The One Oʻahu Podcast with Mayor Rick Blangiardi
Mayor Rick Blangiardi, City and County of Honolulu leaders and public servants across Oʻahu answer questions about homelessness, affordable housing, high cost of living and a variety of other important topics — the questions that are most pressing for our residents, our island and our future. Together, we are One Oʻahu.
Episodes

11 hours ago
11 hours ago
On this week’s episode of the One O‘ahu Podcast, Executive Director for the Institute for Human Services (IHS), Connie Mitchell, and Attorney Christopher Thomas join host Brandi Higa to discuss the call to action by Mayor Blangiardi and other leaders to serve as advocates for homeless individuals as Guardians Ad Litem (2:10). Then, how Assisted Community Treatment (ACT) works at helping individuals with severe mental illness (4:17). Finally, Mitchell and Thomas both explain why this work is critically important (9:56).

Thursday Apr 17, 2025
Thursday Apr 17, 2025
On this week’s episode of the One O‘ahu Podcast, Mayor Rick Blangiardi joins host Brandi Higa to talk about a recent town hall meeting in Hale‘iwa (2:30). Later, Mayor Blangiardi discusses the importance of two bills he recently signed into law, Bill 1 and Bill 50 (17:30). Finally, reaction to Honolulu’s Cartwright Neighborhood Park being proclaimed the oldest active baseball field in America (22:14).

Thursday Apr 10, 2025
Thursday Apr 10, 2025
On this week’s episode of the One O‘ahu Podcast, Department of Emergency Management Acting Director Jennifer Walter joins host Brandi Higa to talk about the City’s new mass notification system, HNL Alert (0:36). Then, she explains the two ways to sign up for HNL Alerts (8:26). Later, preparation tips for you and your ‘ohana as we approach the drier summer months and Hurricane Season (24:05).

Thursday Apr 03, 2025
Thursday Apr 03, 2025
On this week’s episode of the One O‘ahu Podcast, Mayor Rick Blangiardi joins host Brandi Higa to talk about standing up a task force to determine whether the Honolulu Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services would be better off as a single, integrated department (0:57). Then, Mayor Blangiardi discusses the start of passenger operations for the second segment of Skyline, the City’s rail transit system, by Oct. 1, 2025 (14:09). Later, takeaways from Mayor Blangiardi’s recent town hall meeting in Nānākuli, the first of seven this year (16:09).

Thursday Mar 27, 2025
Thursday Mar 27, 2025
On this week’s episode of the One O‘ahu Podcast, Sarah Harris and Madeline Krueger of the Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency’s (CCSR) Mitigation and Long-Term Disaster Recovery Program, join host Brandi Higa to discuss the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) updated Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for O‘ahu (1:01). Later, they discuss the 90-day public appeal and comment period where the community is able to provide feedback to FEMA for possible incorporation into the final FIRMS (6:02). Finally, some of the resources that are available for O ‘ahu residents and tips to make your home more flood ready (8:20).

Wednesday Mar 19, 2025
Wednesday Mar 19, 2025
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi delivered the 2025 State of the City address on Tuesday, March 18th from the Mission Memorial Auditorium in Honolulu.

Thursday Mar 13, 2025
Thursday Mar 13, 2025
On this week’s episode of the One O‘ahu Podcast, Rebecca Choquette, a zookeeper at the Honolulu Zoo and this year's City and County of Honolulu Employee of the Year, joins host Brandi Higa to reflect on her award (0:59). Then, Choquette talks about why she wanted to go into this field of work and what she loves most (3:30). Finally, some interesting stories about the animals she works with each and every day (5:42).

Thursday Mar 06, 2025
Thursday Mar 06, 2025
On this week’s episode of the One O‘ahu Podcast, Mayor Rick Blangiardi and Budget and Fiscal Services Director Andy Kawano join host Brandi Higa to discuss the Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposals submitted to the Honolulu City Council (1:06). Later, both men talk about key infrastructure and public service projects included in this year’s budget (4:49). Finally, where to find this year’s proposed budget and how to weigh in before the final budget is passed (21:17).

Thursday Feb 27, 2025
Thursday Feb 27, 2025
On this week’s episode of the One O‘ahu Podcast, Alphonso Braggs, Assistant Secretary of the National Board of Directors for the NAACP, and Rev. Dr. Gregory C. Carrow-Boyd, Director of Worship and Religious Education at the First Unitarian Church of Honolulu, join host Brandi Higa to reflect on Mayor Blangiardi’s Black History Month Proclamation Ceremony (7:40). Then, both men talk about what makes Hawai‘i’s Black History so unique (11:44). Finally, their call to action to celebrate the accomplishments of Black Americans beyond the month of February (22:48).

Thursday Feb 20, 2025
Thursday Feb 20, 2025
On this week’s episode of the One O‘ahu Podcast, Mayor Rick Blangiardi joins host Brandi Higa to talk about the hiring of Roy Miyahira as the City and County of Honolulu’s new Director of Homeless Solutions (1:19). Later, Mayor Blangiardi lays out what folks can expect in this year’s State of the City Address in March (10:06). Finally, in what has become an annual tradition, Mayor Blangiardi has some details for this year’s Town Hall Tour (11:32).