Honolulu to host Rebuild Oahu event as storm-damaged property owners sort out permits and repairs
Honolulu HI – A city recovery event in Waialua on April 18 will help storm-damaged residents and businesses navigate permits, repairs and aid.
Storm-damaged homeowners and small businesses on Oahu have a clear in-person next step this week: the City and County of Honolulu says its Department of Planning and Permitting will host Rebuild Oahu on Saturday, April 18, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Community Assistance Center in the Waialua District Park gymnasium.
The event matters because many residents are still stuck between cleanup and rebuilding, trying to figure out what work can start now, what needs a permit, and which city or state office handles the next step. According to the department, staff and partner agencies will be there to answer permitting and zoning questions, explain repair pathways, and connect people with recovery resources tied to the recent flooding.
What people can get at the event
The city says attendees can get help with building permits, grading, flood and Special Management Area questions, and HNL Build account setup. Staff are also expected to walk residents through zoning questions, required approvals, and the repair or rebuilding path for homes and businesses.
One of the most useful features is a set of free 20-minute one-on-one appointments with planning and permitting staff. Walk-ins will be accepted, but the city is encouraging advance registration. Because those sessions are short, residents will get the most out of them by bringing a tight list of questions, property details, and notes about the damage they are trying to address.
The department also says several other agencies and partners are expected on site, including Real Property Tax, the Board of Water Supply, the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, and construction and design groups. The city has said the lineup could still change before Saturday, with additional vendors, participants, and briefings possible.
What to know about permits before you go
The city’s storm-response FAQs make one rule especially important: some eligible emergency repair work may begin before a building permit is obtained, but only if a permit application is submitted on the next working day after work begins. The city says that exception is limited. The work cannot expand the size, height, or area of a structure, cannot make it less safe, must use similar materials, and still has to comply with city ordinances and building-code safety requirements.
The same FAQs also list examples of work that may not require a permit under stated conditions. Those examples include certain reroofing, siding on existing exterior walls, fences and planter boxes up to 6 feet high, retaining or riprap walls up to 30 inches high, and private walkways or paving. The city also lists some like-for-like maintenance repairs under $10,000 in a 12-month period, as long as they do not involve electrical, plumbing, or mechanical installations.
For residents worried about the cost of paperwork on top of repair bills, the department says it is waiving permit fees related to storm-damage cleanup and repair work.
Recovery help beyond permits
Rebuild Oahu is not just a permitting event. The city has also launched a Rebuild Donation Match Registry to connect verified storm-impacted residents and businesses with donated materials and volunteer services. But there is a key eligibility step: residents must have reported storm damage to participate, and requests are verified before matching.
That reporting step matters for more than donations. The city’s One Oahu recovery hub says the Community Assistance Center network can also connect residents with insurance guidance, shelter and housing assistance, utility help, billing questions, transportation help, debris information, and possible property-tax relief. The Waialua center has also been serving as a broader recovery site for medical help, document replacement, food, water, and cleaning supplies.
For many households, that makes Saturday less about getting an instant approval and more about leaving with a plan: what can be repaired now, what must be filed next, and which office to call for tax, water, insurance, debris, or housing questions after the meeting ends.
