Building more affordable housing. Working together with the Legislature. Addressing the health care shortage. Recovering from the Maui fires.
Those were the top issues Gov. Josh Green addressed in his third State of the State Monday morning.
Last year's State of the State address was titled "Coming Together to Heal" and focused on Maui's recovery from the Aug. 8 wildfires, as he wove some broader issues facing the state as well.
This year, much of his speech, "Uniting to Overcome Our Challenges," focused on what Green's been echoing since he took office in 2022 — which is making Hawai'i affordable.
1. Creating more affordable housing
Housing is one of the largest expenses for local families across the state. Over the past 18 months, Green said the exemptions established in his two emergency housing proclamations have helped approve or accelerate nearly 7,000 affordable housing units across our state. He shared various initiatives and efforts he's approved and made during his over two years in office.
Green also mentioned that he is requesting over half a billion dollars for housing initiatives, which includes $250 million for the Rental Housing Revolving Fund, $30 million for Phase 2 of the 99-Year Leasehold Program on O‘ahu, and $62 million for the University of Hawai‘i West O‘ahu infrastructure development for a "university village" near the Skyline rail station.
Due to the state's lack of affordable housing, Hawaiʻi faces a shortage of teachers and healthcare workers. It also led to many Native Hawaiians leaving for the mainland. The governor acknowledged this and shared that he remains committed to creating affordable housing for Hawai‘i’s nurses, teachers, firefighters, and all working families.
2. Togetherness with the state Legislature
A growing theme throughout the governor's speech was working as a team with state legislators and coming together as a collective for the people of Hawaiʻi. He mentioned the largest income tax cut for Hawai‘i families in state history, and said it was a shared achievement with the Legislature.
His speech embodied the idea of coming together as a team and bringing along the Legislature, as they play a crucial role in creating a more affordable Hawaiʻi.
3. Affordability for those pursuing health care careers
Green shared that an ongoing challenge for the state is attracting and maintaining health care providers in the state. He added that the state has an unmet need of 757 physicians statewide.
To address the shortage, he created the Healthcare Education Loan Repayment Program, which provides $30 million for educational loan repayment to more than 900 providers licensed or certified to practice in the state. In return, program participants are under a two-year commitment of service in Hawai‘i.
4. Vulnerability and recovery after Maui wildfires
The August 2023 Maui wildfire recovery is still top of mind for many, including Green. When he spoke about the recovery efforts he shared what has been done and what he wants to do moving forward.
Green said that the state's emergency siren protocols have been improved. He noted the need for a fire marshal — as Hawaiʻi is the only state without one. This includes a request for $2.2 million for team funding.
The governor also shared that with help from the federal government, 80 wildfire and 16 wind sensors have been deployed across the state, improving wildfire detection and safety.
As for the future, he proposed that the state create defensible spaces around homes, develop mapped-out evacuation plans and engage in communitywide preparedness initiatives to mitigate the impact of any fires.
This interview aired on The Conversation on Jan. 21, 2025. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1. Tori DeJournett adapted this story for the web.
