Hawaii County Council delays $83.84 million HUD disaster‑recovery action for more community review
May 11, 2026 | Hawaii County, Hawaii
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The Hawaii County Council on Nov. 18 agreed to postpone consideration of Resolution 768‑20 and its companion appropriation, Bill 219, which would accept and place $83,841,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant — Disaster Recovery (CDBG‑DR) funds into the county budget for long‑term Kīlauea recovery.
Councilmember Ashley Kerkowitz moved to postpone both measures “to the call of the chair,” saying the administration and recovery staff were coordinating with HUD and that the community should have an opportunity for a HUD‑hosted presentation and question‑and‑answer session before the council adopts an action plan. "We need a bit more time to sort through the details with community, with the recovery team, and the incoming administration," Kerkowitz said during the discussion.
Kerkowitz told colleagues the county’s recovery officer and finance director had already been in contact with HUD to arrange a presentation and community Q&A so residents would better understand allowable uses and how the draft action plan fits into broader Kīlauea recovery and resilience planning. Council members also noted the recovery task force would review the Kīlauea recovery and resilience plan at a Thursday meeting, which they said should inform any council action.
The motion to postpone Resolution 768‑20 carried without objection. Council staff moved the companion Bill 219 to the call of the chair as well.
Why it matters: The plan would have placed a large, federally derived pot of disaster‑recovery money into the county’s CDBG disaster recovery account. Council members said they wanted clearer community engagement and technical briefings from HUD so local priorities and oversight could be aligned before formal acceptance and appropriation. The postponement preserves time for public review and additional briefings.
Votes at a glance: The motion to postpone Resolution 768‑20 passed on a voice vote; the companion Bill 219 was postponed to the call of the chair. Details on formal roll calls for related budget items appear in the council minutes.
Councilmember Ashley Kerkowitz moved to postpone both measures “to the call of the chair,” saying the administration and recovery staff were coordinating with HUD and that the community should have an opportunity for a HUD‑hosted presentation and question‑and‑answer session before the council adopts an action plan. "We need a bit more time to sort through the details with community, with the recovery team, and the incoming administration," Kerkowitz said during the discussion.
Kerkowitz told colleagues the county’s recovery officer and finance director had already been in contact with HUD to arrange a presentation and community Q&A so residents would better understand allowable uses and how the draft action plan fits into broader Kīlauea recovery and resilience planning. Council members also noted the recovery task force would review the Kīlauea recovery and resilience plan at a Thursday meeting, which they said should inform any council action.
The motion to postpone Resolution 768‑20 carried without objection. Council staff moved the companion Bill 219 to the call of the chair as well.
Why it matters: The plan would have placed a large, federally derived pot of disaster‑recovery money into the county’s CDBG disaster recovery account. Council members said they wanted clearer community engagement and technical briefings from HUD so local priorities and oversight could be aligned before formal acceptance and appropriation. The postponement preserves time for public review and additional briefings.
Votes at a glance: The motion to postpone Resolution 768‑20 passed on a voice vote; the companion Bill 219 was postponed to the call of the chair. Details on formal roll calls for related budget items appear in the council minutes.
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