As we reported last week, the much promoted Town Hall meeting for Ala Wai Flood Risk Management Project was held this past Tuesday, March 19th. The Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources and the City and County of Honolulu Department of Design and Construction, in partnership with the United States Army Corps of Engineers,... Continue Reading →
Hawai'i lawmakers will confront major policy questions this session as they grapple with looming problems from a warming planet, sea level rise and climate change in general. Rising seas and crumbling shorelines are staring lawmakers in the face as they consider more than a dozen bills dealing with climate change this session. Where should the... Continue Reading →
Wildfires change the landscape, destroying root structure and creating top soil that could repel water instead of absorbing it. Debris flows and mudflows can occur up to five years after a wildfire. Debris flows can take homes off their foundations and can carry things like vegetation, trees, large boulders and vehicles. Mudflows on the other... Continue Reading →
The answer is “YES”. Every property in Hawai'i has a flood zone designation. It may not be in a high-risk flood zone (A or V zones) that would require mandatory flood insurance purchase as a condition of a federally regulated loan, but it doesn’t mean that flooding is not possible. In fact, 20% flood insurance... Continue Reading →
In a Kokua Line article by Christine Donnelly which appeared in the Star Advertiser on December 2, 2016 titled “Flood Insurance Safeguards Common Areas of High-Rises”, a reader asked: “ Why is flood insurance needed in high-rise condo units? My residence is on the 30th floor of a condominium inHonolulu. This condo is in a... Continue Reading →
I know, I borrowed that slogan from that famous gecko commercial, but the fact that freeboarding could save you a significant amount of money and prevent flooding and flood related damages to your house is undeniable. First, let’s talk about what freeboarding actually is. Freeboard is the elevation of a building’s lowest floor to a... Continue Reading →
