Who is impacted?
Hundreds of families across Hawaii who rely on Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV) are at risk of losing their homes as federal EHV funding phases out. Many of these households are working families, kupuna (elders), people with disabilities, and survivors of domestic violence who were placed into stable housing after years of housing insecurity. Without action, these same families who did everything right may soon face eviction or homelessness due to a failure in local policy, not personal responsibility.

 
What is at stake?
HUD has provided local housing authorities with tools to protect EHV families through Notice PIH 2025-19, including streamlined waivers that allow for a smooth transition into the permanent Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program. However, if Hawaii’s housing authorities choose not to adopt these waivers, families will be forced to reapply through a public lottery with no guarantee of selection putting them at immediate risk of losing their homes, stability, and support systems. This is not just poor policy; it’s preventable displacement.

 
Why is now the time to act?
The time to act is now. Hawaii cannot afford to displace hundreds of families while simultaneously battling an affordable housing crisis. We urge the Hawaii Public Housing Authority (HPHA) and other local housing agencies (City and county PHA’s to adopt HUD’s streamlined transition waivers immediately, including prioritizing EHV participants on the HCV waitlist without requiring reapplication. Doing so will save lives, prevent homelessness, and uphold our shared values of compassion and kuleana (responsibility) to one another.