As part of a new DHLM staff profile initiative, we’re spotlighting the people behind the work — sharing their stories, motivations, and perspectives in their own words. Through a conversational Q&A format, these profiles offer a closer look at the public servants helping move housing solutions forward for our community.
As DHLM’s first Director of Housing Policy, Gavin Thornton is helping shape the City’s housing policy approach in ways that strengthen and preserve Hawaiʻi’s people, communities, and culture. His work focuses on the rules, strategies, and partnerships that can help build more housing, preserve affordability, and make better use of public land in service of local communities.
Building a More Rooted Housing System
At DHLM, Gavin’s role centers on helping the City think long-term about housing — not only how much housing Hawaiʻi needs, but what kind of communities Oʻahu wants to build and sustain in the future.
“I’m trying to help shape the City’s housing policy approach in ways that strengthen and preserve Hawaiʻi’s people, communities, and culture,” Gavin explains.
That work includes helping align housing policy, land use, and public investment strategies in ways that support local families and long-term community stability.
A Career Grounded in Service
Gavin began his career in Kona in 2002, representing tenants facing unsafe and insecure housing conditions. Over time, his work evolved from helping address immediate individual challenges to wanting to improve the broader systems that shape people’s lives.
He later served as Executive Director of the Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, where he worked for 16 years focusing on housing, economic justice, and policies affecting working families across Hawaiʻi.
Along the way, Gavin says it became increasingly clear that policy change alone is not enough.
“We also have to better align our actions with the deeper values and aspirations of our culture and communities,” he says. “Sometimes that means challenging long-held assumptions and narratives about housing and what kind of future we want to create.”
Faith, Community, and Connection
For Gavin, the work is deeply personal and rooted in faith and a desire to see and support the best in people.
“My faith teaches that every person has immeasurable worth and potential,” he says. “Housing plays a major role in whether people have the foundation they need to live with dignity, flourish, and share all they have to offer.”
While housing policy discussions often focus on units, financing, and development timelines, Gavin strives to anchor the work in the real-life human impacts of our decisions.
“I hope the work we are doing means a family that otherwise wouldn’t have a home, has one. That parents who were worrying about making the rent can shift that worry to getting their kids to soccer or paddling practice, coaching the team, or showing up to help a neighbor. I hope that someone turns down a job in Las Vegas because they’ve found a way to stay home.”
At its core, he says, this work is about the things that matter most — families staying connected, communities remaining rooted, and people being able to build a life in the place they love.
He is also inspired by people he has worked with throughout his career, who live the values of aloha and kuleana and who demonstrate that the well-being of people, community, culture, and ʻāina is deeply interconnected. “What we do on housing touches everything else: the strength of families, the vitality of communities, the continuity of culture, and the health of the land itself.”
Leading with Kindness
When asked what advice he would give to someone entering public service, Gavin doesn’t talk about strategy or policy. He talks about character.
“Public service gives you an extraordinary opportunity to influence lives and society for good,” he says. But he warns against vilifying people with opposing perspectives or justifying harsh ways of working in the name of noble ends. He believes that the world we want to build should be visible in how we work, lead, and treat people every day.
“So many of the problems we face as a society come down to how we treat one another. If we choose respect and kindness now, rather than waiting for some future destination, we are already beginning to arrive.”
Life Outside of Work
Outside of work, the moments that Gavin treasures most involve time with loved ones.
One of his favorite memories was the first time his entire family paddled out to surf together.
“Everyone knew how to surf on their own, we had accumulated five boards, and we were all out there together,” he says. “It was the best.”
He also enjoys informal jam sessions with family and friends featuring ʻukulele, guitar, harmonica, and cajón.
“I’m sure it sounds much better to my ears than anyone else’s,” he jokes, “but it brings us a lot of joy.”
Whether helping shape housing policy or talking story about family, faith, and community, Gavin’s perspective is grounded in the belief that housing is about far more than buildings. It is about the things that make for a good life – experiencing joy with family, friends and neighbors; service and contribution; and being connected to the communities, culture, and relationships that make Hawaiʻi home.
