Senator Mike Gabbard

September Newsletter

Vol. 19 Issue 9

Agriculture and Environment Committee, Chair

Judiciary Committee, Vice Chair

Government Operations Committee, Vice Chair

Aloha e friends,

I hope you and your ‘ohana are well and had a great summer. As we enter the fall season, my staff and I are planning for Session 2026, which begins January 21^st.

As always, please contact me at (808) 586-6830 or sengabbard@capitol.hawaii.gov if I can help you or your family in any way. I invite you to follow me on social media: Instagram @SenatorMikeGabbard, Facebook, YouTube, and X @SENMIKEGABBARD. Also, if you’d like to be added to my mailing list, please send me an email with “mailing list” in the subject line. 

Senator Gabbard speaking at a joint Commerce & Consumer Protection (CPN) and Agriculture & Environment (AEN) informational briefing — May 2, 2024.

COMMUNITY UPDATES

September Listen Story Meeting

Please join me for my next Listen Story Community Meeting on Saturday, September 27, from 9:00–10:00 AM at the Villages of Kapolei Rec Room #1 (91-1111 Kamaaha Loop).

This month, we’ll be joined by Eddie Freeman and Sue Bauer (Co-Chairs, The Wall That Heals Oʻahu), who will talk story about “The Wall That Heals Oʻahu” (the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund’s traveling Vietnam War memorial) and share an update on the 2026 visit.

My goal for this next Listen Story is to brief the community on the work underway – where things stand, what’s next, and how everyone can kōkua as planning moves forward.



As always, we’ll also stream the meeting via Zoom for those who can’t join in person, just email us to RSVP — hope to see you there.

Dr. Keith Weiser from the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB) Response Team Talking Story with the August 23, 2025, Listen Story Meeting participants. 

At my Listen Story meeting in August, we had Dr. Keith Weiser from the Hawai’i Invasive Species Council (HISC) Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (CRB) Response Team share the latest on this invasive pest. I wanted to bring some of that information straight to you, because the CRB is a growing concern here in West Oʻahu.

CRB in Our Backyard

The beetle is now well-established across Oʻahu, and recent maps show hotspots right here in Kapolei, Makakilo, and ʻEwa. If you’ve noticed palms with fronds that look like they’ve been chewed into a “V” shape, chances are that’s the work of CRB. Over time, the damage can weaken or even kill the tree.

Trap detections from January–June 2025 in Makakilo. White dots indicate higher CRB finds. Source: CRB Response Team.

The beetle’s life cycle makes the problem worse. While adults feed on palms, the larvae grow in piles of mulch, compost, and dead palm stumps. That means unattended green waste can become a breeding ground for hundreds of beetles.

Beyond Oʻahu

CRB is not just our problem anymore. They’ve now been found on Kauaʻi, Lāna‘i, Maui, and Hawaiʻi Island. On Maui, a breeding site was discovered in 2023. On Hawaiʻi Island, beetles have turned up in Waikōloa and near Kona Airport. This pest is on the move, and everyone statewide is watching closely.

What We Can Do

Here’s the good news: there are practical steps we can take as a community.

Trap detections from January–June 2025. Red areas indicate higher CRB finds. Source: CRB Response Team.

1. Netting palms – Covering the crowns of coconut trees with mesh netting can trap beetles before they do damage. It’s safe for the tree and inexpensive.
2. Managing green waste – Dispose of fronds, stumps, and mulch properly. Don’t leave piles sitting around where beetles can breed. Use your green waste bins or proper disposal sites.
3. Stay vigilant and report – If you see beetles or fresh damage, report it to the CRB Response Team at (808) 679-5244. Quick action is key, especially on Neighbor Islands where the pest is just getting started.

Stay Connected



If you’d like more info, check out www.crbhawaii.org or follow @crbhawaii on Instagram and Facebook. They’ve got maps, photos, and step-by-step guides.

Mahalo to everyone who came to the Listen Story in August and asked thoughtful questions. With community awareness, we can slow down the spread of CRB and protect the palms that are such an important part of our island home.

Let’s stay vigilant, take care of our ʻāina, and keep our West Side strong.

Makakilo Emergency Access: An Interim Route Taking Shape

Makakilo Quarry — Aug. 25, 2025. Lawmakers meet on site with a Grace Pacific representative during a field visit to discuss emergency access and road work in West Oʻahu. (L-R: Rep. Garcia; Scott Komatsu, Vice President, Materials for Grace Pacific; Sen. Gabbard; and Rep. Kila.)

On August 25, Representatives Darius Kila and Diamond Garcia, Councilmember Andria Tupola and I toured Grace Pacific's Makakilo Quarry to look at a simple, life-saving idea: a gated, emergency-only way out for our hillside community if Makakilo Drive is blocked. Big mahalo to our fellow legislators for putting this together and joining us, and to Scott Kamatsu (Vice President, Materials for Grace Pacific) and the Grace Pacific crew for opening their site and showing us the lay of the land. Grace Pacific has confirmed they are in 100% support and fully on board with this happening.

Here’s the plan in plain terms. From the top of Makakilo (near Pueonani St.), the private quarry road drops down toward Kualakaʻi Parkway/H-1. In a declared emergency—wildfire, major crash, landslide—first responders could unlock the gates and run a one-way, downhill exit to move families to safety. The focus is on clear triggers, who gives the “go,” and basics like cones, signage, and speed control so it works smoothly when it’s needed.

To make that legal and clean, the City’s Department of Emergency Management circulated a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). It spells out when the road opens and who’s responsible. Four landowner signatories are expected—two private owners and two state entities (Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation and UH West Oʻahu)—so the route can be activated quickly and safely when called for. There’s no deadline for signatories to report; partners are working through the details to get it right. Once those signatures are in, the agreement is in place to protect Makakilo residents.

Why this matters is straightforward: Makakilo has one road in and out, which makes evacuations tough in a fast-moving event. This emergency-only outlet is a practical interim fix while the City continues the long-term work on the Makakilo Drive Extension.



We’ll keep pushing with our partners to wrap up the MOU and make sure the community knows how the route would be activated if ever needed. Mahalo again to the legislators who joined, and to Grace Pacific for the on-site tour and kōkua. 

Groundbreaking: Kaleimaʻo Village to Bring Affordable Homes to ʻEwa Beach

ʻEwa Beach — Sept. 3, 2025. Kahu Kaleo Patterson offers a blessing as city leaders and project partners break ground on Kaleimaʻo Village – West Loch Apartments, a 127-unit affordable rental community at Fort Weaver & Renton Road.

On September 3rd, my Community Liaison, Melanie June, attended the groundbreaking ceremony for Kaleimaʻo Village, a long-awaited affordable housing project at the corner of Fort Weaver and Renton roads in ʻEwa Beach. After sitting vacant for more than 30 years, this 3.7-acre parcel of city-owned land is finally being put to use for the benefit of local families.

A Long Time Coming

The project has been in the works for over five years, and many in our community wondered if it would ever break ground. Thanks to strong partnerships between the City and County of Honolulu, the State of Hawaiʻi, and private developers, construction is now underway. The $62.4 million development is being led by Stanford Carr and California-based Standard Communities, who were selected through a competitive city process back in 2019.

What’s Being Built

When complete in 2026, Kaleimaʻo Village will feature 127 affordable rental homes spread across seven three-story buildings, along with a community center designed to support residents with gathering space, laundry, and on-site services. The units will serve families earning up to 60% of Oʻahu’s area median income (AMI) — about $90,000 a year for a family of four. Seven of the homes will be reserved for households earning 30% of AMI, offering an especially critical lifeline for struggling families.

Monthly rents are expected to range from $798 for a one-bedroom to $2,400 for a three-bedroom, with utilities included. These rates are far below market rents in West Oʻahu, where many working families struggle to stay housed.

Making It Possible

The financing for this project represents a true public-private effort. The Honolulu City Council approved $30.4 million in tax-exempt bonds, the state contributed a $14.6 million low-interest loan through the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corporation (HHFDC), and federal and state tax credits are helping to keep costs down. 

Together, these tools make it possible to lease the land for just $1 a year while ensuring affordability for decades to come.

Looking Forward

The first families are expected to move in by spring 2026, with the rest of the project finished by the end of 2026.



Kaleimaʻo Village shows what’s possible when government and the private sector work hand-in-hand. I’ll continue to champion projects like this to ensure our community remains a place where local families can live, work, and thrive.

ʻEwa Beach — Sept. 2025. Early site work at Kaleimaʻo Village (West Loch Apartments), with crews grading and trenching for utilities and foundations.