Remove barriers to FEMA voluntary property buyout funding for Hawaiʻi

Removing Barriers to FEMA Voluntary Property Buyout Funding for Hawaiʻi

Identify and address the regulatory, administrative, and financial barriers that have historically prevented Hawaiʻi from accessing FEMA's voluntary property buyout programs for communities vulnerable to coastal erosion, flooding, and sea level rise. Evaluate federal eligibility requirements, cost-benefit criteria, local matching funds, high property values, and land ownership challenges unique to Hawaiʻi. Collaborate with federal, state, county, and community partners to develop actionable policy reforms, funding strategies, and pilot programs that facilitate voluntary property acquisition and managed relocation. Leverage Green Fee investments to unlock substantial federal funding, reduce long-term disaster costs, protect vulnerable communities, and restore high-risk coastal lands for conservation and public benefit. Hawaiʻi is the ONLY state that has not participated in this program.