The recent impacts of Hurricane Lowell and Tropical Storm Lala are a reminder that hurricane season can change quickly and that being prepared matters. Communities across Hawaiʻi felt the effects of Hurricane Lowell, with particularly significant impacts on our neighbors on Kauaʻi. Here on Oʻahu, Tropical Storm Lala brought downed trees, extended power outages, and other storm-related impacts to communities across District 2. As residents continue cleaning up and recovering from both storms, my office remains focused on ensuring everyone has access to the resources they need.
Report Storm Damage
Oʻahu residents and businesses affected by Lowell and Lala are encouraged to self-report property damage. Information collected through the City’s damage survey will help officials and nonprofit partners assess the storm’s impacts and determine whether the City may qualify for federal assistance. The survey is not an application for financial assistance and does not replace reporting damage to your insurance provider. Please submit one survey per affected household. If living with roommates, please submit one per roommate.
Stay Informed During Hurricane Season
The City has repurposed OneOahu.org as a resource for storm recovery information, including damage reporting, permitting and rebuilding, storm debris disposal, and ways to give or receive assistance. Please also sign up for HNL Alert, the City’s emergency notification system, to receive alerts about severe weather and emergencies. Sign up at hnlalert.gov or text HNLALERT to 888-777.
Bill 42 (2026): Planning for the Future in Lāʻie
The Honolulu City Council has advanced Bill 42 (2026), which would update the land-use designation for the existing Lāʻie Corporation Yard from the State Agricultural District to the Urban District. This change is consistent with the existing use of this area, and will support needed improvements to City operations. For residents across the North Shore, these improvements can help strengthen the City’s ability to maintain roads, manage refuse operations, and respond quickly during emergencies. Planned upgrades include new administrative offices, vehicle garages, maintenance facilities, and emergency support infrastructure. Bill 42 passed second reading at the September full Council meeting.
North Shore Park Updates
Mahalo to the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) for addressing concerns from North Shore residents about maintenance in our community parks.
At Sunset Beach Neighborhood Park, DPR was able to schedule mowing ahead of the new school year and has been working to weed-whack around the park perimeter and tennis courts. At Waialua District Park, DPR responded to a resident’s concerns about overgrown grass at the baseball field and mowed the fields shortly after.
Meanwhile, DPR staff installed new signage at Haleʻiwa Beach Park to clearly identify closure hours. As a reminder, the park is closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., while the parking lot is closed from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Visitors may still walk through the park during these hours to access the ocean, but remaining on the park grounds is not permitted.
Weed Circle Update
Cleanup efforts are moving forward at Weed Circle following the Kona Low storms earlier this year. Debris that was temporarily placed there during emergency response and stream dredging operations is now being cleared from the site. I appreciate the Department of Facility Maintenance (DFM) and Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation (HDOT) for their continued coordination and work to restore the area.
Kawailoa Transfer Station Green Waste Disposal Changes
To better accommodate the public, the Department of Environmental Services (ENV) has updated its green waste drop-off schedule to Saturdays and Sundays, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., effective immediately. Please note that green waste will only be accepted during these times. Kawailoa Transfer Station will remain open daily from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. for other accepted materials.
Helping North Shore Businesses Prepare
The City has launched Stay Open Oʻahu, a free program designed to help small businesses prepare for emergencies, maintain operations, and recover more quickly. The program provides an online resource hub, a business disaster-preparedness guidebook, free workshops, and connections to community partners and City resources.
A workshop will be held on the North Shore on Tuesday, September 29, from 1 to 3 p.m. Small business owners, managers, and decision-makers are encouraged to participate. To register for the workshops, please visit https://tinyurl.com/StayOpenOahu.