Kaʻū News Briefs, Tuesday, July 18, 2023

TROPICAL STORM CALVIN IS PASSING SOUTH OF HAWAI'I ISLAND, according to the National Weather Service 11 p.m. update on Tuesday. The key message is that "Calvin has begun to pass south of Hawaii County. Expect periods of flash flooding, dangerous surf and damaging winds. Calvin will weaken as it moves westward to the south of the other Hawaiian Islands Wednesday and Wednesday night, bringing the potential for some peripheral impacts."
    The 11 p.m. advisory says, "Deep convection has decreased considerably near the center of Calvin since late this afternoon, but has begun to increase farther to the north along windward shores and slopes of the Big Island of Hawai'i. The low level circulation center is rapidly becoming unveiled again.
"Instruments aboard the US Air Force Reserve's Hurricane Hunter aircraft showed maximum flight level winds of 50 kt, reduced to about 45 kt at the surface. Objective Dvorak satellite analyses from PHFO and JTWC gave current intensity numbers of 2.5 or 35 kt. Based on these data, the initial intensity
for this advisory has been decreased to 45 kt. The initial motion for this advisory is 275/17 kt as Calvin

continues to move south of a large subtropical ridge. No significant change in this steering is expected over the next several days.After passing south of the Big Island tonight, the forecast is

essentially the same as the previous forecast track but slightly to the south to account for a small adjustment in initial position, thanks to the newly revealed LLCC. The forecast track lies within,
but on the southern side, of the guidance envelope due to the initial point adjustment. Although the center of Calvin is passing south of the Big Island, most of the island is well within the 34
kt radius, and impacts from strong winds, heavy rainfall, and high surf are imminent or occurring.
    "The forecast calls for Calvin to pass south of the Big Island, then southwest of the rest of the main island chain, as a weakening tropical storm. Vertical shear affecting the tropical cyclone is expected to be moderate through tonight and into Wednesday, then strong by Wednesday night. The strong shear should result in a weakening to post-tropical/remnant low status on Friday."

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SHELTERS OPENED in Nāʻālehu and Pāhala on Tuesday afternoon, courtesy of County Parks & Recreation, Civil Defense and the Red Cross. The Hele On Bus was cancelled until reassessment at 9 a.m. on Wednesday. All county parks were shut down until reassessment, as well. Many state and county offices and facilities were set to be closed on Wednesday.

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THOUSANDS OF NEW HOMES AND APARTMENTS WILL SOON BE BUILT IN HAWAI'I, according to Gov. Josh Green who signed an Emergency Proclamation on Tuesday to help make it happen. A statement from Green's office stated that the Emergency Proclamation "will speed the safe construction of thousands of critically needed, public, low-income, affordable, workforce, and market-rate for-sale and rental units for Hawaiʻi residents across the state, while ensuring careful stewardship of the land and all it holds." 

Gov. Josh Green with his Emergency Proclamation to speed up construction of many thousands of homes in Hawai'i. Photo from the Governor

    Green said the Emergency Proclamation will "streamline processes for housing development, while ensuring respect for our iwi kūpuna and environment." The statement from his office said, "The historic proclamation also will provide flexibility to direct resources to our state and county agencies to accelerate plan reviews."
    The Governor's Emergency Proclamation "directs all state agencies to prioritize housing reviews, plans, approvals, and permit processing. It also means additional state resources will be directed to address the affordable housing crisis," says the statement from his office.

        Hakim Ouansafi, Executive Director of Hawaiʻi Public Housing Authority, said, "I applaud the Governor and his team for crafting this, one-of-a-kind in the nation EP, that is a proactive and concrete action that I know will greatly help our agency to promptly deliver the more than 12,000 new units that the Governor announced on July 3, as well as help other agencies and private developers to expeditiously deliver housing to our citizens."

    Dean Minakami, interim executive director of the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corp., said, "The Housing Emergency Proclamation will expedite necessary affordable housing projects across the state by reducing regulatory barriers."  

Dean Minakami, who worked for A&B  Properties, Castle & Cooke Homes and Wilson Okamoto, will help to build homes as Development Branch Chief of Hawai'i  Housing Finance & Development Corp.

    State Senate Housing Chair Stanley Chang called the Emergency Proclamation "one of the largest state-level housing actions anywhere in the country in years, if not decades. It will remove many significant barriers private developers face in building the housing Hawaiʻi's people so desperately need. It also enables state and county agencies to develop low-cost housing for Hawaiʻi residents on government-owned land."

   The statement from the Governor's office noted that "several officials spoke on the importance of this significant milepost in Hawai'i history." It provides quotes from all of the Mayors in the state who participated in a news conference on Tuesday.
    Hawai'i County Mayor Mitch Roth said, "Housing our local families is our administration's top priority as we strive to forge a sustainable Hawaiʻi Island where our keiki can raise their keiki for generations. We're honored to work alongside Governor Green, his team, and my fellow mayors to create a tool that will catalyze our efforts to alleviate the housing shortage and bring truly affordable housing to the market."
    Kaua'i Mayor Derek Kawakami said, "Addressing homelessness and our housing crisis takes a whole-community approach, one that cannot be solved by government alone. Every step toward a resolution, is a step forward in the right direction. That's why we are grateful to Governor Green, his team, our fellow

Hakim Ouansafi, Executive Director of Hawai'i Housing Authority,  vows to help deliver 12,000 affordable housing units.  Photo from HPR

mayors and counties, and our communities statewide, for making this unified commitment which seeks to ensure that our residents are cared for, and offers our families hope for the future."
    Maui County Mayor who serves Lana'i, Moloka'i, Kaho'olawe and Maui islands, said, "I'd like to thank Governor Green for his leadership on a critical need affecting our islands. The housing crisis has caused our people a degree of hardship unseen in our contemporary history. When we make more homes available for our kamaʻāina, we're offering a sense of belonging, security, and dignity our people rightfully deserve. We're building more than homes - we're building communities."
    O'ahu Mayor Rick Blagiardi said, "As Mayor, I fully support the Governor's emergency proclamation for housing. It is a necessary step to address the urgent crisis facing our community. Our goal is to provide access to safe, affordable housing for every resident, and this emergency proclamation will allow us to mobilize needed resources and implement the necessary measures. This proclamation sends a clear message that we are committed to finding solutions and taking action to alleviate the housing challenges our city is experiencing."