DOWNTOWN – CHINATOWN NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD NO. 13

REGULAR MEETING AGENDA
THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2026, at 6:00 P.M.
Keʻelikōlani Middle School Library
 1302 Queen Emma Street, Honolulu, HI 96813
AND VIA WEBEX

This meeting location is open to public participation.
Other available options including WebEx and phone-in instructions are as follows:

Meeting Link: https://cchnl.webex.com/cchnl/j.php?MTID=m2eec5eabd07f32af605be6e0c6aac97b 
Meeting Number / Access Code: 2490 552 4947
Password: NB13 (6213 from phones and video systems)
Join by phone: +1(408) 418-9388 [United States toll]

Meeting Materials Link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1F4DdI9R8Er12TNf6Bl-yb4p4EW0-68vu
Video Recordings: http://www.youtube.com/@NeighborhoodCommissionOffice

Rules of Speaking: Any audience member may raise their hand to speak on an agenda item at the announced time; when recognized by the Presiding Officer, questions/comments are limited to two (2) minutes. After the audience, Board members may raise their hand to speak with questions and comments limited to one (1) minute thirty (30) seconds. Audience/Board members should refrain from interruptions and/or disruptive conduct. Any individual not following these rules may be ruled out of order.

Rules for Presentations/Reports: Those providing presentations to the Board are encouraged to do so via PowerPoint presentation, and to submit the presentation to the Chair at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. To permit sufficient time for questions, those giving presentations/reports are urged to finish within the allotted time on the agenda. Subsequent responses during Q&A should be kept brief and direct (or may be addressed in private follow-ups).

Other Notes: Members of the Board may not raise a matter not listed on the agenda during Public Concerns (but may request the inclusion of an item on the agenda in advance of the meeting). Public testimony received in advance of the meeting may also be read aloud (during the listed agenda item or Public Concerns). A majority vote (5) of this 9-member Board is required to meet quorum requirements.

1. CALL TO ORDER
1.1 Roll Call

2. PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTS (including discussion on board/community inquiries; 5 minutes each)
2.1 Honolulu Fire Department
2.2 Honolulu Police Department

3. PRESENTATIONS (including discussion on board/community inquiries; 5 minutes each)
3.1 Hong Kong Festival – Updates and Reports of the inaugural 2026 Honolulu-Hong Kong Festival held on Fort Street Mall between Hotel and King Street – Barinna Poon [barinnap@gmail.com]
3.2 Garden Art Presentation – Garden Art Project Introduction and Special District Permit Application by Evan Wright, Project Development Manager, and Keola Cheng, Wilson Okamoto Corporation – [evanw@chihulygardenandglass.com]
3.3 St. Patrick Day Celebration – (1) Updates and Reports of St. Patricks Day Celebration held on Fort Street Mall between Hotel and King Street. (2) Cinco De Mayo Street Festival to be held on Fort Street Mall between Hotel and King Street. The event is on Tuesday, May 5, 2026 from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. It will feature food, entertainment, and beverage stations. All alcohol purchasers must present identification to receive a wristband. At this time, there are no plans to charge for wristbands. – Ed Korybski [ed@fortsbid.org]

4. PUBLIC CONCERNS (2 minutes each regarding issues not listed on the agenda)

5. BOARD BUSINESS
5.1 Board Member Three Absence Letter – Consideration to vacate seat
5.2 Neighborhood Board Clean up with the Chinatown Lions. Saturday, April 18, 2026. Meet up at Sun Yet-San Park at 10:00 a.m.

6. ELECTED OFFICIALS – Priority to be given to elected officials/representatives that are physically present at the meeting (including discussion on board/community inquiries; 3 minutes each)
6.1 Congressman Ed Case’s Representative
6.2 Governor Josh Green’s Representative – Stephen Downes [stephen.downes@doh.hawaii.gov]
6.3 Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s Representative – Ian Santee [isantee@honolulu.gov]
6.4 City Council (District 6) – Tyler Dos Santos-Tam [tdossantos-tam@honolulu.gov]
6.5 State Senate (District 13) – Karl Rhoads [senrhoads@capitol.hawaii.gov]
6.6 State House (District 25) – Kim Coco Iwamoto [repiwamoto@capitol.hawaii.gov]
6.7 State House (District 28)

7. MONTHLY REPORTS (including discussion on board/community inquiries; 3 minutes each)
7.1 Honolulu Board of Water Supply (BWS) – Iris Oda [IODA@hbws.org]
7.2 Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) Harry Cho [harry.cho@honolulu.gov]
7.3 Chinatown Improvement District – Lee Stack [chinatownimprovementdistrict@gmail.com]
7.4 Chinatown Business Community Association (CBCA) – Chu Lan Shubert-Kwock [clskwock@gmail.com]
7.5 Neighborhood Citizen Patrol – Kevin Lye [kevinlye@gmail.com]

8. APPROVAL OF MINUTES (1 minute)
8.1 Approval of Regular Meeting Written Summary for Video Record (Thursday, March 5, 2025)

9. ANNOUNCEMENTS
9.1 The next Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board No. 13 regular meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 7, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at Keʻelikōlani Middle School and virtually via WebEx.
9.2 Rebroadcasts of Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board No. 13 meetings are scheduled on ʻŌlelo channel 49 for every third Thursday at 9:00 p.m., as well as 9:00 a.m. on the fourth Saturday of each month. An archive of past meetings may be found on https://olelo.org/olelonet/ by searching on <Downtown>.

10. ADJOURNMENT

A mailing list is maintained for interested persons and agencies to receive this board’s agenda and minutes. Additions, corrections, and deletions to the mailing list may be directed to the Neighborhood Commission Office (NCO) at Kapālama Hale, 925 Dillingham Boulevard, Suite 160, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96817, by telephone on (808) 768-3710, fax (808) 768-3711, or e-mailing nco@honolulu.gov. Agenda documents and minutes are also available online at https://www8.honolulu.gov/nco/boards/.

All written testimony must be received in the Neighborhood Commission Office 48 hours prior to the meeting. If within 48 hours of the meeting, written and/or oral testimony may be submitted directly to the Board at the meeting. If submitting written testimony, please note the Board and agenda item(s) your testimony concerns.  Send to: Neighborhood Commission Office, 925 Dillingham Boulevard, Suite 160, Honolulu, HI  96817, fax (808) 768-3711, or email nbtestimony@honolulu.gov.

If you need an auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation due to a disability or an interpreter for a language other than English, please call the Neighborhood Commission Office at (808) 768-3710 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. or send an email to nco@honolulu.gov as soon as possible, preferably at least three (3) business days before the scheduled meeting. If a request is received with fewer than three (3) business days remaining before the meeting, we will try to obtain the auxiliary aid/service or accommodation, but it may not be possible to fulfill requests received after this date.

[DRAFT] REGULAR MEETING WRITTEN SUMMARY FOR VIDEO RECORD
THURSDAY, March 5, 2026, at 6:00 P.M.
Keʻelikōlani Middle School Library
1302 Queen Emma Street, Honolulu, HI 96813
AND VIA WEBEX

Video recording of this meeting can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lkww8I6luXA

Reports & other meeting materials can be found at:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1F4DdI9R8Er12TNf6Bl-yb4p4EW0-68vu

1. CALL TO ORDER – [0:00:01]

Chair Ernest Caravalho called the Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board No. 13 meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Quorum was established with eight (8) members present. Note: This nine-member Board requires five (5) members to establish quorum and to take official Board action.

Members Present: Robert Armstrong, Ernest Caravalho, Ross Isokane, Kevin Lye, Dan Mestas, Nicole Shintani, Chu Lan Shubert-Kwock, and Laura Sturges.

Members Absent: Sean Fitzsimmons.

Guests: Captain Harrison (Honolulu Fire Department); Sergeant Freeman (Honolulu Police Department); Stephen Downes (Governor Greenʻs Representative); Will Duke (Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam); Haleina Beltran (Senator Karl Rhoads); Kate Ozawa (Representative Kim Iwamoto); Iris Oda (Honolulu Board of Water Supply); Harry Cho (HART); Ed Korybski (Fort Street Mall Improvement District); Mike Buck (C.O.R.E); Nicole Reid, Kennedy Augafa (Umi On Smith); McKinley Eads (DoHo Night Market); Sandra Pohl (Downtown Art HI); Christina Whinnery (Kekaulike Courtyard); Anthony Nagatani, Julia Ogilvie, Charles Jonsson, Jordan Kapono Nakamura (Residents); Camilia Epa Gomes (Neighborhood Commission Office). Note: Name was not included if not legible. There were 41 total attendees.

2. PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTS – [0:00:54]

Honolulu Fire Department – [0:01:01]: Captain Harrison provided statistics and tips.
• Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/11hRsoX8gp54pL0o67st_kB0icqkCzqEf/view?usp=sharing

Honolulu Police Department – [0:03:05]: Sergeant Freeman provided statistics.

Questions, comments and concerns followed – [0:04:18]
• HPD at Ala Moana Neighborhood Board: Dale Vanderbrink (Ala Moana-Kaka’ako Neighborhood Board)
• Kekaulike Courtyards Safety Concerns: Christina Whinnery (Kekaulike Courtyards)
• Foot Patrol Frequency: Board Member Isokane
• Drug Arrest Standards: Board Member Armstrong
• Noise Enforcement & Outstanding Requests: Board Member Lye
• Needle Van & Parking Concerns: Board Member Shubert-Kwock.
• Activity at Kekaulike Courtyard: Board Member Mestas
• Homeless Encampments on Bishop Street: Board Member Sturges
• Deteriorating Street Conditions and Need for Foot Patrols: Chair Caravalho

3. PRESENTATIONS – [0:23:44]

Umi on Smith – Kaiao Space and Chinatown Social Club – [0:24:03]: Kennedy Augafa (Chinatown Social Club/Sig Zane) and Nicole Reid (Imagine and Create Foundation) provided information on the planned event, a community concert and art block party on Smith Street on Friday, May 1, 2026, from 6:30 p.m. to 11:59 p.m
• Event Details: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y4z34LYTE5XFeuaRRu5ojw0eX88ZM4Kg/view?usp=sharing
• Event Foot Print: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TiJhnkhgOKX6uqVmlrYfniaGFPQkxO8j/view?usp=sharing

Questions, comments and concerns followed – [0:29:44]
• Event Safety & Past Jaywalking Citations: Board Member Isokane
• Agenda Accuracy & Event Scope: Board Member Lye
• Sound Mitigation Plan: Board Member Shubert-Kwock

[0:40:00] – Mestas MOVED and Armstrong SECONDED for the board to support the Umi on Smith event. Further discussion followed and a roll-call vote was conducted. The motion was ADOPTED; 8-0-0 (Aye: Armstrong, Isokane, Lye, Mestas, Shubert-Kwock, Shintani, Sturges, Caravalho; Nay: None; Abstain: None) – [0:50:09].

Downtown Honolulu (DoHo) Night Market – Affordable Hawaiʻi Foundation – [0:50:20]: McKinley Eads (Activate DoHo) provided information on the second DoHo Night Market, scheduled for Friday, April 17, 2026 from 4:30 to 9:00 p.m. at Fort Street Mall and Robert Wilcox Park.

Questions, comments and concerns followed – [0:52:25]
• Event Safety Record: Board Member Mestas
• No Alcohol Confirmation: Board Member Shubert-Kwock
• DTS Requirements for Permitting: Board Member Isokane

[0:55:30] – Armstrong MOVED and Lye SECONDED for the board to support the DoHo Night Market event. Further discussion followed. Hearing no objections, the motion was ADOPTED; 8-0-0 (Aye: Armstrong, Isokane, Lye, Mestas, Shubert-Kwock, Shintani, Sturges, Caravalho; Nay: None; Abstain: None) – [0:57:28].

Heart of Honolulu – Downtown Art HI – [0:57:36]: Sandra Pohl (Director, Downtown Art HI) presented information on the fifth annual Heart of Honolulu festival scheduled on Saturday, April 11, 2026 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

[1:00:00] – Armstrong MOVED and Mestas SECONDED for the board to support Heart of Honolulu Festival. Hearing no objections, the motion was ADOPTED; 8-0-0 (Aye: Armstrong, Isokane, Lye, Mestas, Shubert-Kwock, Shintani, Sturges, Caravalho; Nay: None; Abstain: None) – [1:00:21].

St. Patrick’s Day Celebration – Fort Street BID – [1:00:35]: Ed Korybski (Fort Street BID) presented the St. Patrick’s Day event on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 on Fort Street Mall between Hotel and King Streets with no road closure.

Questions, comments and concerns followed – [1:06:57]
• Burdensome Regulations on Events: Board Member Isokane
• Event Details: Board Member Shubert-Kwock
• Public Noticing and Pedestrian Malls: Board Member Lye

4. PUBLIC CONCERNS – [1:11:54]
1.
• Ala Moana Park Cleanup Announcement: Dale Vanderbrink
• Test case on prohibition around public concerns: Board Member Lye

Member Shubert-Kwock left the meeting at 7:15 p.m; 7 members present.

5. BOARD BUSINESS – [1:16:13]

Neighborhood Board Cleanup Discussion – Date and Place [1:16:13]: The Board discussed potential dates for a neighborhood cleanup. Chair Caravalho suggested that the Board join the Chinatown Lions Club on Saturday, April 18, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Meetup location will be at Smith-Beretania Park.

6. ELECTED OFFICIALS – [1:23:18]: Priority is given to elected officials/representatives who are present
in person at the meeting.

Governor Josh Green’s Representative – [1:23:30]: Stephen Downes provided rsponses to prior meeting questions.
• Newsletter: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jpMl1ShPEMNxyyZxuG6n0BoTbBptG1IW/view?usp=drive_link
• Report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lqo4i-S-7RuIcQYcIk9-Y0dTNxvkRJie/view?usp=drive_link

[1:24:26] – Chair Caravalho stepped away temporarily and asked Secretary Isokane to serve as presiding officer.

Questions, comments and concerns followed – [1:25:40]
• Security in Chinatown: Christina Whinnery (online)
• Highway Signs Standards: Board Member Lye
• Tariff Impact on Hawaiʻi Economy: Board Member Isokane

[1:27:05] – Chair Caravalho resumed as presiding officer upon returning to his seat.

Hearing no objections, the Chair took the agenda out of order at this time to return to Item 4. Public Concerns.

4. PUBLIC CONCERNS – CONTINUED – [1:29:50]
2.
• House District 28 Candidate Announcement – [1:29:50]: Michael Ratcliffe
• House District 28 Candidate Announcement – [1:29:50]: Nadia Alves

Congressman Ed Case’s Representative – [1:30:52]: No representative at this time.

Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s Representative – [1:31:06]: Ian Santee provided updates.
• Newsletter: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_ZIMTNzZdnVPiMmMvg1OdDeNmsSGgqm3/view?usp=drive_link
• Link to Sign-up for News Updates via Email: https://www.honolulu.gov/mayor/newsletter-signup/

Questions, comments and concerns followed – [1:31:31]
• Short-Term Rental Enforcement: Board Member Isokane
• Programmable Street signs for Downtown: Board Member Lye

State Senate (District 13) – Karl Rhoads – [1:35:10]: Haleina Beltran provided updates.
• Questions or Concerns: Email senrhoads@capitol.hawaii.gov or call (808) 586-6130.
• Report: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13Jb32qR5xvF5E_Q4Dfz-QR_zHsORa8-P/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=111917663458444584436&rtpof=true&sd=true

Questions, comments and concerns followed – [1:36:18]
• Contractor Campaign Contribution Disclosure Bills: Board Member Isokane
• House Bill 850 Condo Association Ballot Extension: Board Member Lye

City Council (District 6) – Tyler Dos Santos Tam – [1:39:40]: Will Duke provided updates
• Newsletter: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TXr1IxOIDoA5D8LbXBKFt_1aaGmlKABw/view?usp=drive_link

Questions, comments and concerns followed – [1:40:42]
• Bill 7 (2019) & Section 8 Portability Loophole: Board Member Isokane
• Hotel St. Traffic Restrictions: Board Member Armstrong
• Kamaliʻi Mini Park Redevelopment & Condo Ballot Extension: Board Member Lye

State House (District 25) – Kim Coco Iwamoto – [1:46:09]: Kate Ozawa provided updates
• Report: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1n4Hl8lm8SN1lJl3kGWTQMO2xnInK7pdq/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=111917663458444584436&rtpof=true&sd=true

Questions, comments and concerns followed – [1:47:00]
• Housing & Speculative Investment Bills: Board Member Isokane
• Sit-Lie Laws on State Capitol Grounds, HB890, HB850: Board Member Lye

7. MONTHLY REPORTS – [1:51:00]

Honolulu Board of Water Supply – [1:51:11]: Iris Oda provided updates.
• Report: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VjPuExcKiA7FdWC1yOLU_ZAD6qZDA72z/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=111917663458444584436&rtpof=true&sd=true

Questions, comments and concerns followed – [1:52:21]
• Red Hill Spill Lawsuit: Board Member Isokane
• Untracked Equipment: Board Member Lye
• Water Outage at 1136 Union Street: Chair Caravalho

Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation – [1:54:37]: Harry Cho provided updates
• Design Workshop Flyer: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uVQe3SXKG_xhLbSaTgmxGtaJC053ULFx/view?usp=drive_link
• Lane Closure Notice: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_J3oDAFjOdnjkbm8sEkHXs6jDOjkPNr/view?usp=drive_link
Questions, comments and concerns followed – [1:56:28]
• Design Delay & HART Vehile Identification: Board Member Lye

Chinatown Improvement District – [1:58:40]: No representative present at this time.

Chinatown Business Community Association (CBCA) – [1:59:00]: Board Member Dan Mestas provided updates.
• Report: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ka90pyn99iOSGQOjpNIfZUYdM72Nrb1J/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=111917663458444584436&rtpof=true&sd=true

Neighborhood Citizen Patrol – [2:01:20]: Board Member Lye reported on patrol observations. He invited public participation to join the scheduled patrol meet-ups that occur every second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. departing from outside the Diamond Head Tower lobby of Kukui Plaza (55 S. Kukui St.).

Questions, comments and concerns followed – [2:03:50]
• Growing Pigeon Populations: Board Member Armstrong
• Current Statutes for Feral Chicken Populations: Board Member Isokane
• Residents Feeding Pigeons: Board Member Mestas
• Pigeons, Roosters and Homeless issues: Chair Caravalho

8. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – [2:09:30]

Approval of Regular Meeting Summary for Video Record (Thursday, February 5, 2026) – [2:09:30]: Board members discussed the level of detail in the written summary.

Questions, comments and concerns followed – [2:10:00]
• Detail of written summaries: Board Member Armstrong
• Tradeoffs and modeling off of City Council: Board Member Isokane

[2:13:30] – Hearing no objections, the Thursday, February 5, 2026 Regular Meeting Written Summary for Video Record was approved as written; 7-0-0 (Aye: Armstrong, Isokane, Lye, Mestas, Shubert-Kwock, Shintani, Sturges, Caravalho; Nay: None; Abstain: None) – [2:13:32].

Questions, comments and concerns followed – [2:13:35]
• December 2025 Regular Meeting Written Summary clerical correction: Board Member Lye.

9. ANNOUNCEMENTS – [2:14:16]

City and County of Honolulu and Hawaiʻi Foodbank – Fight Against Hunger: Neighborhood Assistant Camilia Epa Gomes will be collecting donated canned goods at the next Neighborhood Board meeting.

The next Downtown–Chinatown Neighborhood Board No. 13 regular meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 2, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at Keʻelikōlani Middle School and virtually via WebEx.

Rebroadcasts of Downtown–Chinatown Neighborhood Board No. 13 meetings are scheduled on ʻŌlelo channel 49 for every third Thursday at 9:00 p.m., as well as 9:00 a.m. on the fourth Saturday of each month. An archive of past meetings may be found on http://olelo.org/olelonet/ by searching on <Downtown>.

10. ADJOURNMENT – [2:15:10] The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m.

Submitted by: Camilia Epa Gomes, Neighborhood Assistant, NCO
Reviewed by: Dylan Buck, Community Relations Specialist, NCO
Finalized by: Ross Isokane, Secretary, Neighborhood Board No.13

To view agenda and minutes, visit our board website.

Event shows physical location; however, other options of participation may also include WebEx and phone.  If available, instructions for WebEx and phone can be found at the top of the agenda.