City seeks highly-qualified candidates to serve on Oʻahu Historic Preservation Commission

News Release from City and County of Honolulu, Feb 2, 2023

HONOLULU – Mayor Rick Blangiardi announced Tuesday that the City and County of Honolulu is continuing its search for outstanding candidates to serve on the Oʻahu Historic Preservation Commission, which became effective in the Revised Charter of the City and County of Honolulu on January 23, 2023.

“Standing up the Oʻahu Historic Preservation Commission is long overdue, and we look forward to appointing highly-qualified commissioners who share our strong support for the preservation of historic places and protection of cultural and archaeological sites,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “The commission will provide additional protection for historic and cultural sites across our island for generations to come, and we look forward to the positive impact it will have on our communities.”

Once possible candidates have been identified, nine individuals will be selected and appointed by the mayor for confirmation by the City Council. In accordance with the ordinance, the city is specifically seeking to identify nine individuals with experience in architecture, history, archaeology, planning, architectural history, Hawaiian culture, anthropology, ethnography and sociology to serve on the commission.

In addition to publicly recruiting commissioners, Mayor Blangiardi is also soliciting lists of qualified candidates from a number of community and professional organizations, including the Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and the Honolulu Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

Once sworn in, commissioners will advise and assist federal, state, and city government agencies in carrying out the historic preservation responsibilities laid out by the City Council.  

“The Honolulu City Council is making a final call for qualified candidates to join the O‘ahu Historic Preservation Commission. The sooner the City gets a good pool of candidates, the faster the Commission can be stood up to help with historic preservation efforts on Oʻahu,” said Councilmember Esther Kiaʻāina, who worked closely with Chair Waters and historic preservation experts to amend the law establishing the Commission after it was not stood up for nearly 30 years.

Commissioners will also be responsible for a variety of other tasks, including the recommending of historic properties for inclusion in registers of historic places, the maintaining of an inventory of historic resources, and the assisting of the Department of Planning and Permitting in developing standards and guidelines related to matters affecting historic places.

By establishing the Oʻahu Historic Preservation Commission, the City is also eligible to receive additional funding by enrolling in the Certified Local Government’s program, which helps facilitate State and local government cooperation with Federal partners to promote nationwide preservation initiatives.

To submit an application to serve on the Oʻahu Historic Preservation Commission, please send a cover letter and resume to mdoffice@honolulu.gov.

—PAU—