Reports
The Hawai‘i Housing Factbook
Residents of Hawai‘i face the highest housing costs in the nation. High housing costs lower the standard of living for residents and hinder the State’s ability to attract workers. Some households are forced to live in crowded conditions, some leave the state to find housing elsewhere, and some are forced to survive without housing at […]
Read MoreKaua’i County’s Economic Outlook Unveiled: UHERO Study Highlights Resilience and Future Challenges
The University of Hawai‘i Economic Research Organization (UHERO) is proud to announce the publication of a Kaua‘i County-focused Economic Outlook, providing crucial insights into the economic landscape of the region for the first time since 2019. Commissioned by the County of Kaua‘i’s Office of Economic Development (OED), UHERO’s comprehensive study aimed to illuminate key sectors, […]
Read MorePublic Health Report: Vaccination Booster Uptake Lags as COVID Impact Reach Widens
As we enter a new phase of the pandemic, Hawai‘i’s populations are becoming more confident that the worst of the pandemic is behind us, driving COVID-19 booster uptake down. However, significant impacts exacerbated by the pandemic, including long COVID, mental health issues, and the negative effects of long COVID on unemployment pose significant challenges that warrant […]
Read MoreUHERO Public Health Report: Health Effects and Views of COVID-19 in Hawai‘i
The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant adverse impacts in the state of Hawai‘i beyond the direct effects of COVID-19 itself, including indirect effects on mental health, food security, job security, housing, poverty, etc. In order to address these adversities systematically, the University of Hawai‘i Economic Research Organization (UHERO) is developing infrastructure to inform the design […]
Read MoreRestoring Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity through Cost-Effective and Resilient Agroforestry Systems
Since September 2018, our project team, composed of University of Hawai‘i faculty and students, Kāko‘o ‘Ōiwi staff, and other partners have worked together to: 1) design, implement, and monitor 10 agroforestry demonstration plots and buffer areas in He‘eia, O‘ahu (objective 1); 2) publish peer-review and practitioner-oriented material on agroforestry, functional traits, and ecosystem services (objective […]
Read MoreEconomic Impact of Astronomy in Hawai‘i: 2019 Update
Astronomy continues to be a sizable and stabilizing source of economic activity. In 2019, local astronomy related expenditures in the state totaled $110.02 million with $57.18 million, $35.22 million, $0.28 million, and $17.33 million spent in Hawai‘i, Honolulu, Kaua‘i, and Maui counties respectively. Including indirect and induced benefits and adjusting for inter-county feedback effects, the […]
Read MoreThe Maui County Comprehensive Affordable Housing Plan: Understanding its Pros and Cons and Ideas for How to Improve it
By Carl Bonham and Sumner La Croix A team of 19 planners, engineers, data and policy analysts, attorneys, and community development professionals has developed a comprehensive plan for the development of affordable housing in Maui County. The Maui County Comprehensive Affordable Housing Plan is a major step forward in developing coherent strategies to address Maui […]
Read MoreThe Efficacy of Hawaii COVID-19 Business Mandates
By Ruben Juarez, Alika Maunakea, May Okihiro, and Carl Bonham Despite the national attention around COVID-19 vaccination mandates for businesses, including President Biden’s recent announcement, the actual impacts on vaccination uptake have yet to be reported. In September, two counties in Hawaii implemented mandates for employees in select businesses to be either vaccinated or enroll […]
Read MoreThe Economic Impact of the University of Hawai‘i System 2021 Update
This report estimates the University of Hawai‘i (UH) System’s economic activity in the state of Hawai‘i in fiscal year 2020, where we define economic impact as the direct, indirect, and induced economic activities generated by UH-related spending in the state economy.
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