Date/Time
Date(s) - March 5, 2021
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm

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Always seeking new ways to connect the chapter held its quarterly luncheon membership meeting on March 5. Four course meals prepared by Bamboo Catering and delivered by Elite Delivery were brought in an insulated LAI logo bag to all attendees either at their workspace or home.

An outstanding class of eleven inductees were welcomed to LAI and Aloha Chapter. New members include: Hilarie Alomar, Senior Planning & Development Manager for Commercial Real Estate Division, Kamehameha School; Mark Babin, President MMR Realty Services; Cathy Camp, Senior Vice President for CRE Lending Division of Central Pacific Bank; Mike Dahilig, Managing Director of the County of Kauai; Scott Head, VO Resort Operations for Waikoloa Land; Naomi Kuwaye, Counsel at Ashford+Wriston; Makani Maeva, President & CEO Ahe Group; Melissa May, Senior Planner and Resiliency Practice Leader for SSFM International; Kawika McKeague, Principal and Director of Cultural Planning for G70 International; Ben Rafter, CEO for OLS Hotels & Resorts; and Michael Shibata, Director of Strategic Development and Partnerships at University of Hawaii.

The meeting was facilitated and designed to be highly interactive. Attendees were assigned to digital break out rooms to explore current topics. The main topic was, “What structural changes, related to land planning, has COVID taught us?” A sample of responses included:

• Tourism/Hospitality: are we managing quality or quantity? We have seen the positive impacts of little or no tourists on sea life, nature, etc. Knowing this, how do we move forward? How to strengthen the positive and economic effect of visitors (crack down on illegal rentals, review zoning for resorts, taxes and fees).
• Technology: we need to recognize the role of technology in lending a sense of efficiencies in how we communicate and get to decision-making and how this can expedite land use processes. We need greater broadband connectivity, more fiber. There is a digital divide for seniors and low-income residents.
• Working from home: we saw improved traffic; there is a need for residential safe rooms, expanded outdoor areas, retail adaptation of omnichannel.
• Economic vulnerabilities need to be addressed. Housing vulnerabilities are enormous. Over fifty percent live paycheck to paycheck. This is a vulnerability to the entire community.
• What are the opportunities to re-imagine the urban core for mixed use, transit, affordable housing? We’re not moving fast enough on climate change.
• Is government ready for change needed? Their technology systems are way behind.

The interactive break out groups proved highly popular in an after-meeting survey. At the meeting closure, everyone was asked to type one word into the chat box. Commonly used words included: Grateful, Hopeful, Encouraged, Thankful/Appreciative, Optimistic, Blessed, Busy/Stretched, Revived, Kokua, Mahalo. The overall positivity of these responses demonstrates that LAI chapter members look forward to better days.