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Aloha kākou,
As we close out the year, ʻtis the season to support local. That idea shows up clearly in the work featured in this newsletter, from strengthening local food systems to expanding access to housing, clean energy and long-term planning.
This has been a busy and productive year for DBEDT. Our team has worked across divisions to advance priorities tied to economic resilience, affordability and opportunity. None of this work happens in isolation. It reflects strong collaboration with state and county agencies, community organizations, private sector partners and the many stakeholders who share their time, expertise and trust.
I want to thank the DBEDT team for their dedication and professionalism throughout the year. I also extend my appreciation to our partners across Hawaiʻi who continue to show up with ideas, solutions and a shared commitment to the people we serve.
As the holidays approach, I encourage you to support local businesses, local producers and local organizations whenever you can. Those choices strengthen our economy and help build a more resilient Hawaiʻi for the year ahead.
Me ke aloha,
James Kunane Tokioka
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Feeding Our Keiki, Planning Our Future: One Strategy, One System
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Image Credit: Agribusiness Development Corporation / University of Hawai‘i Community Design Center
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Across Hawaiʻi, food, housing, energy and economic resilience often appear as separate challenges. In practice, you see one connected system. Two efforts highlighted in this newsletter show how those pieces move together.
Kuleana - Nourishing Hawaiʻi’s Future focuses on modernizing how school meals are prepared and delivered so keiki have consistent access to nutritious, locally sourced food. The work goes beyond school cafeterias. Investments in regional kitchens and meal production infrastructure strengthen Hawaiʻi’s food economy by creating steady demand for local ingredients, supporting small and mid-scale producers and building capacity to respond during emergencies.
This vision depends on a core foundation. Land. The right land, in the right places, supported by aligned planning and infrastructure.
Act 187 addresses that need. Enacted this summer, the law launched Hawaiʻi’s first Integrated Land Use Study to assess how much land is required through 2050 to meet mandates for local food production, renewable energy, climate adaptation and long-term housing. Led by the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development (OPSD) with DBEDT support, the study brings together GIS data, county plans, agricultural capacity and infrastructure needs to guide future siting decisions.
Viewed together, Kuleana and Act 187 point to one conclusion. Feeding keiki and planning land use depend on each other.
Local food goals rely on farmers and processors. Farmers and processors rely on land and infrastructure. Sound land use relies on shared data, coordinated policy and clear statewide direction.
As DBEDT advances the Economy for Resilience framework, these initiatives show what alignment looks like in practice. When you plan food systems and land use together, you strengthen agriculture, protect resources and support a Hawaiʻi built to feed, power and house future generations.
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DBEDT Outlook Points to Stable Employment and Lower Inflation
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The labor force also expanded over the past year, showing steady participation even amid broader uncertainty tied to tariffs and global economic conditions. Job gains in most sectors offset federal job losses during this period, supporting overall employment stability.
Inflation pressures moderated throughout 2025. Honolulu’s Consumer Price Index declined from 4.1 percent in January to about 2.2 percent by September. DBEDT revised its inflation outlook slightly downward to reflect these trends. While tariffs are expected to place some upward pressure on prices into early 2026, inflation is forecast to continue easing over the medium term, supporting household budgets and business planning statewide.
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Building Hawai‘i’s Food Economy Through Kuleana
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KITV’s Kuleana - Nourishing Hawaiʻi’s Future highlights a statewide effort to strengthen local food systems, with DBEDT playing a key role in aligning economic development, agriculture and workforce goals. The show focuses on how strategic public investment supports farmers, food producers and local jobs while improving food access for keiki.
DBEDT’s involvement centers on building infrastructure and partnerships that help scale local food production. Regional kitchens and value-added centers, developed in coordination with the University of Hawaiʻi system and state agencies, expand food processing capacity and create reliable demand for locally grown products. By leveraging the state’s purchasing power, these efforts redirect food dollars back into Hawaiʻi’s economy.
The program also reflects DBEDT’s broader goals of economic diversification and workforce development. From agriculture and culinary training to food manufacturing and logistics, Kuleana - Nourishing Hawaiʻi’s Future shows how investing in local food systems supports long-term economic resilience while feeding Hawaiʻi’s children with food grown closer to home.
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Act 187 Launches Hawaiʻi’s First Integrated Land Use Study
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The effort will be coordinated with the University of Hawaiʻi College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, agricultural stakeholders, energy utilities, and state and county agencies, with guidance from DBEDT leadership and OPSD technical staff. OPSD also plans to recruit a Climate and Sustainability Land Use Planner before the end of the year and issue future requests for proposals to support the work.
Study findings will inform land use siting and sequencing decisions tied to DBEDT’s Economy for Resilience framework, helping ensure land planning supports local food production, energy resilience, and housing near jobs and training hubs.
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HGIA Releases $18 Million for Clean Energy Loans
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Funds will be deployed through the Green Energy Money $aver program, with on bill repayment financing for projects such as solar PV, battery storage, solar and heat pump water heaters, and commercial energy efficiency improvements. HGIA is administratively attached to DBEDT and supports the state’s clean energy goals while expanding access to affordable financing statewide.
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HHFDC Below-Market Mortgage Program Supports First-Time Local Buyers
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HHFDC estimates monthly savings of about $300 to $400 compared to prevailing mortgage rates. The program reflects HHFDC’s focus on helping local families purchase their first homes as interest rates continue to rise nationwide. Mortgages are available through participating lenders statewide, with eligibility based on income and purchase price limits. Program details and a list of approved lenders are available on HHFDC’s website.
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HCDA Updates Strategic Action Plan to Guide Future Development
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The Hawai‘i Community Development Authority (HCDA) updated its Strategic Action Plan in June 2025, outlining one-, three- and five-year priorities for its community development districts and transit-oriented development infrastructure work.
The plan reaffirms HCDA’s mission to build better communities through planning, regulation, collaboration and infrastructure development. Near-term work focuses on advancing transit-related infrastructure projects, affordable housing efforts and climate resilience planning in key districts, while remaining mindful of day-to-day obligations in existing districts.
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Boost Your Manufacturing Power with the MAP Grant
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Are you a Hawai‘i-based manufacturer ready to grow? The Manufacturing Assistance Program (MAP), offered by the Hawai‘i Technology Development Corporation (HTDC), can help you invest in new equipment, adopt cutting-edge technologies and expand your capacity.
MAP is a targeted grant program designed to support capital expenditures that lead to increased production efficiency, technological advancement, market expansion and workforce skill development.
The FY26 MAP application period is from December 15, 2025 to February 13, 2026.
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The State of Hawai‘i’s Operation Hire Hawai‘i (OH-HI) is making it easier and faster to start or continue a career in public service. This statewide hiring initiative connects job seekers with opportunities across multiple industries by expediting applications and referrals.
If you’re passionate about economic development, DBEDT is actively hiring! Join our team and help shape Hawai‘i’s future.
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For more on DBEDT and its divisions and attached agencies, please visit dbedt.hawaii.gov
Below are links to more news from DBEDT’s core divisions, attached agencies and related programs:
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