without testimony or discussion, including measures on land use, zoning, revenues, property taxation, motor vehicle weight tax, condemnation, and funds.
- Resolutions Accepting Gifts (26-139, 26-141, 26-148, 26-142, 26-132) were adopted without objection.
- Committee Reports (CR 177, 178, 183-186) on sewer easement and lawsuit settlements were adopted without objection.
- Communications D 445 and D 446 requesting 120-day extensions on Bills 38 & 39 were approved.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Managing Director Nomination: Multiple testifiers (Chulan Schubert Kwok, Shelby Billionaire, Dylan Armstrong, Tim Gary, Raquel Achiu) expressed strong support for Krishna Jayaram, citing his competence and responsiveness.
- Rate Commission Appointment: Testifiers supported Luca Cumberti (Malia Bokenski, Hawaii Appleseed; Eduardo Hernandez, Hawaii Bicycling League; Shelby Billionaire) citing his transit advocacy and youth perspective.
- Bill 43 (Zoning Change in Wailua): Raquel Achiu testified in support on behalf of North Shore Neighborhood Board, noting sustained community benefit.
- Bill 44 (TAT Funds): Natalie Iwasa opposed, arguing special funds reduce budget flexibility.
- Bills 45 & 46 (Property Tax Exemptions): Natalie Iwasa opposed, saying exemptions widen tax gaps and subsidize non-low-income homeowners. Ted Kafalas (Grassroot Institute) supported but urged indexing to inflation.
- Bill 47 (Vehicle Weight Tax Cut): Ted Kafalas supported, noting Honolulu has highest county weight tax.
- Bill 50 (Repeal Land Conservation Fund): Ted Kafalas and Natalie Iwasa supported; Dylan Armstrong expressed caution about funding adequacy.
- Bill 29 (Real Property Taxation): Natalie Iwasa questioned inclusion of mortgage documents for income verification and called for a comprehensive review rather than piecemeal changes.
- Bill 40 (Residential A Tax Relief): Natalie Iwasa opposed as too narrow and urged elimination of the Residential A classification.
- Bill 18 (Affordable Housing): Leland Brady (on behalf of Roxanne Bolden) opposed CD1 for removing elevator requirements, excluding disabled residents. Ted Kafalas supported with amendments to restore TOD language and increase height.
- Bill 20 (Down Payment Assistance): Suzanne Young (Honolulu Board of Realtors) supported.
- Bill 35 (Repeal Curbside Bank Teller): Ted Kafalas supported as code cleanup.
- Bill 41 (Transportation): Dylan Armstrong supported, citing improved pedestrian safety.
- Resolution 26-134 (Kala Uila Conservation): Testifiers (Adam Lee, Adam Borrello, Raina Ramalette Hayashi, Dr. Elaine Chan, Raquel Achiu) strongly supported. Councilmember Kia Aina questioned process; Raina confirmed no contract yet.
- Resolution 26-151 (Wailupe Conservation): Emotional testimony from Jennifer Latham, Wayne Tanaka (Sierra Club), Healani Sonora Pale, Alfred Madeiros, Malia Marquez, Lori Walker (OHA) in support, emphasizing protection of iwi kupuna and cultural landscape.
- Mayor's Message 85 (Veto of OER Cuts): Mixed testimony—Josh Wish (Holomua Collaborative), Angela Melody Young, Shulan Schubert Kwok, Raquel Achiu, Don Shaw urged maintaining OER funding. Ted Kafalas (Grassroot) supported the cuts, citing audit findings. OER Director Amy Asobay and staff testified about programs and impact: serving 12,200+ beneficiaries directly and 46,595 households through outreach, with $7 million in active programs set to wind down by September 30 unless funding restored.
Discussion Items
- Managing Director Nomination: Councilmember Kia Aina inquired about the $800,000 commitment to Hawaii Food Bank by a former OER staffer. Krishna Jayaram stated they are in active discussions to make the food bank whole. The nomination was referred to committee.
- Rate Commission Appointment (Luca Cumberti): Councilmember Tupola expressed concern about Cumberti's upcoming college on the East Coast. Cumberti noted commission meetings average one hour monthly. Councilmember Cordero and Wire strongly supported. The appointment passed with Tupola voting no.
- Bill 18 (Affordable Housing): Councilmember Kia Aina expressed concerns about height limits and impact on Koolaupoko sustainability plan. Councilmember Tupola described efforts to align with community input and DPP feedback, committing to meet with neighbors. The bill passed 6-2, with Kia Aina and Nishimoto voting no.
- Parks Package (Bills 30-33): Councilmember Tupola explained Bill 30 allows farmers markets in parks; Bill 31 protects cultural sites like Kuilioloa Heiau; Bills 32-33 enable multi-year maintenance contracts with dedicated funds. All passed.
- Bill 20 (Down Payment Assistance): Councilmember Cordero and Tupola highlighted the missing middle (80-140% AMI). Passed third reading.
- Conservation Easements: Resolutions 26-134 and 26-151 for Kala Uila and Wailupe were adopted with broad support, preserving coastal dune ecosystem and burial sites.
- Override of Mayor's Veto on OER Budget: Extensive debate. Councilmembers Nishimoto, Waters, Kia Aina, Okimoto argued the mayor overstepped charter authority by adding funds (line-item veto is reductive only) and that the audit and OER's lack of a strategic plan justified the cuts. Councilmembers Dos Santos Tan, Wire, and Tupola supported OER, citing its grassroots impact and disaster recovery work. After testimony from OER staff and community, the council voted 6-2 to override the veto, with Dos Santos Tan and Wire voting no.
Key Outcomes
- Krishna Jayaram nomination for managing director referred to committee.
- Luca Cumberti appointed to Rate Commission (passed 8-1, Tupola objecting).
- Bill 18 (Affordable Housing) passed second reading (6-2).
- Bills 30-33 (Parks Package) all passed second reading.
- Bill 20 (Down Payment Assistance) passed third reading (8-0).
- Resolutions 26-134 (Kala Uila) and 26-151 (Wailupe) adopted, authorizing expenditure of Clean Water Natural Lands funds for conservation easements.
- Mayor's veto of Bill 22 (OER budget cuts) overridden (6-2). Bill 22 passed final reading, eliminating OER as a department but preserving film office and adding three community equity liaison positions. Effective October 1, 2026.
- Meeting adjourned to August 12, 2026 at 10 a.m.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning, everyone. And welcome. Councilmember Cordero, can you please lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance? Council Member Cordero, would you like to introduce our special guests for the message of Aloha? Holo chair, colleagues, community, and members of the public. So I'll hand it over to Kumu Kao. It is indeed aloha that awakens the very core of the Lehua blossoms of the uplands and brings forth our desires from deep within. We give aloha, we receive aloha, and we share aloha. Today the message that I really want to share with you is something that our Hawaiian culture truly embodies, truly maintains, and is really encapsulated in that sentiment of aloha. And it's something that we can uh learn from, utilize in both our everyday employee as well as our everyday life. And it is the not art, but the hana of reciprocation and balance or for maintaining balance. In the word aloha, um, it is important to know that when someone shares aloha with you, expect aloha back. There we must expect reciprocation in everything that we do. It was always done in our culture pre-contact and should be done today. So when as we leave here, um my halal and I, or sorry, let me back up. Today was a great example of display of aloha. You showed me your aloha by that wonderful certificate of honor. Yeah, and we are allowed to reciprocate through our Oli, through our message. Before we leave today, what I really wanted to share with you folks is to remember that whatever you do in session, out of session, in your own homes. Remember that reciprocation is a must. Reciprocation of sharing aloha and receiving aloha is a must. So walk with aloha today. Aloha. That was beautiful. Thank you so much. Members have some procedural announcements to make. Although remote oral testimony is being permitted, this is a regular meeting and not a remote meeting by interactive conference technology under HRS 92 3.7. Therefore, the meeting will continue notwithstanding loss of audio-visual communication with remote testifiers or loss of the public broadcast of the meeting. Members of the public will be allowed to provide oral testimony on all items on the agenda, either in person in the council chamber or remotely. As both English and Hawaiian are the official languages of the state of Hawaii, pursuant to Article 15, section 4 of the Hawaii State Constitution and Section 1-13 of the Hawaii Vice Statutes. Members of the public may testify in either language. For oral testimonies offered in Olelo Hawaii, additional time may be necessary, will be allowed for the testifier to provide an English translation of their testimony. Before testifying, each person shall state their full name and the agenda item they are testifying on. Each speaker may not have anyone else read their statement and is limited to a three-minute presentation on public hearing and new business items and a one-minute presentation on all other items. Registered in-person testifiers will be called first. Where your name is called, please proceed to the podium and begin by stating your name and the item you're speaking you will be speaking on. When I call for anyone who has not registered to speak in person, please line up to the right of the podium. And when it is your turn, proceed to the podium, begin by stating your name and the item you'll be speaking on. All persons who have registered to testify remotely by video conference or phone will then be called. When your name is called, please monitor your screen and activate your audio feed when prompted. When I call for anyone else standing by remotely, please utilize the zoom raise hand button to indicate your desire to speak. For those joining us by telephone only, please press star nine to indicate your desire to speak. The following are some friendly tips and reminders. Video conference from a quiet location if possible. If you're also watching the proceeding on Olelo, please mute your television when you are called to testify. When the timer on your screen reaches zero, please conclude your remarks promptly. For those who are joining us by telephone only, I will identify you by the last three digits of your phone number. When your number is called, press star six to unmute yourself when prompted. Written testimonies, including the testifier's address, email address, and phone number will be available to the public as described on the posted agenda. As a courtesy, please turn off all cell phones for the duration of the meeting.
openpublica.com