November 2025 Message from the Council Chair
Aloha mai kākou,
As your representative to the Honolulu City Council and the Council’s elected Chair, I’m sworn to protect the health, wellbeing and sustainability of our residents, and also that of our precious natural resources — our ʻāina (land) and wai (water) — that sustain our lives and our way of life. In 2016, Honolulu voters approved establishing an Advisory Commission for conservation proposals across Oʻahu. The Clean Water and Natural Lands (CWNL) program acquires land to protect natural resources, water resources, and open spaces for conservation and public use. It is funded by a portion of the city’s real property tax and manasged by the Dept. of Housing and Land Management (DHLM), which submits proposals to the Advisory Commission for recommendation to the City Council.
In our district, from Waikīkī to Hawaiʻi Kai, several important conservation easements have been purchased via Council approval to preserve East Honolulu’s most precious natural resources. Since 2014, there have been several conservation sites approved in our District, including Hāwea Heiau Complex & Keawāwa Wetland, Kānewai Spring, Wailupe Nature Preserve, and now Paikō Ridge.
For years the Kuliʻouʻou and East Oʻahu communities have fought to preserve the precious lands at the back of the Kuliʻouʻou Valley that hold ecological and cultural significance for our island, and for our state. As the councilmember representing the district, I have deep respect for their perseverance and courage, and have stood alongside Kupaʻāina o Kuliʻouʻou helping to navigate the complications and setbacks along the way. That is why reaching these final steps in the CWNL transactions, originally approved the City Council in 2022, is so meaningful to me and all of East Honolulu.
Preserving Paikō Ridge truly honors the history of this special part of O‘ahu, while ensuring that residents now and for generations to come will continue to benefit from open spaces, clean water, healthy watersheds and ultimately the assurance that these sacred cultural lands will be protected in perpetuity. I am deeply grateful to the community members and partners who never gave up, and will continue to look for ways, in partnership with our city leaders, to simplify, codify and expedite the CWNL process so that we can continue protecting our island’s most precious resources.
As November begins, my heart is full of gratitude for our District 4 ʻohana. Every day I see neighbors looking out for one another, small businesses lifting our local economy, and volunteers giving time and talent to keep our parks, schools, and shoreline places we are so blessed to call home. Mahalo nui for the spirit of aloha you bring to our community. Thanksgiving invites us to look back with appreciation and look ahead with purpose. I remain focused on safe streets, strong support for local families, and enhancing the quality of life for all. I am grateful for the trust you place in me to serve. May this season bring you time with loved ones, ʻono food, and moments of rest. Together, we can carry the spirit of aloha into our work ahead.
Mahalo,
Tommy
