Mayor Blangiardi announces initial appointments to Oʻahu Historic Preservation Commission

News Release from Office of the Mayor, April 6, 2023

HONOLULU – Mayor Rick Blangiardi on Wednesday announced the appointments of nine highly-qualified individuals who have been selected to serve on the inaugural Oʻahu Historic Preservation Commission and will advise City officials and members of the Honolulu City Council on matters related to the preservation of historic and cultural sites across the island of Oʻahu.

The nine individuals who have been selected to serve staggered terms include:

Nanea Lo, for an initial one-year term
Mahealani Cypher, for an initial two-year term
Hailama V.K.K. Farden, for an initial two-year term
Kai E. White, for an initial three-year term
Richard Douglas Davis, for an initial three-year term
Mehanaokala Hind, for an initial four-year term
Thomas S. Dye, for an initial four-year term
Glenn E. Mason, for an initial five-year term
Kehaunani Abad, for an initial five-year term

The appointees are all subject to confirmation by the Honolulu City Council.

“I have always maintained that the individuals we select to serve on the City’s boards and commissions are extensions of our leadership team, and we treat these appointments with the same sense of responsibility as we would in selecting members of our cabinet,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “We are fortunate that so many exceptional candidates, who all possess an incredible love for our island, stepped forward to take on this responsibility. I look forward to working with all of them as we stand up this critically important commission.”

Once sworn in, the members of the Oʻahu Historic Preservation Commission will assist federal, state and city government agencies in carrying out the historic preservation responsibilities laid out in Bill 44, the ordinance passed by the City Council last November.

“Mahalo to these community leaders for their willingness to serve to ensure that after 30 years the inaugural Oʻahu Historic Preservation Commission will be led by highly qualified experts and community grounded individuals,” said City Council Vice Chair Esther Kiaʻāina, who worked closely with Chair Waters and her colleagues to amend the law establishing the Commission.

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.

Administratively, the Oʻahu Historic Preservation Commission will be managed by the City’s Department of Planning and Permitting.

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