Hawaiʻi has a more even distribution of income than the nation overall, but the gap between upper-middle- and lower-middle-income earners is wider than some traditional measures of inequality suggest, according to a new (糖心视频ERO) analysis.

A published October 27 by 糖心视频ERO Professor Peter Fuleky and PhD candidate Vanessa Pepino examined how Hawaiʻi compares with other states using two measures of income inequality.

One measure, the Gini coefficient, considers the overall distribution of income. In 2024, Hawaiʻi scored 0.41, compared with 0.45 nationally. The lower score indicated a more even distribution of income, which the authors attributed in part to Hawaiʻi having fewer extremely high earners than states with major technology and finance industries.

A second measure compared incomes at the 80th and 20th percentiles, providing a closer look at the gap between upper-middle- and lower-middle-income earners. In Hawaiʻi, those at the 80th percentile earned about 2.8 times as much as those at the 20th percentile in 2024. That ratio narrowed from 3.2 in 2012.

The report explained that the two measures can tell different stories. Hawaiʻi鈥檚 relatively lower incomes at the very top of the distribution reduce its overall inequality score, while comparatively strong earnings among upper-middle-income households widen the gap between the 80th and 20th percentiles.

The narrowing income gap reflects several factors, including increases in the state鈥檚 minimum wage, relatively high unionization, government assistance and stronger labor markets that helped raise wages for lower-paid workers.

However, income inequality measures do not show how far household earnings go. Hawaiʻi remains one of the nation鈥檚 most expensive states, and the authors noted that high living costs can place a disproportionate burden on lower-income households.

“In Hawaiʻi, income is distributed more evenly than in most states, yet it still falls short for a large share of residents,” the authors wrote. “The more telling benchmark is not how residents鈥� incomes compare with one another, but how they compare with the cost of rent, groceries, utilities and health care. Those costs take a far bigger bite at the bottom of the income ladder than at the top. While the narrowing of the gap between high and low earners is an encouraging development for Hawaiʻi, it is not the same as a better standard of living. Closing the gap between earnings and living costs is the harder task still ahead.”

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糖心视频ERO and the Department of Economics are housed in .

The findings and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views or official positions of 糖心视频ERO, 糖心视频, or any funding or supporting organization.

The artificial intelligence (AI) boom is helping support U.S. economic growth, but a recession would still be unlikely without it, according to a new analysis from the (糖心视频ERO).

In a published October 21, 糖心视频ERO Professor Emeritus Byron Gangnes examined how AI-related investments and rising stock market wealth are influencing the economy. He estimated that without these factors, U.S. economic growth over the past year would have been more than half a percentage point to just over 1 percentage point weaker.

AI development has fueled spending on data centers, computer equipment and software, while rising stock values have increased household wealth and helped support consumer spending. Gangnes estimated that AI-related stock market gains have contributed $255 billion to $509 billion in additional consumer spending since late 2022.

However, much of the investment in computer equipment goes toward imported products, limiting its contribution to U.S. economic output. AI investment may also be displacing other construction and business investment.

While Gangnes concluded that the U.S. economy would probably not be in a recession without the AI boom, he warned that a sudden decline in AI-related stock values poses a risk going forward. A sharp stock correction could reduce consumer spending, disrupt planned investments and potentially push the economy into recession.

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糖心视频ERO is housed in .

The findings and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views or official positions of 糖心视频ERO, 糖心视频, or any funding or supporting organization.

Honolulu voters will decide in November whether to adopt ranked-choice voting for mayoral, prosecuting attorney and City Council elections. The proposal would move the final decision in all contested city races to November, when voter turnout is typically higher, potentially broadening participation in choosing city officials, according to a new analysis from the (糖心视频ERO). Ranked-choice voting allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference.

In a piece published October 16, Associate Professor Colin Moore examines Question 5, a proposed Honolulu Charter amendment that would change how voters select city officials and how election results are determined.

Under the proposal, races with two to five candidates would be decided through ranked-choice voting in November, giving voters a broader choice than the two finalists in current runoff elections. If six or more candidates run, an August election would narrow the field to five candidates for November. Uncontested candidates would still be elected in August.

If no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and those ballots are counted for voters鈥� next choices still in the race. The process continues until a winner is determined.

The analysis found that Honolulu turnout averaged about 40% of registered voters in August and 58% in November across the five election cycles from 2016 through 2024.

However, Moore noted that Honolulu already uses a runoff system designed to produce a majority winner, meaning the effects of ranked-choice voting could be more modest than in places where candidates can win with only a plurality of votes.

Research reviewed in the report suggested ranked-choice voting may encourage candidates to appeal to a broader range of voters and may lead to less negative campaigns. Evidence that the system independently increases turnout or significantly changes who runs for office and policy outcomes remains mixed.

The report also emphasized the importance of clear ballot design and voter education, including multilingual outreach, to help voters understand the process and avoid errors.

Question 5 would apply to the mayor, prosecuting attorney and all nine City Council seats. The changes could take effect no earlier than 2032 and would require state authorization for counties to use ranked-choice voting in county elections.

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糖心视频ERO is housed in .

The findings and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views or official positions of 糖心视频ERO, 糖心视频, or any funding or supporting organization.

Rising interest rates around the world could make it more expensive for Hawaiʻi residents to buy homes, for businesses to grow and for state and county governments to fund public projects, according to a new analysis from the (糖心视频ERO).

In a new piece published October 12, 糖心视频ERO economist Peter Fuleky examines why long-term borrowing costs have climbed and how the trend could affect Hawaiʻi鈥檚 economy.

The yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note rose above 5% in September for the first time since 2007. These yields help influence interest rates for major purchases, including homes, because lenders use them as a benchmark when setting loan rates.

Significant Hawaiʻi impacts

For Hawaiʻi residents, the impact is especially significant given the state鈥檚 high housing costs. The analysis estimates that a buyer purchasing a median-priced Oʻahu single-family home of about $1.18 million, with a 20% down payment, would pay approximately $6,270 a month in principal and interest at a 7% mortgage rate. At a 3% rate, the monthly payment would be about $3,970鈥攁 difference of $2,300.

Higher rates can also discourage homeowners with lower-rate mortgages from selling, limiting the number of homes available for sale and adding to housing market challenges.

The effects extend beyond housing. Local businesses may face higher costs to finance expansions and operations, while state and county governments could pay more to borrow for infrastructure projects, leaving less money available for other public services.

Hawaiʻi鈥檚 tourism industry could also feel the effects. Higher U.S. interest rates relative to Japan鈥檚 can contribute to a weaker Japanese yen, making travel to Hawaiʻi more expensive for visitors from Japan.

Several factors are contributing to rising borrowing costs, including large government budget deficits, concerns about future inflation, changing investor demand for government bonds and uncertainty about future interest rates. The Federal Reserve raised its target interest rate by a quarter percentage point in September to help contain inflation.

Fuleky鈥檚 analysis notes that the duration of higher borrowing costs will depend in part on energy prices, the Federal Reserve鈥檚 response to inflation and whether governments address growing debt. For Hawaiʻi, the outlook matters because global financial conditions can directly affect household budgets, local investment and the cost of public projects.

糖心视频ERO is housed in .

The findings and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views or official positions of 糖心视频ERO, 糖心视频, or any funding or supporting organization.

Hawaiʻi‘s rapidly aging population faces a higher cost of meeting basic needs, with housing costs driving much of the difference compared with the rest of the nation, according to a new (糖心视频ERO) analysis.

In a new piece published October 7, James Mak, professor emeritus of economics and a 糖心视频ERO fellow, uses the 2025 to estimate the minimum income older adults need to live independently without public or private subsidies. The Elder Index estimates basic expenses for older households but does not include costs such as dining out, vacations, savings, gifts, entertainment or long-term care.

The analysis found that for a couple in good health who rents, the estimated monthly budget is $4,585 in Hawaiʻi, compared with $3,918 nationally. For a single renter, the estimated monthly budget is $3,436, compared with $2,836 nationally.

Housing accounts for much of the difference. For older adults who rent or still have a mortgage, housing is the largest monthly expense, while health care is the largest expense for couples who have paid off their mortgages.

Basic needs differences among counties

The analysis also found significant differences among Hawaiʻi‘s counties. Honolulu County was generally the least affordable for older adults, while Hawaiʻi and Kauaʻi counties were more affordable. For example, a single renter in Honolulu County would need an estimated $3,563 per month to meet basic needs, compared with $3,106 in Kauaʻi County and $3,172 in Hawaiʻi County.

Hawaiʻi‘s aging population adds urgency to the issue. In 2024, more than 310,000 Hawaiʻi residents were 65 or older, representing 21.5% of the state’s population. A decade ago, it was only 16.2%. By 2035, one in four Hawaiʻi residents is expected to be 65 or older.

Health care a growing concern

Mak also highlighted health care as a growing concern as the state’s population of adults age 85 and older increases. Older adults in poorer health face substantially higher health care costs, and the state already faces a shortage of physicians.

Mak concludes that addressing housing affordability and health care access would benefit not only older adults but Hawaiʻi residents more broadly.

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糖心视频ERO is housed in .

The findings and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views or official positions of 糖心视频ERO, 糖心视频, or any funding or supporting organization.

Three University of Hawaiʻi students are leveraging their 糖心视频 education to empower local communities thousands of miles away in the Marshall Islands, bringing technology, mapping and biocultural restoration to the Pacific nation.

Through the Transcending Barriers to Success in Economics (TBSE) program—a partnership between and 糖心视频 Mānoa鈥檚 and supported by a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation—students Zachary Gibson, Hedsey Rowa and Jason Nichols gathered critical data, updated mapping infrastructure and supported youth programs on the island of Ebeye for a month in summer 2026.

The connection between the students grew out of Kapiʻolani CC. Rowa, who was born in Ebeye and grew up in Kosrae with family ties across Micronesia, introduced Gibson to the region after meeting in a lab and taking summer ethnic studies classes together. Nichols, a Kapiʻolani CC alumnus now attending 糖心视频 Mānoa, joined after conducting research with TBSE program coordinator Miku Lenentine.

Their recent work builds on foundational trips from prior years. During his first visit in 2025, Gibson spent more than three weeks conducting 14 interviews with local residents to understand community needs, infrastructure limits and the feasibility of implementing telehealth services. For Rowa, returning to the Marshall Islands as an academic researcher has been both challenging and deeply meaningful.

“It鈥檚 an amazing feeling. I鈥檓 just gonna make it my whole life for me just to keep going back,” Rowa said. “It鈥檚 nice to get back to the islands.”

For Nichols, making his first journey to Ebeye after months of preparation was a transformative experience that began as soon as the team crossed Kwajalein Atoll to reach Ebeye.

“It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to be able to go for me,” Nichols said. “Despite having known that I was going to go for a while and planning, it鈥檚 like when you first step foot there, it really hits you how unique and special of a place it is.”

Empowering youth through tech and tradition

During their trip, the team volunteered at Spartan Camp, a summer program bringing top-performing and at-risk students together to learn environmental sciences, artificial intelligence, drone operations and traditional skills such as canoe building, sailing and net fishing.

To improve digital navigation on the island, the team partnered with NGO Pacific Allies to equip local youth with 360-degree cameras. Together, they walked the streets to record GPS coordinates and upload interactive mapping data to Google Street View and Organic Maps. Because the Marshall Islands is one of the least visited countries in the world, accurate street-level mapping helps visiting scholars, emergency response teams and local government officials navigate the area effectively.

The students presented their data to local government officials, school principals, the commissioner of education and the emergency operations command center. Additionally, on the private islet of Nene, the team conducted forest mapping, trail routing and drone documentation alongside landowners and local youth.

“When we鈥檙e over there and we鈥檙e able to provide the need that they鈥檙e asking for, it does feel like a deep sense of gratitude, but also it feels honoring to the people who taught us—the teachers before,” Gibson said.

Fostering future leaders

Faculty mentors said the hands-on experience demonstrates the true potential of collaborative partnerships.

“Seeing our students take the skills and ʻāina-based economic frameworks learned in Hawaiʻi and apply them directly to community-identified needs in the Marshall Islands shows the profound impact of place-based education,” Lenentine said. “Zachary, Hedsey and Jason embody the spirit of reciprocal learning and leadership that we hope to foster across the Pacific.”

“This initiative demonstrates the immense power of the pathway between 糖心视频 Mānoa and Kapiʻolani Community College,” said Denise Eby Konan, 糖心视频 Mānoa interim provost and co-principal investigator on the NSF grant. “By empowering our students to bridge academic research with meaningful community engagement, we are not only expanding educational access across our campuses, but also deepening our commitment to serving Indigenous and Pacific communities throughout the region.”

Read the entire story on the .

The health consequences of catastrophic wildfires that burn through towns and cities may extend far beyond the period when flames are extinguished and smoke disappears, according to new research from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa鈥檚 (MauiWES).

A study of 1,400 Maui adults 6–18 months after the August 2023 wildfires found substantially elevated concentrations of several metals in participants鈥� urine, and also discovered that greater amounts of metals accumulated in the body was associated with abnormal lung function. Researchers measured 24 metals while assessing pulmonary function through standardized breathing tests at the same visit. The findings were .

Compared with U.S. biomonitoring data, Maui participants had markedly higher concentrations of several metals, including antimony at nearly 40 times, manganese at 3.8 times, barium at 2.3 times and arsenic at 2.2 times U.S. reference values. Across three complementary statistical approaches, higher combined metal exposure was associated with several measures of abnormal lung function. Arsenic, cadmium, copper and antimony were among the metals that contributed most strongly to those patterns.

The researchers emphasize, however, that the elevated metal burden likely reflects a complex mixture of exposures rather than a single source. Some exposures may have existed before the wildfire because of Hawaiʻi鈥檚 geology, historic agricultural and industrial land use, diet and other environmental factors. The disaster may then have introduced new contaminants while also disturbing and remobilizing pollutants already present in soil, dust and the built environment.

Because pre-fire biomonitoring data are not available, the current study cannot determine precisely how much of the measured burden came directly from the wildfire versus chronic, persistent or other ongoing exposures. Longitudinal biomonitoring and environmental sampling will be critical to disentangling those pathways.

“The biggest message is that exposure may not end when the smoke clears,” said Ruben Juarez, MauiWES co-director and –HMSA Distinguished Endowed Professor of Health Economics at 糖心视频 Mānoa. “What we are likely seeing is a complex combination of exposures—some that may have been present for years and others that may have been generated or remobilized by the wildfire. When a disaster burns through a community, it can fundamentally change how contaminants move through the environment. The next scientific challenge is to disentangle those sources and understand which exposures persist, where they come from and what they mean for long-term health.”

A different kind of wildfire

Much of what is known about wildfire health effects comes from studying smoke generated by burning vegetation. But fires such as those that devastated Lahaina represent a fundamentally different type of disaster.

Wildland-urban interface fires can burn homes, vehicles, electronics, treated lumber, electrical systems and other infrastructure, generating complex mixtures of contaminants while simultaneously disturbing pollutants accumulated in soil from earlier agricultural, industrial or other land uses. Those materials may remain in ash, settled dust, soil and debris or be redistributed across the landscape during cleanup and recovery. Potential pathways of continued exposure include resuspended fine particles, contact with contaminated dust and debris and indirect environmental exposure even after visible smoke has dissipated.

“We have traditionally thought about wildfire exposure primarily through the lens of smoke,” said Alika Maunakea, MauiWES co-director and professor at the 糖心视频 Mānoa . “But when an entire community burns, we are dealing with a much more complicated exposure environment. The biology is telling us that we need to understand not only what was in the air during the fire, but what was already present in the landscape, what the disaster may have mobilized, and what is actually getting into people鈥檚 bodies during the months and years that follow.”

Exposure was not confined to Lahaina

The study also identified substantial geographic differences in both metal exposure and pulmonary health across Maui.

Lahaina residents showed a distinct metal profile, including relatively elevated concentrations of arsenic and cadmium, while Wailuku/Kahului residents had the highest median concentrations of copper, iron and molybdenum. Kula and Kihei showed different metal profiles as well, underscoring that there was no single uniform exposure pattern across the island.

Pulmonary impairment also varied across Maui. Among interpretable breathing test results, Wailuku/Kahului exhibited some of the highest prevalence of abnormal lung-function measures, while Lahaina also showed substantial pulmonary impairment and Kula generally showed the lowest burden.

Those patterns suggest that the exposure landscape after a major disaster may be more complicated than simply comparing people inside and outside a burn zone. Researchers believe the measured metal mixtures may reflect overlapping contributions from wildfire-generated material, contaminants remobilized by the disaster, historically contaminated soils, local land use, geology and other ongoing environmental sources. Determining the relative contribution of each pathway is now a major focus of the research.

Implications far beyond Maui

The findings from Maui have implications beyond Hawaiʻi. As destructive fires increasingly reach developed communities, researchers say disaster-response systems may need to look beyond short-term measurements of smoke and particulate matter. Future responses could include longer-term environmental monitoring, human biomonitoring, respiratory surveillance and targeted assessment of soil, ash and settled dust, particularly in places with histories of agricultural or industrial contamination.

New NIH study will disentangle legacy and disaster-related exposures

The next phase of research will investigate the sources of the metal contaminants. In September 2026, 糖心视频 announced a five-year, $3.6 million grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to investigate pollutants left behind by decades of agricultural and industrial activity in Hawaiʻi and examine whether wildfires and other disasters can remobilize those contaminants, creating new pathways of human exposure.

The project is led by Maunakea, Juarez and Alison Lee of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. It will follow approximately 1,000 Hawaiʻi residents over five years and combine environmental measurements, biological samples and cardiopulmonary assessments. The research will help distinguish persistent background exposures, legacy contamination and disaster-related exposures, while examining how those different sources contribute to heart and lung health over time.

Together, the studies shift the scientific question from simply “What did the wildfire release?” to a broader one: “How does a disaster transform an existing environmental contamination landscape and change what people are exposed to?”

Connecting participants with information, care

Researchers emphasized that the study is designed not only to document health effects, but also to connect participants with information and care. MauiWES participants receive access to their individual health results, opportunities to discuss those findings and referrals when screening identifies potential health concerns. The study will continue following families over time to understand how health changes during Maui鈥檚 recovery.

“We know these findings may be difficult for families who have already been through so much,” Juarez said. “Our responsibility is not simply to publish the science. It is to help people understand what we are finding, return information to the community, connect people with care when they need it, and continue learning alongside Maui as the community recovers.”

Resources for Maui residents

Research about the wildfires may raise health questions or bring back difficult memories. Maui residents can access the following resources:

• Current environmental conditions and advisories: The maintains a Maui Wildfire Environmental Monitoring Data Portal with current information on air, soil, ash and debris, coastal waters and other environmental monitoring.
• Medical and behavioral health resources: The provides medical, mental health and recovery resources, including materials in multiple languages.
• Emotional or crisis support: Hawaiʻi CARES 988 provides free, confidential support 24 hours a day. Call or text 988. Local counselors can assist with mental health, crisis and substance-use concerns.
• Help finding community services: Aloha United Way 211 connects Hawaiʻi residents with health care, housing, food, financial assistance, mental health services and other local resources. Dial 211 or visit the statewide resource directory.
• MauiWES participants: Participants can access individual health results through the MauiWES participant portal. Send questions about the study to mauiwes@hawaii.edu.

Hawaiʻi鈥檚 economy has slowed this year under the weight of war-driven oil prices and an unusually active storm season, including two hurricanes within three weeks, according to the 鈥檚 (糖心视频ERO) quarter 3 forecast for 2026.

Real GDP growth will fall to about half a percent in 2026, from more than 3% last year, and payroll employment will edge lower. 糖心视频ERO expects gradual relief as energy prices ease and storm recovery proceeds, with growth and hiring firming in 2027 and 2028. An aging, shrinking population will keep job gains modest, and continued AI investment offers upside potential for incomes, although the extent remains uncertain.

“Overall, we expect 2027 to bring gradual economic improvement to the state as energy prices and storm effects recede, although the persistent Middle East conflict remains a primary risk, together with election-related policy uncertainty,” 糖心视频ERO wrote. “Slowly declining population will mean a tepid trend employment path, while AI adoption could provide a potential upside income surprise in the years ahead.”

Takeaways from the September 25 report:

• The U.S. economy continues to grow about 1.5–2%, supported by higher-income households benefiting from AI-related wealth gains and to some extent by the AI buildout. High fuel and other prices strain lower-income families. With core inflation above its 2% target, the Federal Reserve began to raise the federal funds interest rate at its September meeting. Long-term rates have already surged, pushing mortgage rates higher. Growth abroad remains soft, with Canada facing new U.S. tariffs, China growing at its slowest pace since the pandemic, and high oil prices weighing on many trading partners.
• Hawaiʻi tourism faced dual headwinds this year from surging fuel costs and a parade of storms. Hurricane Lowell鈥檚 September brush with Kauaʻi will cut that county鈥檚 arrivals by more than 6% for the year. Statewide visitor arrivals will decline just over half a percent for the year as a whole, while a sharp drop in reported length of stay will pull the average daily visitor census down more than 6%. Maui tourism continues to recover, and 糖心视频ERO expects modest statewide arrivals growth to resume in 2027 and 2028 as energy prices ease and storm effects fade.
• Hawaiʻi鈥檚 job growth has stalled. Maui is the only county that 糖心视频ERO expects to see net gains this year. Weak labor demand, rather than a shortage of workers, is the main story: job postings are down and the unemployment rate has edged up to a still-low 2.7%. Real wage gains have been modest and uneven across industries. Statewide payroll employment will contract slightly this year before a small 2027 rebound, and income growth will slow before recovering.
• Honolulu inflation reached 5.6% over the 12 months ending in July, driven by the energy price surge and continued shelter cost increases. 糖心视频ERO expects inflation to average 4.8% in 2026, easing to 3.3% in 2027 as these pressures fade.
• Construction remains a significant contributor to the state economy, supported by ongoing large federal military projects, the Honolulu Skyline rail project, the Kapālama port upgrade and private condominium development. Construction employment has flattened but should remain above 40,000 workers for some years to come, even as the public infrastructure cycle gradually passes its peak. Changes to federal law and a potential new local financing tool will support more housing development.
• Housing affordability remains strained even though prices have stayed largely flat this year. High mortgage rates—now about 7%—have pushed up monthly payments, and Hawaiʻi鈥檚 already-high condo fees could rise further under new federal funding rules. Rebuilding from this year鈥檚 storms adds near-term costs for the state and counties, particularly because of long lags in the release of federal recovery funds.

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糖心视频ERO is housed in 糖心视频 Mānoa鈥檚 .

The University of Hawaiʻi鈥檚 three 4-year universities earned national recognition in the released September 22, with 糖心视频 West Oʻahu earning two second-place regional rankings and two additional top-10 rankings.

, and were ranked among the country鈥檚 top 4-year institutions by U.S. News and World Report out of based on nearly 20 categories (depending on program ranking), including graduation and retention rates, peer assessments, academic and financial resources and student excellence.

“Recognition from U.S. News and World Report reflects the many ways the University of Hawaiʻi is serving students and the state,” 糖心视频 President Wendy Hensel said. “From academic programs and student support to opportunities that help students move into careers and build better lives for themselves and their families, these results highlight the strength and value of a University of Hawaiʻi education. We are proud of the work happening across our universities, community colleges and learning centers, and remain committed to providing opportunities for students at every level of higher education.”

The in the 糖心视频 Mānoa ranked No. 23 among the best programs in the nation. Shidler College also came in at No. 129 (tied) among the best undergraduate business programs out of 535 ranked undergraduate business programs.

The flagship campus of the 糖心视频 System ranked No. 96 (tied) as a top U.S. public university; No. 128 for best colleges for veterans; No. 186 (tied) overall in the country; and No. 196 (tied) in social mobility, which measures how well schools graduated students who were federal Pell Grant recipients. 糖心视频 Mānoa was ranked among the national universities category—featuring institutions that offer a range of undergraduate majors, plus master’s and doctoral programs, and emphasize faculty research.

The is the No. 94 (tied) best undergraduate nursing program among 671 ranked undergraduate nursing programs.

The ranked No. 140 (tied) for best undergraduate economics programs in the nation, and the ranked No. 189 (tied) out of the top 676 best undergraduate psychology programs in the nation. Both departments are housed in the .

The placed No. 146 (tied) among the best undergraduate engineering programs that offer doctoral degrees in the country.

The in the ranked as the No. 173 (tied) best undergraduate computer science program out of 587 ranked programs.

“糖心视频 Mānoa鈥檚 strong showing reflects the depth and breadth of a flagship institution that combines outstanding undergraduate education with nationally recognized research and professional programs,” said 糖心视频 Mānoa Chancellor Vassilis L. Syrmos. “Our faculty, staff, and students should all take pride in their hard work and dedication that led to these results, which can also be attributed to the many unique opportunities we are able to provide to students across our campus and in the field. I’m very pleased to see the fruits of our labor reflected in these rankings by U.S. News and World Report.”

糖心视频 Hilo ranked among the top national liberal arts colleges—a category that compares institutions across the country, rather than within a single region—that focus almost exclusively on undergraduate education and that tend to award most of their degrees in the arts and sciences. In that category, 糖心视频 Hilo ranked No. 17 as a top public school, No. 77 (tied) for social mobility and No. 153 overall.

糖心视频 贬颈濒辞鈥檚 is the No. 195 (tied) best undergraduate nursing program in the country among 671 ranked undergraduate nursing programs, the ranked No. 255 (tied) out of the top 676 undergraduate psychology programs in the nation, and the placed No. 301 (tied) out of 535 ranked undergraduate business programs.

“We鈥檙e proud to see 糖心视频 Hilo recognized among the nation鈥檚 leading liberal arts colleges,” 糖心视频 Hilo Chancellor Bonnie D. Irwin said. “This recognition reflects the dedication of our faculty, staff and students and the high-quality education and experiences we provide. It鈥檚 a testament to the strong community we鈥檝e built at 糖心视频 Hilo and our commitment to student success.”

糖心视频 West Oʻahu ranked No. 2 (tied) for top public colleges in the West and best colleges for veterans among regional colleges in the West, No. 8 for social mobility for regional colleges in the West and No. 9 (tied) overall among regional colleges in the West.

“These rankings are a reflection of the outstanding work happening every day at 糖心视频 West Oʻahu,” 糖心视频 West Oʻahu Interim Chancellor Carlos Peñaloza said. “Our faculty and staff are dedicated to providing students with a high-quality education and the support they need to succeed. We鈥檙e proud of our students and grateful to everyone who contributes to their success.”

Ranking categories

糖心视频 Mānoa was ranked in the national universities category, which featured institutions that offer a range of undergraduate majors, plus master’s and doctoral programs, and emphasize faculty research.

糖心视频 Hilo was ranked in the national liberal arts colleges category, which featured institutions that focus almost exclusively on undergraduate education and tend to award most of their degrees in the arts and sciences.

糖心视频 West Oʻahu was ranked in the regional colleges in the West category, which includes schools that focus on undergraduate education and grant fewer than 50% of their degrees in liberal arts disciplines.

The National Institutes of Health has awarded the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa nearly $5.9 million through two grants to continue and expand the (MauiWES), Hawaiʻi鈥檚 largest and most comprehensive disaster health cohort.

The new funding from the (NIMHD) will allow researchers to continue following adults affected by the August 2023 Maui wildfires and expand the study to 800 children, creating an unprecedented opportunity to understand how a major disaster affects physical health, mental health, development and recovery over many years.

Together, the awards will extend MauiWES through 2031—eight years after the fires.

“These awards transform MauiWES from an emergency response into a long-term commitment to Maui,” said Ruben Juarez, 鈥�HMSA Distinguished Endowed Professor of Health Economics and co-principal investigator of MauiWES. “We began studying families within months of the fires. Now we can follow them for years to understand which health problems persist, who is recovering and what we can do to better protect communities after future disasters.”

MauiWES impact

MauiWES was launched following the August 8, 2023 wildfires and enrolled approximately 1,800 adults and 200 children from wildfire-affected communities, including Lahaina and Kula, during its first year. The study brings together health screenings and biological monitoring with information on environmental exposures, mental health, housing, displacement and economic recovery.

What began as an emergency response supported by the State of Hawaiʻi, the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation and Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi has now grown into a long-term, federally funded effort to understand the health consequences of the Maui wildfires.

MauiWES has already translated its early community investment into measurable scientific and health impact. Across three annual community reports—2024, 2025 and 2026—the study has documented persistent respiratory and mental health challenges, housing instability and barriers to care as families recover. Findings published in and have further documented the lasting health effects of the fires and the critical roles of displacement, economic disruption and social support in recovery.

To date, MauiWES has connected hundreds of participants to healthcare and mental health services, and has now provided more than 4,000 appointments and screenings to more than 2,500 residents, returning health information and referrals directly to the community.

Following Maui survivors through recovery

The first award, R33MD019793, The Maui Wildfire Exposure Cohort Study on Community Health and Resilience, provides approximately $2.2 million over three years to continue following roughly 1,000 adults affected by the wildfires through 2029.

Participants receive comprehensive health assessments that include lung function testing, blood pressure, mental health screening and biological samples. Researchers also track housing, employment, displacement and other measures of recovery. By following the same people over time, MauiWES can move beyond a snapshot of the disaster to answer a bigger question: How does health change as families rebuild their lives?

Expanding MauiWES to children

The second award, R01MD021757, Evaluating the Health and Developmental Impacts of Wildfire Exposure on Children, provides approximately $3.7 million over five years and extends the MauiWES program through 2031.

The project will expand MauiWES to 800 children (400 children affected by the wildfires and 400 unexposed children for comparison) and follow them over several years. Researchers will examine lung and cardiovascular health, mental health, environmental exposures, stress, cognitive development, school attendance and academic performance. Early findings show why long-term follow-up is important. Among approximately 200 children evaluated after the fires, MauiWES researchers found high levels of symptoms of depression and anxiety, probable PTSD, and evidence of airway obstruction.

“Children are especially important to follow because their lungs, brains and bodies are still developing,” said Alika Maunakea, professor at the and co-principal investigator of MauiWES. “By looking at environmental exposures, health, stress, and education together, we can better understand how the wildfire may shape their development as well as identify ways families, schools, and health systems can support their recovery.”

From Maui to a national model

A major strength of MauiWES is that researchers began collecting detailed health information and biological samples shortly after the disaster, creating an early baseline that can now be connected with years of follow-up. MauiWES is among the earliest cohorts established after a wildfire disaster to collect both biomedical samples and health screening data, providing important baseline information that can be compared with participants鈥� health trajectories over time.

With the new awards, MauiWES will combine long-term data from the participants, creating a comprehensive picture of how disaster affects people and families across generations. The goal is not only to understand what happened in Maui, but to turn those lessons into better health screening, clinical care, school support, disaster-response, and prevention-oriented strategies for communities in Hawaiʻi and across the country.

The MauiWES team emphasized that the study would not be possible without the thousands of Maui residents who have participated and the community organizations, health care providers and local leaders who have supported the effort since the fires.

Research reported in this release is supported by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health under award numbers R33MD019793 and R01MD021757. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Read more about MauiWES on 糖心视频 News.

About 12,000 low-income households across Hawaiʻi rely on Housing Choice Vouchers, commonly known as Section 8, to help pay rent. But a new (糖心视频ERO) report finds the program is facing growing financial pressure as rising rents make it increasingly expensive to help families.

Federal spending on Hawaiʻi鈥檚 tenant-based vouchers more than tripled from about $55 million in 2003 to approximately $170 million in 2024, which represents a 70% increase even after accounting for inflation. Yet the number of families receiving assistance has grown only modestly.

The reason is simple: Hawaiʻi rents have climbed dramatically.

Voucher households generally pay about 30% of their adjusted income toward rent and utilities, with the government covering much of the remaining cost. But as rents rise while many participants鈥� incomes remain relatively flat, taxpayers must cover a growing share of the cost just to maintain assistance for roughly the same number of families.

The stakes extend beyond the families currently receiving help. Only about one in five income-eligible households in Hawaiʻi receives a voucher, leaving thousands of others waiting for assistance that may not become available for years.

“As rents rise, more federal funding is needed just to maintain the program, making it harder to expand assistance to the thousands of Hawaiʻi families still waiting for help,” said lead author JoonYup Park, an assistant professor at 糖心视频ERO and , who holds the Hawaiʻi Community Reinvestment Corporation Professorship in Affordable Housing.

The program is also becoming an increasingly important pathway out of homelessness. About one in five households newly admitted to the program was experiencing homelessness, compared with roughly one in 20 in the mid-2000s.

In addition, receiving a voucher does not automatically mean a family has housing. Households generally have 60 to 120 days to find a rental that meets program requirements and has a landlord willing to accept the voucher. If they cannot, they can lose the voucher and return to the bottom of the waiting list.

Potential solutions

The report points to housing construction as one possible solution. More apartments and other housing can help slow rent increases and create more affordable options for voucher holders, reducing the amount of government assistance needed for each household. Helping families increase their incomes could also reduce reliance on subsidies and eventually free vouchers for others waiting for help.

“This research shows that Hawaiʻi鈥檚 housing affordability challenge cannot be solved by rental assistance alone,” Park said. “We need to think about how housing policy, economic opportunity and the structure of public benefits can work together to give more families a realistic path toward long-term housing stability.”

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糖心视频ERO and the Department of Urban and Regional Planning is housed in 糖心视频 Mānoa鈥檚 .

Investigating a hidden environmental health threat across Hawaiʻi—pollutants left behind by decades of agricultural and industrial activity, and whether wildfires and other disasters can bring those contaminants back into the environment and into people鈥檚 bodies—is the focus of a new University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai-led research project that received a five-year, $3.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The new study builds directly on the (MauiWES), 糖心视频鈥檚 longitudinal health study (a health study that follows participants over time) established after the 2023 Maui wildfires, and will expand that work to understand how Hawaiʻi鈥檚 historical environmental contamination may be affecting communities today.

The highly competitive NIH R01 grant, funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), will establish the Health and Environment Assessment Longitudinal (HEAL) cohort, following 1,000 Hawaiʻi residents over five years. It will be the first systematic investigation in Hawaiʻi of heart and lung health risks associated with these legacy pollutants, including arsenic, lead, dioxins and others related to “forever” chemicals.

The project, Impact of Legacy Pollutants on Cardiopulmonary Health Following Natural Disasters, is led by principal investigators Alika Maunakea, professor at the (JABSOM), Ruben Juarez, –HMSA Distinguished Endowed Professor of Health Economics at 糖心视频 Mānoa, and Alison Lee, a physician-scientist with ties to Hawaiʻi at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Hawaiʻi鈥檚 past may still be affecting health today

For generations, sugarcane shaped Hawaiʻi鈥檚 economy, communities and landscape. But that history also left behind contaminants that can remain in the environment for decades. Former agricultural areas may contain arsenic, lead, dioxins and other mixtures. Arsenic was historically used in pesticides and in canec, a sugarcane-based construction material once widely used in Hawaiʻi homes and buildings. The concern is not only what remains in the ground, but what happens when these hazards are spread by flood or wildfires.

The 2023 Maui wildfires burned homes, buildings and infrastructure in communities with a long agricultural history. Researchers want to understand whether intense fires can disturb contaminants that have remained in soil or older structures for decades, creating new pathways of human exposure.

“Hawaiʻi has environmental exposures that are deeply connected to our history, but we still know remarkably little about what they mean for health today,” Maunakea said. “MauiWES gave us an unprecedented window into what happens to health after a major wildfire. Now we can build on that foundation to ask a bigger question: Are pollutants left in our environment decades ago still affecting people today, and can disasters bring those risks back to the surface?”

MauiWES to a statewide environmental health study

The new cohort will build on the infrastructure, community partnerships and scientific foundation developed through MauiWES while expanding the research beyond wildfire exposure alone.

Over five years, researchers plan to enroll 1,000 people across four groups: people with little-known exposure to wildfire or legacy pollutants; residents near former sugarcane lands; people exposed to wildfire but with lower expected exposure to legacy pollutants; and people exposed to both wildfire and legacy pollutants.

Researchers will combine soil and water testing, biological samples, heart and lung assessments, community-engaged citizen science, and geographic mapping to answer important questions: What is in the environment, is it getting into people, and is it affecting their health? They will examine outcomes including lung function, blood pressure and inflammation.

“Wildfires can burn homes and infrastructure and disturb contaminants that have been sitting in our environment for generations,” Juarez said. “By connecting environmental samples with what we find in people鈥檚 bodies and their health, we can begin to understand that full chain of exposure. This can help us design approaches to mitigate such exposures and improve the health of our community.”

Finding Hawaiʻi鈥檚 hidden contamination with national implications

One major goal is to identify potential contamination hotspots near former sugarcane areas and determine whether people living near those areas have higher levels of pollutants in their soil, water or biological samples. Researchers will then examine whether those exposures are associated with poorer heart and lung health and whether legacy pollutants help explain some of the health effects associated with wildfire exposure.

“Most environmental health studies look at one exposure at a time,” Lee said. “But communities experience many exposures together. Hawaiʻi gives us an important opportunity to understand what happens when a major disaster occurs on top of decades of existing environmental contamination.”

The implications extend far beyond the islands. Across the U.S., wildfires are increasingly reaching communities where homes, vehicles, industrial materials and historical contamination can all become part of the disaster environment. The researchers hope the study can ultimately help Hawaiʻi identify where contamination remains, who may be most exposed and what can be done before the next disaster occurs—while providing a model for other communities facing similar risks nationwide.

The NIH R01 grant, funded by NIEHS, is under award number 1R01ES038296.

Three years after the August 2023 wildfires on Maui, substantial steps forward have been made, but important gaps remain, according to a new report from the (糖心视频ERO) released on August 11. Housing has stabilized for many affected families, with more households in permanent homes, and some able to return to their communities. But employment and incomes have moved little over the past year. The report presents findings from the Maui Recovery Survey, an ongoing survey of people who lived, worked, or owned a business in West Maui or Kula at the time of the disaster.

Key findings from the August 11 report:

• Displacement has declined modestly. The share of households no longer displaced rose modestly over the past year, and fewer are displaced from both their home and West Maui. Of those displaced from both their home and West Maui in early 2025, about one in six have returned to West Maui but not yet to their home. Displacement also continues to extend beyond the burn area, where the share displaced from their home but remaining in the same area has risen.
• Housing stability has continued to improve. Homeownership has recovered slightly from 38% to 42%. For some, relief programs met needs that predated the fires. About 60% of those who were unhoused or in informal arrangements before the disaster had a rental by 2025, and a further 20% by 2026. About two-thirds of fire-affected households now live in permanent housing, up from just over half in early 2025. Households are also moving far less than in the first two years, and among those still in temporary arrangements the share at the same address for more than a year has tripled to almost two-thirds. However, overall rates of temporary and unstable housing remain elevated.
• Rental costs have eased for smaller properties, but remain heightened for larger units. Median rent for studios and one-bedrooms has fallen to roughly its pre-fire level by May 2026. Rents for larger units have stayed broadly flat and well above pre-disaster levels. Overall, almost half of fire-affected renters now pay less than before the fires (largely because of rental assistance), but at the same time almost 40% pay more. The share of households receiving full or near-full rental assistance has been cut by more than half, from 37% in January 2025 to 15% in May 2026.
• Employment continues to be an area of limited progress. 42% of fire-affected people work full-time, unchanged from a year earlier and still well below the 62% who did so before the fires. Unemployment has fallen from 10% to 8%, but exits from the labor market through retirement or no longer seeking work have risen from 26% to 30%. Even among working-age people, more than one and a half times as many are out of the labor force as before the disaster. Among people employed in the visitor industry before the fires, about two-thirds still work in the sector, with little change over the last year.
• Poverty levels have risen since the wildfires, but some improvements are emerging. The share of households in poverty has declined modestly over the past year but remains markedly above pre-fire levels, and most households are still poorer than before. The share of households above but near the poverty threshold has increased the most after the wildfires, but it has also been on a downward trajectory in the last few months.
• Unmet needs have declined slightly, but assistance has fallen substantially. Financial assistance remains the most frequently reported need. FEMA assistance has been cut in half over the last year and a half. Other government assistance has also declined, and only half as many people now receive help from community organizations compared with the start of 2025. About half of fire-affected people received no assistance of any kind in May 2026, almost double the share a year earlier. Some of this decline may reflect households regaining stability, but the scale suggests assistance has likely also fallen for households who still need it.

With support from the , 糖心视频ERO will continue to monitor and analyze the progress of the recovery in its fourth year.

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糖心视频ERO is housed in 糖心视频 M膩noa鈥檚 .

Three years after the 2023 Maui wildfires, residents are showing meaningful signs of recovery—but persistent food insecurity, housing instability, health concerns and weakening social support continue to place many families at risk. That is the central finding of a new community report released July 27 from the (MauiWES), led by researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi.

The report, “,” follows many of the same adults and children over time, allowing researchers to examine how their health and living conditions have changed since the disaster. The findings show that recovery is underway, but that progress remains uneven across Maui families.

MauiWES has conducted more than 4,000 appointments and screenings to more than 2,500 participants, providing residents with mental health assessments, blood pressure checks, lung function testing, blood testing, social needs screening, health information and referrals.

Key findings

• Employment among returning adults increased from 62.0% to 80.9%.
• Health insurance coverage increased from 85.1% to 90.5%.
• Participants living in temporary housing declined from 40.6% to 34.4%, while those who felt secure in their housing increased from 72.2% to 79.6%.
• Food insecurity remained widespread, affecting 44.9% of returning adults. The most severe level of food insecurity remained essentially unchanged at approximately 23%.
• High social support declined from 62.3% to 53.7%, suggesting growing recovery fatigue and strain on families and community networks.
• Nearly one in two adults continued to report depressive symptoms, approximately one in four screened with moderate-to-severe anxiety and nearly one in three reported post-traumatic stress symptoms.

“These findings show that Maui鈥檚 recovery is moving forward, with real progress in employment, insurance coverage and housing stability,” said Ruben Juarez, co-director of MauiWES and –HMSA Distinguished Professor of Health Economics. “The opportunity now is to build on that progress by connecting housing, food, healthcare and social support so that every family has the foundation needed to recover and thrive.”

The report identifies four closely connected foundations of long-term health recovery:

• Food and income security
• Stable and secure housing
• Access to healthcare and follow-up
• Strong family and community support

Researchers found that residents facing food insecurity, housing insecurity or limited social support consistently experienced greater emotional distress. For example, half of adults who felt insecure in their housing reported moderate-to-severe post-traumatic stress symptoms, compared with about one-quarter of those who felt secure.

“The progress is real, and it should be recognized,” said Alika K. Maunakea, MauiWES co-director and professor. “But the biological, emotional and social consequences of a disaster do not disappear on the same timeline as debris removal or reconstruction. Long-term recovery requires continued health monitoring, early intervention and trusted pathways to care.”

Children remain a priority

The report highlights mixed findings among children and adolescents. Overall anxiety and mild-to-moderate depression declined, but severe depressive symptoms increased from 11.8% to 15.1%, and severe post-traumatic stress symptoms increased.

Children鈥檚 lung function screening results improved but remained concerning, according to researchers. Stage 1-range blood-pressure readings and obesity also increased, reinforcing the importance of continued pediatric screening, school-based mental-health support and family-centered services.

“Children may appear resilient while still carrying significant emotional and physical effects beneath the surface,” said Christopher Knightsbridge, a MauiWES mental-health therapist based in Lahaina. “Supporting children means supporting the entire family鈥攊ncluding their housing, food security, daily routines and access to trusted care.”

From screening to sustained care

The report calls for Maui鈥檚 recovery to move from separate emergency programs toward a coordinated health-recovery system connecting healthcare, behavioral health, housing assistance, food programs, schools, insurance enrollment and trusted community organizations.

“Screening cannot end with a result on paper,” Juarez said. “Every concerning result should become a supported pathway to diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Families should not be left to navigate a complicated recovery system on their own.”

MauiWES is a community-based partnership involving 糖心视频 researchers, local healthcare providers, grassroots organizations and recovery partners across Maui.

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See more 糖心视频 News stories on MauiWES. For more on MauiWES and information on resources, .

Owning a home remains out of reach for many Americans, but a new analysis from the (糖心视频ERO) suggests the housing affordability crisis may have reached its peak.

The analysis by 糖心视频ERO Professor Byron Gangnes finds that housing affordability deteriorated sharply across the country beginning in 2021 as home prices surged and mortgage interest rates climbed. While affordability has improved modestly over the past two years because of rising incomes, slower home price growth and slightly lower mortgage rates, many housing markets remain unaffordable—especially Honolulu.

Using a measure based on what a median-income household can reasonably afford while spending no more than 30% of its income on housing costs, the analysis found Honolulu to be among the nation鈥檚 least affordable housing markets. In 2024, the median home price in Honolulu was about twice what a median-income household could afford.

Comparing Hawaiʻi to other U.S. areas

The report also found that cities once considered relatively affordable, including Charlotte, Atlanta and Dallas, have seen steep declines in affordability since the pandemic because home prices have risen much faster than incomes.

Nationally, affordability has improved since its recent low point as wage growth has helped households keep pace with housing costs and mortgage rates have eased from their highs. Even so, the report said many moderate-income families, particularly those earning below the median income, continue to face significant barriers to homeownership.

Gangnes noted that affordability can continue to improve over time as incomes rise and borrowing costs decline, but said policy changes will also be needed. The report points to strategies such as increasing housing construction, streamlining permitting, encouraging smaller homes and expanding assistance with down payments and mortgage costs to help make homeownership more attainable.

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糖心视频ERO is housed in 糖心视频 Mānoa鈥檚 .

A new international study co-authored by a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa researcher found that drifting devices used by the global tuna fishing industry are entering marine protected areas around the world, creating potential risks for wildlife and sensitive ocean habitats.

The study, , analyzed publicly available data on drifting fish aggregating devices (dFADs)—floating rafts equipped with GPS technology that help commercial fishing fleets locate tuna. Researchers estimated the devices have likely drifted through more than half of the world鈥檚 marine protected areas by total area.

The findings are especially relevant for Hawaiʻi and the broader Pacific, where vast marine protected areas coexist with some of the world鈥檚 busiest tuna fishing grounds. Researchers found hotspots for dFAD interactions in the central Pacific, western Indian Ocean and Caribbean. They also documented at least 6,300 strandings of the devices in 174 protected areas across 53 maritime jurisdictions.

When these floating structures wash ashore or become trapped on reefs, they can damage coral, contribute to plastic pollution and entangle marine animals such as sea turtles and sharks. The study identified nearly 500 at-risk species living within protected areas where dFAD strandings have been observed.

John Lynham, a professor in the 糖心视频 Mānoa and in the and a study co-author, said the research highlights an unintended consequence of modern tuna fishing technology.

“Marine protected areas are designed to safeguard ocean ecosystems, but drifting fishing devices do not recognize those boundaries,” Lynham said. “Our findings show there is an opportunity for the fishing industry, governments and conservation groups to work together on practical solutions that better protect these important places.”

The findings come as the future of marine protected areas has drawn renewed attention in the U.S. following President Donald Trump鈥檚 decision to lift restrictions on commercial fishing in some marine national monuments. The study itself focuses on the broader issue of drifting fishing devices crossing protected boundaries regardless of whether fishing is allowed inside those areas.

The researchers emphasized that while the fishing industry has made progress by developing less harmful and more biodegradable devices, additional steps are needed. They recommend stronger regulations, greater transparency in tracking the devices and better systems to retrieve them before they become marine debris. The study also found that the burden of removing stranded devices often falls on local communities and marine managers, including those in small island nations that may not benefit economically from the fisheries responsible for the equipment.

A significant reduction in flood damage and erosion across urban Honolulu can be achieved by protecting native forests and controlling invasive species in the Ala Wai watershed, according to a new interdisciplinary study by researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and state and community partners released May 26.

The research examined how invasive species such as albizia and miconia affect flooding in the Makiki, Mānoa and Pālolo watersheds. Researchers found that unmanaged spread of the invasive plants over the next decade could nearly double expected annual flood damages from $68 million to $134 million.

The study was released following the March 23 flash flooding in Mānoa that overtopped Woodlawn Bridge, flooded homes and left mud across parts of the valley, including Noelani Elementary School. Researchers said healthy native forests act like a natural sponge by slowing stormwater runoff and stabilizing steep slopes. Invasive species can weaken those protections by increasing erosion and clogging streams with fallen trees and debris.

The research team combined hydrological monitoring data with land cover and economic modeling to measure the impacts of watershed management efforts led by the Koʻolau Mountains Watershed Partnership and the Oʻahu Invasive Species Committee.

“The results show decreased streamflow for a given rainfall amount in Makiki and Mānoa, where albizia and miconia were detected and removed most often,” the authors wrote, noting that runoff reductions were observed within just a few years of invasive species removal.

The study also projected that unchecked invasive species growth would more than double annual Ala Wai Canal dredging costs from about $1.4 million to $3 million because of increased sediment runoff. Researchers said the findings highlight the need for long-term funding to support watershed protection and invasive species management programs across Hawaiʻi.

Project team members:

• Yu-Fen Huang (NREM)
• Yinphan Tsang (NREM)
• Leah Bremer (Institute for Sustainability and Resilience, 糖心视频ERO, WRRC)
• Conrad Newfield (ISR, 糖心视频ERO)
• Emma Yuen (Department of Land and Natural Resources–Forestry and Wildlife)
• Kimberly Burnett (糖心视频ERO)
• Nathan DeMaagd (NREM, 糖心视频ERO)
• Jean Fujikawa (Oʻahu Invasive Species Committee)
• Nate Dube (Oʻahu Invasive Species Committee)
• Erin Bishop (Oʻahu Invasive Species Committee)
• Serene Smalley (Koʻolau Mountains Watershed Partnership)

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糖心视频ERO is housed in 糖心视频 Mānoa鈥檚 .

Kona Low storms, rising oil prices and global conflict are creating new economic uncertainty for Hawaiʻi, according to a new forecast from the (糖心视频ERO). The pressures are expected to push Hawaiʻi inflation higher and weigh on visitor arrivals and spending.

The 糖心视频ERO second quarter forecast released May 15 indicates Hawaiʻi鈥檚 economy is slowing after what had been an improving outlook earlier this year. The war involving Iran has driven up global oil prices, increasing fuel and travel costs while weakening some of the international economies that help power Hawaiʻi tourism.

At the same time, Hawaiʻi is still recovering from damaging March Kona Low storms that caused flooding and infrastructure damage.

“Hawaiʻi鈥檚 economy is facing a new wave of uncertainty,” 糖心视频ERO economists wrote in the report.

Tourism entered 2026 with momentum before the storms caused a sharp drop in passenger counts. According to 糖心视频ERO, conditions have since weakened as jet fuel prices surged, driving up airfare and contributing to airline capacity cuts. Canadian arrivals continue to decline, while Japanese travelers face the weakest yen purchasing power in decades.

糖心视频ERO projects visitor arrivals will grow about 2% this year before slowing sharply in 2027.

The labor market is also showing signs of strain. Payroll growth has been mostly flat, and federal employment has dropped by more than 3,000 jobs throughout the past year. Construction and healthcare remain bright spots, supported by major projects including recovery and rebuilding efforts on Maui following the 2023 wildfires and the New Aloha Stadium Entertainment District.

Housing affordability also remains a challenge. Median single-family home prices have hovered near $1 million, while insurance premiums continue rising following the Maui wildfires and recent storms.

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糖心视频ERO is housed in 糖心视频 Mānoa鈥檚 .

The (糖心视频ERO) has released the Hawaiʻi Housing Factbook 2026, the fourth edition of its annual report offering detailed analysis of the state鈥檚 housing market. The report finds that Hawaiʻi鈥檚 housing crisis remains severe, despite modest improvements in affordability driven by flat home prices, rising incomes and lower mortgage rates in 2025. The Factbook also highlights growing risks from insurance costs, homeowners association fees, slow permitting, natural disasters and policy uncertainty.

“The data reflects our state鈥檚 deep housing crisis. Restoring affordability will require the production of more housing, and confronting the barriers that prevent homes from being built,” said lead author and 糖心视频ERO Associate Professor Justin Tyndall.

Key findings from this year鈥檚 Factbook include:

• Home prices have leveled off, but remain extremely high: The statewide median price of a single-family home was $950,000 in 2025. Median single-family prices rose 1% statewide, while condominium prices declined 2%. Existing-home values, measured by 糖心视频ERO鈥檚 Repeat Sales Index, were flat.
• Affordability improved for a second year, but homeownership remains out of reach for most households: Affording the median single-family home still requires more than 180% of the state median income, putting it within reach for only about one-in-five Hawaiʻi households. Condominium affordability improved more sharply, although rising HOA fees and insurance costs may offset some of those gains.
• Housing costs now include rising insurance and association-fee burdens: New Census data show that 42% of Hawaiʻi homeowners pay monthly HOA or AOAO fees, compared with 25% nationally. Hawaiʻi also had the second-highest median monthly HOA fee in the country at $470. In Honolulu, real estate listings from February 2026 showed a median advertised HOA/AOAO fee of $882. Insurance costs are also rising rapidly, with Hawaiʻi鈥檚 aggregate property insurance premiums paid in the state increasing 13% in 2024—well above the national average and the largest annual increase in over a decade.
• Permitting delays continue to constrain new housing supply: County permitting reforms have produced mixed results. Hawaiʻi County and Maui County recorded faster single-family permit processing times in 2025, while Kauaʻi鈥檚 delays worsened. In Honolulu, 糖心视频ERO was unable to obtain records after the launch of the city鈥檚 new permitting system, but permits issued in the first half of 2025 continued to show long processing times.
• Lahaina rebuilding is moving unevenly: Two and a half years after the 2023 Maui wildfires, Maui County reported 991 permits to rebuild permanent structures, with 634 issued. 糖心视频ERO鈥檚 analysis finds that single-family homeowners, including vacation-home owners, are receiving permits faster than owners of long-term rentals, apartments and businesses. About 57% of fire-damaged lots showed no permit activity to date.
• Policy changes are reshaping Maui鈥檚 condo market: Maui County鈥檚 Bill 9, which phases out roughly 7,000 short-term vacation rentals in apartment-zoned buildings, has already cooled the condo market. Maui condo prices in 2025 were down 11% from 2023, while prices for condos on the Minatoya list were down 16%.
• Extreme weather and flood-insurance changes add new housing-market risks: Severe Kona Low storms in March and April 2026 caused catastrophic flooding, landslides, evacuations and more than $1 billion in estimated damage. In June 2026, updated FEMA flood maps will add 3,700 net new parcels on Oʻahu to Special Flood Hazard Areas, raising costs and financing hurdles for 25% more property owners.
• Vacation rentals remain a major share of neighbor-island housing: Hawaiʻi had about 34,500 active advertised vacation rental properties in 2025, up from 33,600 in 2024. Vacation rentals account for 20% of all housing units on Kauaʻi and 15% in Maui County, compared with 2.5% in Honolulu.

The Factbook is based on a wide range of data sources and offers housing indicators at the state, county and zip code levels.

The .

糖心视频ERO is housed in 糖心视频 Mānoa鈥檚 .

Expanding Hawaiʻi鈥檚 Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit could help more parents stay in or reenter the workforce while partially offsetting its own cost through increased state tax revenue, according to a new report released May 1 by the (糖心视频ERO).

The report examines proposals before the state legislature to increase the maximum childcare tax credit from $2,500 to $5,000 per child, with two bills taking different approaches to how benefits phase out as household income rises.

Researchers find that Hawaiʻi鈥檚 high childcare costs are among the highest in the nation, and often discourage secondary earners, most often mothers, from returning to work. In 2024, center-based infant care averages more than $24,000 annually in Hawaiʻi.

The report explains that the policy’s offsetting effect occurs when a second parent enters the workforce, resulting in increased income tax revenue and additional general excise tax collections. In one mid-income household example, a second earner returning to work would generate $3,401 in state income tax revenue and $1,763 in additional GET revenue under the targeted credit proposal, resulting in a net fiscal gain of $2,663 for the state even after accounting for the $2,500 credit cost.

The report finds the strongest case for expanding the credit is among middle-income households, where childcare costs consume a large share of income, and the added tax credit is more likely to influence work decisions.

However, the report cautions that expanding the credit alone may not be sufficient if Hawaiʻi鈥檚 childcare supply cannot keep pace with demand. Without more childcare spaces, subsidies could simply drive up prices rather than improve access. The report also notes that for lower-income families, benefit cliffs—when earning slightly more income causes families to lose eligibility for public benefits such as SNAP or childcare assistance—could reduce the effectiveness of any tax credit expansion.

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