HONOLULU (Island News) — There may not be many problems in paradise — but the price is one of them.
Steven Bond-Smith, UHERO Assistant Professor and lead author, said, “So Hawaii is expensive, and people feel pressure from that, the whole priced out kind of narrative.”
Forcing many to ask a painful question: Can we still afford to stay?
A recent UHERO report shows this isn’t a new issue.
Researchers say that Hawaii has been facing a slow-moving economic crisis for over 30 years.
There may not be many problems in paradise — but the price is one of them. Forcing many to ask a painful question: Can we still afford to stay? A recent UHERO report shows this isn’t a new issue.
Kami Yamamoto, Executive Director of Hawaii Workers Center, said, “They’re still living paycheck to paycheck and have to make a decision about foregoing much-needed medical procedures or medication, even just to be able to afford rent or put food on the table.”
According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the living wage in Hawaii is approximately $30 an hour — nearly double the state’s current minimum wage.
”It hasn’t been enough, and we do need a higher wage for people to just meet their basic needs,” said Yamamoto.
Low wages, inflation, and a tourism-driven economy leave many families making impossible choices.
“A parent who has to decide whether to go see the doctor or to pay for my kids’ school supplies,” said Yamamoto.
And the impacts go beyond finances.
“Depression, anxiety, and other violence in the household. Those are all fallout effects of economic hardship that people face,” said Yamamoto.
Now, the Hawaii Workers Center is pushing for change, supporting a new bill this legislative session aimed at strengthening worker protections.
“Every cent, every dollar, really matters for a lot of the workers here in Hawaii. So we’re, we’re really hoping that this can get passed,” said Yamamoto.
The Hawaii Workers Center continues to help ensure workers don’t get priced out of paradise.
Police officers said they’ve worked hard to build trust with the communities they serve, but scammers are putting that trust at risk. Those scammers are calling Big Island residents while posing as Hawaii Police Department officers.