Honolulu Estimates $100M in Storm Damage, Seeks Federal Aid

City officials say costs may rise as assessment continues, with 23 homes destroyed and 265 more suffering major damage.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 10:05am

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Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi's administration is still assessing the cost of the devastation wrought by two powerful Kona-low storms in March, but preliminary estimates put the damage to city-owned properties and operations at over $100 million. The city has received 1,460 damage reports from community members, with 23 homes on Oahu destroyed, 265 homes suffering major damage, and 35 homes temporarily inaccessible. The overall cost to Hawaii is estimated to be significantly more than $1 billion, and the city is working with federal agencies to seek reimbursement for the recovery efforts.

Why it matters

The storms have caused significant damage to Honolulu's infrastructure and private properties, straining the city's resources. The high cost of the recovery efforts will impact the city's budget and may require difficult decisions about funding priorities. Securing federal aid will be crucial to helping the city and its residents recover from the disaster.

The details

Individual city departments suffered tens of millions in damage, with 'Kona low 1' damage estimated at over $33.29 million and 'Kona low 2' damage estimated at over $69.78 million. The city is working with FEMA and the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency to verify the losses and apply for federal assistance, which could cover up to 90% of the recovery costs if a federal declaration is made. In the meantime, the city is considering tapping its $200 million rainy day fund to cover the upfront costs.

  • The two powerful Kona-low storms occurred in March 2026.
  • On Monday, the city said it had received 1,460 damage reports from community members.
  • On Tuesday, the Honolulu City Council reviewed the mayor's proposed $5.08 billion budget for the 2027 fiscal year, which begins July 1.

The players

Rick Blangiardi

The mayor of Honolulu, whose administration is assessing the cost of the storm damage.

Josh Green

The governor of Hawaii, who has estimated the overall cost of the storms to the state will be 'significantly more' than $1 billion.

Mike Formby

The Honolulu city managing director, who provided estimates of the storm damage costs to the City Council.

Tommy Waters

The chair of the Honolulu City Council, who expressed concerns about how the city will pay for the storm recovery efforts.

Andy Kawano

The director of the Honolulu Department of Budget and Fiscal Services, who said a finalized number regarding the city's anticipated storm damage costs will be brought to the Council for review in about two weeks.

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What they’re saying

“It's a little bit unstructured at this time because we're so early in the damage assessment for (the) city infrastructure, (and) … as it relates to residential properties.”

— Mike Formby, Honolulu city managing director

“These numbers are staggering.”

— Tommy Waters, Honolulu City Council chair

“I'm just curious, where are we going to get all of this money from? Are we looking at the current budget, and figuring out if we need to determine what's nice to have, and what's needed to have?”

— Tommy Waters, Honolulu City Council chair

What’s next

The city administration will return to the Honolulu City Council in about two weeks with a finalized number regarding the anticipated storm damage costs. The city is also working to secure a federal disaster declaration, which would make it eligible for FEMA reimbursement of up to 90% of the recovery costs.

The takeaway

The devastating Kona-low storms have left Honolulu with a massive cleanup and recovery effort, straining the city's resources. Securing federal aid will be crucial, but the city may also need to make difficult budget decisions to fund the recovery efforts. This disaster highlights the growing challenges cities face in preparing for and responding to the impacts of extreme weather events.