Roots Reborn: “Our Financial Future” – Insights into the Challenges and Opportunities Facing Maui’s Immigrant Community
By Ruben Juarez, Veronica Mendoza Jachowski, Lily Solano, and the Roots Reborn Team Background and PurposeIn February and March 2025, Roots Reborn launched Our Financial…
Who Is Moving In and Out? Understanding Migration Trends in Hawai‘i
By JoonYup Park Migration is one of the most important forces shaping Hawai‘i’s population and economy. Yet, our understanding of who is moving in and…
The Economic Effects of Tariffs
James Roumasset* “Give me a one-handed economist. All my economists say, ‘on the one hand… on the other.’” President Harry Truman Updated 04/03/2025 Addendum on…
Watershed Protection Provides Strong Return on Investment on Kaua‘i
By Conrad Newfield, Nathan DeMaagd, Christopher Wada, Kimberly Burnett, and Leah Bremer Read the full report. Kaua‘i’s native forests play a vital role in sustaining…
Maui’s Recovery 1½ Years After the Wildfires
By Daniela Bond-Smith, Trey Gordner, Caleb Wood Eighteen months after the August 2023 wildfires, Maui’s fire-impacted households continue to face significant economic and housing instability….
UHERO’s Carl Bonham on Spotlight Now
UHERO Executive Director Carl Bonham joined Hawai‘i News Now’s Spotlight Now to discuss the 2025 second quarter forecast and how federal policies may impact Hawai‘i’s…
UHERO’s Trey Gordner on the Ka Pewa podcast
UHERO’s Trey Gordner appeared on the Ka Pewa podcast to discuss key insights from UHERO’s research on Maui’s recovery from the wildfires and how data-driven…
UHERO’s Andrew Mason Receives 2025 Robert J. Lapham Award
Andrew Mason is the 2025 recipient of the Robert J. Lapham award, bestowed biannually in recognition for contributions through the application of demographic knowledge to…
UHERO’s Carl Bonham on Spotlight Now
UHERO Executive Director Carl Bonham appeared on Hawai‘i News Now’s Spotlight Now to discuss the impact of economic uncertainties and the outlook for Hawai‘i’s economy….
New UHERO Environment contribution in Ocean Nature Sustainability. Scaling biocultural initiatives can support nature, food, and culture from summit to sea.
Biocultural nature-based solutions provide many social, cultural, and ecological benefits. Yet, there has been little research on related land-sea societal benefits, hindering our ability to…
Considerations for understanding water availability in West Maui
This piece intends to highlight some of the inherent tradeoffs that make managing water in West Maui especially challenging. In particular, subtracting current/authorized use from…
Wealth by Association? How Social Networks Drive Inequality in Hawaii
Studies show that economic connectedness, a poor individual’s share of wealthy friends, significantly impacts economic mobility. Hawaii ranks highly in this metric compared to other…
Taxing Tourists to Generate Revenue to Address the Negative Impacts of Climate Change on Hawai‘i Natural Resources
There is widespread agreement among Hawai‘i residents that the state government needs to spend more money on natural resource stewardship. A critical question is how…
Brief: Dissolving the Hawaii Tourism Authority
Summary Blog By Paul Brewbaker, Frank Haas, and James Mak State lawmakers in the 2023 state legislature are bashing the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA)…again! This…
Public Campaign Financing: Evidence and Opportunities for Hawai‘i
By Colin Moore Concerns about the corrupting influence of money in politics have led to renewed interest in public campaign financing. Some argue that using…
UHERO Forecast for the State of Hawaiʻi: Federal policies push Hawaii toward mild recession
Hawaii’s economic outlook has taken a decisive turn for the worse, as expansive federal policy shifts look poised to tip the local economy into a…
UHERO Forecast for the State of Hawaiʻi: Federal cuts raise risk of Hawaii downturn
Hawaii’s economic growth is threatened by federal disruptions. While tax cuts may provide some stimulus this year, the Administration’s actions—including tariffs, mass deportations, and spending…
UHERO Forecast for the State of Hawaiʻi: Outlook more uncertain as federal policy changes loom
Hawaii’s economic expansion continues, but slowly. Now the incoming Trump Administration introduces uncertainty. Under the assumption of policy changes that are sharp but limited in…
UHERO Forecast for the State of Hawaiʻi: Lagging Maui recovery, slower speed limit for Hawaii growth
Hawaii’s economic outlook continues to be a story of two economies: a Maui economy that will only gradually recover from its post-wildfire downturn, and the…
UHERO Forecast for the State of Hawaiʻi: Expansion intact, but counties poised for slower growth
Hawaii’s economy will continue to grow, but at a slower pace than in past years. Maui rebuilding and the incremental return of international travelers will…
Public Health Report: Hawai‘i’s Health and Wellbeing Journey Over Time — Monitoring Equity and Access
The UHERO Rapid Health Survey is a statewide longitudinal study offering one of the most comprehensive real-time assessments of health equity in Hawai‘i. Launched in…
The Hawaii Housing Factbook 2025
Hawai‘i remains in a severe housing crisis. High prices and mortgage rates have made homeownership unaffordable for most residents. Housing production remains slow, with county…
An Economic Analysis of the Proposal to Phase Out Transient Vacation Rentals in Maui County Apartment Districts
This report examines the Maui County proposal to phase out transient vacation rentals (TVRs) in Apartment districts, including removing long-standing exceptions for pre-1989 properties widely…
Return on investment for watershed protection on Kaua‘i
Native forests provide many societal benefits, including protecting freshwater resources that provide drinking water and sustain culturally, economically, and ecologically valuable springs, streams, and groundwater…
Construction Defect Litigation, Housing Affordability, and Homeownership in Hawai‘i
Hawai‘i faces a severe housing shortage, driven by high costs and regulatory barriers that hinder new development. One emerging factor is the rise of construction…
How New Mass Transit Affects Labor Markets: The Honolulu Skyline
Understanding how the new rail system in Oahu is reshaping decisions around work, housing, and commuting can inform future transit investments. To get a more…
Scaling biocultural initiatives can support nature, food, and culture from summit to sea
Biocultural nature-based solutions provide many social, cultural, and ecological benefits. Yet, there has been little research on related land-sea societal benefits, hindering our ability to…
New Study Reveals Food Insecurity as a Major Driver of Mental Health Challenges in Hawaiʻi
A study published today in Frontiers in Public Health provides a comprehensive examination of how socioeconomic factors, particularly food insecurity, shape mental health outcomes among…
Carbon benefits through agroforestry transitions on unmanaged fallow agricultural land in Hawaiʻi
There are growing efforts to incorporate agroforestry into ecosystem service incentive programs. Indigenous and other place-based multi-strata agroforestry systems are important conservation and agricultural strategies,…
Co-Production of Knowledge at Sumida Farm Trains a New Generation of Community-Engaged Scientists
A collaboration between the University of Hawai‘i (UH), Hawai‘i Sea Grant, and the fourth generation of Sumida farmers focuses on training a new generation of…