In ISPI's analysis, Hawaii's housing costs, among the highest in the nation, weigh on public safety workforce retention. The brief also gives a neutral description of the 2026 RISE bonds amendment; ISPI takes no position on ballot measures.
Abstract
Documents the direct relationship between Hawaii's housing affordability crisis and its public safety workforce shortage, providing an island-specific policy framework connecting housing policy to law enforcement and emergency management staffing outcomes. All ISPI research is free under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.
Key Findings
BEA puts Hawaii's 2024 regional price parity at 109.95, about 10 percent above the national average
About 98 percent of imported goods, including construction materials, arrive through Hawaii's commercial harbors (HDOT Harbors)
Question 2 on the November 3, 2026 ballot would let counties issue RISE bonds for infrastructure; the brief sets out points raised in favor and points to consider
Summary of the paper
"Hawaii Housing Affordability and Island Community Resilience" examines how island conditions shape Hawaii's housing costs and public workforce, and reviews policy options.
It includes a neutral description of Question 2 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, the RISE bonds constitutional amendment. ISPI does not endorse or oppose ballot measures.
What the paper finds
- High costs. BEA puts Hawaii's 2024 regional price parity at 109.95; in ISPI's analysis housing costs weigh on public workforce retention.
- Island supply conditions. About 98 percent of imported goods, including construction materials, arrive through the commercial harbors.
- Federal allocations. LIHTC state allocations are per capita with a small-state minimum and do not adjust for construction costs.
- RISE bonds, explained. The amendment would let counties issue tax increment bonds for infrastructure in designated districts, excluded from debt limits; the brief sets out points raised in favor and points to consider.
What it recommends
- Legislature: consider workforce housing assistance tied to service commitments.
- Congress: study a regional cost factor in LIHTC allocation.
- Counties: consider infrastructure cost-sharing for essential workforce housing.
- Agencies: track retention effects of housing programs.
Who it's for
Legislators, county officials, housing agencies, public employers, and voters seeking background.
Pacific Island capital cities including Suva, Port Moresby, and Honiara may face similar housing pressures on their public workforces, in ISPI's analysis.
Cite as
Pulley, Warren (2026). Hawaii Housing Affordability and Island Community Resilience: An Island Supply Chain Analysis of the Nation's Most Severe Housing Cost Crisis (ISPI HI-01). Island Security Policy Institute, Honolulu. https://ispiglobal.com/papers-landing/hi01-housing-affordability https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23449760
BibTeX
@techreport{ispihi012026,
author = {Pulley, Warren},
title = {Hawaii Housing Affordability and Island Community Resilience: An Island Supply Chain Analysis of the Nation's Most Severe Housing Cost Crisis},
institution = {Island Security Policy Institute},
address = {Honolulu, HI},
number = {ISPI HI-01},
year = {2026},
url = {https://ispiglobal.com/papers-landing/hi01-housing-affordability},
doi = {10.5281/zenodo.23449760}
}Related Research
WP-05 — Law Enforcement Workforce Policy →HI-03 — Law Enforcement Workforce →PB-12 — Hawaii Law Enforcement Recruitment →Related analysis
AnalysisThe Island Law Enforcement Workforce Crisis Is Not a Hawaii Problem →AnalysisWhy Island Police Departments Face Structural Officer Shortages That Continental Solutions Cannot Fix →AnalysisHonolulu Has a New Police Chief. He Has Never Lived in Hawaii. →PaperHI-02 — Homelessness and Public Safety in Honolulu: An Island Framework →RegionHawaii Public Safety Research →GuideHawaii Law Enforcement Workforce & Recruitment: Research and FAQ →Pulley, Warren. "Housing Affordability and Public Safety in Hawaii: An Island Framework." Island Security Policy Institute, 2026. https://ispiglobal.com/papers-landing/hi01-housing-affordability
