2018 General Election Candidates
Name on ballot:
OZAWA, Trevor
Running for:
Honolulu City Council
District (if applicable):
4
Political party:
Does not apply/Nonpartisan race
Campaign website:
www.trevorozawa.com
Current occupation:
Attorney
Age:
35
Previous job history:
Attorney
Previous elected office, if any:
N/A
What qualifies you to represent the people of Hawaii?
I believe the fresh perspective and voice I brought to the Honolulu City Council served the District 4 residents exceptionally well during my first term. Working collaboratively with key stakeholders and my colleagues, I continued the city's investment in addressing the issue of homelessness, revitalizing our public spaces, and fighting for continued accountability and transparency in government. From securing much needed capital improvement funds for neglected projects like the repaving of the Kaimuki Municipal Parking Lot to the successful acquisition of the Ka Iwi Coast Mauka Lands and Kanewai Springs, revitalization and preservation of our public spaces continue to be a key legislative priority for me. Further, I have been actively engaged in a myriad of community issues throughout the various communities of Council District 4.
I believe that my record has proven that I am a passionate and collaborative member of the Honolulu City Council and have been an effective voice for District 4 residents. I am running for re-election to continue being a voice for District 4 residents and to continue my work towards creating a more vibrant and thriving Honolulu.
What are the top three challenges facing the voters you seek to represent?
My top three priorities would be to continue tackling the issues of homelessness, monster houses, and to continue our investments in the city's core services.
While the 2018 Homeless Point-In-Time revealed a 9.4 percent drop of homeless individuals on Oahu, it indicated that numbers in East Oahu were up 7.8 percent. I will continue to support the immediate transitioning of homeless people into shelters that provide wrap-around services, innovative approaches like hygiene centers in the Iwilei area, and efforts to increase the housing inventory at all price points.
The proliferation of monster houses in our communities is also a serious concern. The negative impacts to the surrounding community are often understated. As the City Council tackled the issue over the past year, it highlighted the shortcomings of our ordinances and identified areas that we must address to proactively address the problem. That is why I led the effort in passing Bill 110 (2017) to secure a two-year moratorium on monster houses and provide time to the city administration to promulgate new rules to address this growing problem.
Lastly, routine and on-time trash pick up, pothole and other infrastructure-related repairs, and proper emergency preparedness are all services that our residents have come to expect as a basic service provided by their tax dollars. As such, it is incumbent on us to ensure that such services are being delivered on-time and on-budget. From streamlining operations to investing in new processes and technology to improve efficiency and reduce costs, we must continue to strive for excellence when it comes to the availability and delivery of city services. Furthermore, we must be vigilant in ensuring that the city is properly prepared in times of emergency, most notably natural disasters such as flooding and torrential rains.
If elected, what will be your highest legislative priority?
If re-elected, my highest legislative priority would be to continue being a passionate and collaborative member of the Honolulu City Council and an effective voice for District 4 residents. I will continue working collaboratively with key stakeholders and my colleagues to support the city's investment in addressing the issue of homelessness, revitalizing our public spaces, and fighting for continued accountability and transparency in government.
If elected, what can you do to improve the lives of your constituents?
If re-elected, I would continue to support increasing the inventory of affordable housing at all price points. We need to build a wide range of housing options to accommodate everyone including young professionals and growing families. We can achieve this by working collaboratively with developers, exploring funding mechanisms and incentives to make projects financially viable, as well as reexamining our policies - including city ordinances - to see where the city can be innovative and creative. Dialogue and negotiations can be successful in this endeavor to increase the number of affordable units that are being constructed. For example, I successfully secured 60% of SamKoo’s 484-unit Kapiolani Residence to be made affordable. SamKoo is also working on a second development project that will provide a significant portion of its inventory to qualified Hawaii buyers.
Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?
My wife, Nietzsche, and I talk about the future of our two young daughters every single day. We envision a future for them where they will live, work, and play in a thriving and vibrant Honolulu. I will continue to make that vision a reality for all of our keiki. I would be humbled by your continued support for my re-election to the Honolulu City Council.