[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6575112,"mediaKeyId","3143888-ac695966d0d68000d969e9ed61877e91","parentId",3143888,"title","Committee adds $25 million grant condition for Kihei affordable apartments; vote advances funding amid questions over conditions","audioSeconds",2486,"startMs",6740000,"endMs",9226000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3143888-ac695966d0d68000d969e9ed61877e91&start=6740&end=9226","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3143888-ac695966d0d68000d969e9ed61877e91/thumbnail_6740000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6575112/Maui-County/Hawaii/Committee-adds-25-million-grant-condition-for-Kihei-affordable-apartments-vote-advances-funding-amid-questions-over-conditions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6575112-050a24fa9f254be794d3a73c4de06596/orig.mp4?Expires=1771034144&Signature=ej1aycLHdt8~BkGgFcmFUhnYVbH4srtrhcdtDyKHM-ifjpdEnx~UkrpXDKOcLsfpX~BTaaaQ9nlRXywyOWGh-Tx5tQj3o3NczV8cbPDK759vRMqgLztp03rnLLu1iZM4Zk1BbuoYE4JXnjbgstbetk4kO8-H6DabNTsGm-F5oUIBtBg3DjyY2W0g5axRaOPqYlUzuY6xUYBSLsylAHpk6GOykmHeGpbgzxxlvWtDdO4EY5axS2Mz95OeeIgAC94HdLBTA4yFgASxKH4NnD1vG2LxYweLOubUPlw7P2aR-zLESav5aFKltG9KvWzRsd8ypxKQ5rtIMzMGd2FV86HFjw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Maui County","date","2025-04-25T00:00:00Z","article","The Budget, Finance & Economic Development Committee on April 25 amended the proposed fiscal-year budget to include a condition directing up to $25 million in county funds as a grant for a Kihei affordable rental project identified in committee as “Lipoa Apartments.” The committee voted to add the condition after extended public testimony by developers, agency staff and public commenters.

Council Member Keani Paulton moved the amendment to allocate “up to $25,000,000 must be for a grant to Lipoa Apartments LLC for an affordable rental housing development in Kihei.” The motion drew sustained discussion from committee members, city staff and the project’s representatives. After debate on process and whether the council should name a specific project in the budget ordinance, the motion passed on a roll call vote (7 ayes, 2 no).

Developers and administration representatives had urged the committee to find a way to keep the project moving. Developer Doug Bigley and others told the committee that the project is shovel-ready at a pace that could add units earlier than some other applicants. “We would seriously have to take a look at it not being affordable or not as many affordable units,” said Leilani Palmano, a project representative, when asked how a denial would affect the project timetable.

Managing Director Josiah Nishita told the committee he and the administration had worked to identify funding sources and proposed combining carryover savings and affordable-housing funds so the area of need could be addressed without delaying other projects. Nishita said staff could transfer carryover savings from the general fund into the affordable housing fund to help cover the appropriation, and he offered to work with council on the final funding stack.

Because committee members raised legal and enforceability questions about naming a private developer and tying funds to specific project terms, corporation counsel asked for more precise grant-language and for time to confirm the correct legal name of the grantee entity. Staff said they would confirm the legal entity to be used in the ordinance and draft enforceable grant terms clarifying the unit counts, affordability periods and reporting requirements so the county’s grant contract could reflect the representations made to the council.

The administration had also offered a separate proposal to reduce an existing $12.4 million loan for a different project (Kaʻulu Napili) to a $2 million grant and to transfer approximately $13.94 million in general-fund carryover savings into the affordable housing fund — a package of moves intended to free cash for the Kihei award while holding the overall affordable fund accountable. That package was voted on separately during the meeting and was approved after additional motions; the committee then moved the Lipoa condition forward.

The committee’s motion makes the grant conditional (the ordinance language as amended directs the appropriation to the affordable-housing program, naming the recipient and amount) but staff and corporation counsel said the final contract terms will be essential to ensure the county’s expectations are enforceable — for example, unit counts, AMI targets, whether units will be rental or ownership, and long-term affordability obligations.

Ending — next steps: Staff said they will confirm the legal name of the grantee and draft a grant agreement consistent with the condition approved by the committee. The committee directed corporation counsel to draft clarifying language on enforceable conditions and the administration to prepare any related budget adjustments for first-reading work on the fiscal bill later in the cycle.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Maui County - Budget, Finance, and Economic Development Committee (2025-2027) on 2025-04-25 9:00 AM - Apr 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Budget, Finance & Economic Development Committee added a conditional $25 million grant for a proposed Kihei affordable rental project identified as “Lipoa Apartments,” and directed staff to finalize enforceable grant terms and confirm the grantee’s legal name.","taxTitle","Maui County, Hawaii","taxId",12846,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6575118,"Local contractors urge council to revise Bill 54, say community workforce agreement would exclude merit-based firms",756,1326000,2082000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3143888-ac695966d0d68000d969e9ed61877e91&start=1326&end=2082","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3143888-ac695966d0d68000d969e9ed61877e91/thumbnail_1326000.jpg","/articles/6575118/Maui-County/Hawaii/Local-contractors-urge-council-to-revise-Bill-54-say-community-workforce-agreement-would-exclude-merit-based-firms","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6575118-2b21a1538bf31618cecc2b35f41802e7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771034144&Signature=J7r8JI-67uaLYOd0WQcu5UQ6hStdOVQrJbYyd8YAr9QGFx0L1LlO1g6qK~5OS16aOFV9ZtufdpdaN4K9wMwO2WHTu8LtTw0lwQVhDLgJjue0nmLSPfmIeM1VpAcf8FEKirGJoSS6tBsg-rKZp~CD0Ix-USVkscDdxolHdvThKv7FGOjX8-xESP61MF1dBoBh2gBK5otHycBDyNxH5lBuq-CtQ9R6t0O19fgNimx9FfxTNdQDyBmSDaiY16P3UVKJfff1Y98FRkKva4Gmx7PIotbdRAWdzyQ9aEgdMALSSv5jFL9BdiRb9TKj3EWn4CENHSsVOYRTLI8mCzSJ9aAUtw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Testimony at the Maui County Council’s Budget, Finance and Economic Development Committee on April 25 centered on Bill 54 — proposed language that would require responsive bidders on county capital projects over $500,000 to be signatories to a community workforce agreement. Contractors who came to the hearing said the bill, as written, would effectively mandate union participation and exclude long-standing locally owned merit contractors.

The most pointed opposition came from Jenny Sullivan, who testified she represents P.B. Sullivan Construction. “This bill hands over authority for all county capital improvement projects over $500,000 to the unions at the cost and expense of local experienced merit based contractors,” Sullivan said. “Bill 54 is going to eliminate competition, shut out qualified local contractors, and drive up costs.”

Contractors at the hearing repeatedly raised two concerns: (1) the bill’s language is ambiguous on whether nonunion, merit-based contractors could participate without joining a union; and (2) if a requirement to sign a community workforce agreement effectively obliges merit firms to accept union-only terms, the added labor costs and pension/health contributions could make many local firms uncompetitive.

Kelly O’Keefe, who also testified for a local contracting firm, described the language as full of “buzzwords,” and said contractors in his office had been alarmed that the measure could be read as a mandate for union labor on projects above the $500,000 threshold. “We’re absolutely committed to hiring local,” O’Keefe said. “If we misunderstood the intent of the bill, then the frenzy we've been going through the last couple of days will absolutely mellow out.”

Some speakers urged the council to rewrite the measure to explicitly protect contractors of all labor affiliations while still advancing local hire goals. “If you can rewrite it to include all labor sectors, union and nonunion, I think there’s a lot of potential in this,” Sullivan said. Several speakers noted that Davis-Bacon prevailing-wage requirements already apply to many public projects and questioned whether the community workforce agreement requirement would add tangible protections beyond existing state and federal labor rules.

Council members and staff acknowledged ambiguity in the current draft and several urged more time for stakeholder input. Committee discussion during the hearing focused on clarifying the bill’s language, defining what a community workforce agreement will require, and whether the council intends to guarantee preference for local workers without excluding nonunion contractors.

No final committee vote on Bill 54 occurred at the April 25 meeting; members directed staff and counsel to review the draft and to return with clearer language and options for amendments.

Ending — next steps: Committee staff said they will confer with the bill’s sponsor and interested stakeholders and bring revised language back for the council’s consideration. Contractors and union representatives suggested a rewrite and additional public meetings before the council advances the proposal.","Local contractors told the Budget, Finance and Economic Development Committee that Bill 54, which would require community workforce agreements on county projects over $500,000, could shut out experienced local merit contractors and raise costs. Supporters say the measure aims to prioritize local hires and ensure labor standards.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6575107,"Committee approves funds to cover negotiated hazard pay for county firefighters, adds $8 million to fringe benefits",76,6980000,7056000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3143888-ac695966d0d68000d969e9ed61877e91&start=6980&end=7056","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3143888-ac695966d0d68000d969e9ed61877e91/thumbnail_6980000.jpg","/articles/6575107/Maui-County/Hawaii/Committee-approves-funds-to-cover-negotiated-hazard-pay-for-county-firefighters-adds-8-million-to-fringe-benefits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6575107-fa800aba1c0a9e9af893be81c9339e26/orig.mp4?Expires=1771034144&Signature=J6OqdgpvARNNl09ZOknjPEvs8Bxl-NDHXwnh8R1Ab~P81nkjQUUDQPH-UHXKUG5jmTdIyjN3wXXT94gxXl5ZdY9QHpGgSejl3dCwTms4Vncix2uPbDNbSn2cOJFcsqMXcGRmrqMP87pVrOfklgXlYd-h43ljNVJZmi28eaU9x2jiwwByKlaCv2IrVzm16t5jJsvzjIkC7l~UkqTb-bNIXqxc5U0Ihd3gaesHaNBIcCLM89~LYwup5-bfD0okbg2LiEQqEWVI68QWr0OatSlbtEZOoCviC4fVDAUgF-VT1OYI0PrPjnNN5DQHiLQNqOZfkDSQzso~iC6ZnS4G5vIzOA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Budget, Finance & Economic Development Committee voted on April 25 to add funds to the countywide fringe benefits line to cover a negotiated temporary hazard-pay package for employees represented by the Hawaii Firefighters Association (HFFA).

During budget deliberations the managing director told the committee the administration and HFFA had reached agreement on a settlement subject to ratification by the union membership. Committee members approved increasing countywide fringe benefits by $8 million and indicated the administration could use those funds to pay the negotiated hazard-pay amount. The mayor had earlier included $2 million in the proposed budget; the committee’s addition brings the total set aside to $10 million.

In committee discussion, Deputy Corporation Counsel Christina Toshikyo and Budget Director Leslie Milner advised that the appropriation should be flexible enough to allow the administration to pay the negotiated sum once ratified and to avoid unnecessarily locking funds into a narrowly worded condition. The committee adopted language clarifying that the funds should be used to pay the negotiated amount for temporary hazard pay for HFFA members, but ultimately members removed explicit dollar-amount language and approved the $8 million increase to the fringe line.

Council member Rose Fernandez recused herself from the vote because her spouse is a firefighter and would benefit from the settlement; the motion passed by the committee on a roll call vote with eight members in favor and one recusal.

The managing director said the administration expects the final amount to be at or below $10 million and will move forward with implementing the supplemental agreement and then seek council authorization if additional funds are required.

Ending — next steps: The administration said it will finalize the hazard-pay agreement with HFFA and present any required implementing documents to council after members ratify the union agreement. Budget staff will track use of the fringe-benefits appropriation and report back if additional appropriations are necessary.","The BFED committee increased its countywide fringe-benefits allocation to cover a negotiated supplemental/hazard pay for the Hawaii Firefighters Association. The committee added $8 million to countywide 'fringe benefits' and left $2 million already in base appropriations, giving the administration flexibility to pay the negotiated amount.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee adds $25 million grant condition for Kihei affordable apartments; vote advances funding amid questions over conditions

Local contractors urge council to revise Bill 54, say community workforce agreement would exclude merit-based firms

Committee approves funds to cover negotiated hazard pay for county firefighters, adds $8 million to fringe benefits