Hawaiʻi Island Mayoral Race 2020 Housing & Homelessness Questionnaire

Presented by Community Alliance Partners & Vibrant Hawaiʻi Island 

VIDEOS BELOW

This questionnaire consists of 4 Yes/No questions, 5 long answer questions (200 words per question max), and and optional supplemental video responses for long answer questions (2 minutes per question max). Video responses and full results will be posted at as soon as they are available.

This questionnaire was sent to all candidates running for Hawaii County Mayor. Candidates are listed in the order surveys were returned. Candidates not featured did not respond to the survey. Answers were not edited except to trim those exceeding the word limit.

Video Responses

Candidates were given the option of submitting videos under 2 minutes as an additional response to long answer questions.

Each video includes each candidate’s submission for that question. Submissions were not altered or corrected, except to equalize sound.

1. What do you see as the underlying causes of homelessness?

2. Tell us about your experience working with people experiencing homelessness. How does this experience shape the way you and your administration will find solutions for this issue if you are elected mayor?

3. In Hawaiʻi, 1 in 5 households are severely cost-burdened and pay half of their income on housing. If elected, how would you address homelessness and how it relates to housing unaffordability? What would you do to provide more production of affordable homes for our middle and low income families?

4.  The Office of Housing and Community Development has found a need for over ten thousand additional units in the next five years. What do you think is the major barrier that would impede our county’s ability to meet that need and how do you plan to overcome that barrier?

5.  Have you identified potential team members to address the issue of homelessness? Would you be willing to commit to preserving existing staff and county funding currently in place purposed with addressing homelessness?