October Mayor's Highlights Newsletter
This is a digital version of Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s newsletter for October 2026. You can also view the PDF version of the newsletter here.
The City and County of Honolulu continues to strengthen its response to homelessness and behavioral health crises through its Community Outreach Response & Engagement (CORE) program and the expansion of the Mental Health 3 (MH-3) initiative.
Originally launched as a pilot program, MH-3 is now permanent and expanding across Oʻahu. The initiative brings together CORE, the Honolulu Police Department, behavioral health professionals and homeless outreach providers to connect people experiencing serious mental health crises with appropriate care and services. Since its launch, the program has assisted 150 individuals.
The effort was strengthened by Act 219, signed into law in 2025, which allows individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis to be transported
for an emergency psychiatric evaluation when specific criteria are met, including when someone may pose a danger to themselves or others and voluntary treatment is not possible.
“When we created CORE, this is exactly what I envisioned: meeting people where they are and having the ability to connect those most in need with the care and support that can change their lives,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “Now, with the law behind us, we have another important tool to help our teams reach chronically homeless individuals struggling with severe mental illness or substance abuse and get them off the streets and into appropriate care. This strengthens the mission of CORE and gives our people greater ability to make a real and lasting difference.”
CORE’s multidisciplinary teams include paramedics, EMTs, registered nurses, nurse practitioners and community health workers working alongside physician leadership. For MH-3 responses, a physician or Advanced Practice Registered Nurse is on every call to assess medical needs and work with a designated mental health emergency worker to determine the appropriate care for the patient.
HPD has also doubled the size of its Crisis Intervention Team, whose officers receive specialized training in behavioral health, crisis intervention and de-escalation. The expansion will allow HPD and CORE to provide coordinated MH-3 responses across more of Oʻahu.
The effort is part of the City’s broader strategy to reduce unsheltered homelessness while improving public safety and connecting some of Oʻahu’s most vulnerable residents with compassionate, appropriate care.
HPD Names Nakasato, Bode as Deputy Chiefs
Honolulu Police Chief David Lazar has selected Brandon Nakasato and Parker Bode to serve as the Honolulu Police Department’s permanent deputy chiefs, bringing a combination of experience, leadership and new perspectives to HPD’s executive team.
Nakasato, a 27-year HPD veteran, has held a broad range of patrol, investigative, and administrative assignments throughout the department, including major crimes, homicide, professional standards and human resources. Most recently, he served as interim deputy chief overseeing Field Operations, which he will continue to lead.
Bode, a 16-year HPD veteran and second-generation officer, will lead Administrative Operations. At 39, he is one of the youngest deputy chiefs in HPD history. Since Chief Lazar was sworn in, Bode has served as his chief of staff and is helping lead development of HPD’s new strategic plan.
“Brandon and Parker have consistently demonstrated integrity, a strong work ethic and steady leadership,” Lazar said. “They are forward thinkers who deeply care about this department, our people and the community we serve.”
Honolulu Liquor Commission Selects New Administrator
The Honolulu Liquor Commission has appointed Jason White as its next Liquor Control Administrator. White brings more than two decades of federal law enforcement and leadership experience, most recently serving as a Supervisory Special Agent with the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) in Hawaiʻi. He also held several senior leadership positions with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), including Unit Chief at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Mayor Rick Blangiardi praised the selection, noting that White’s career has been defined by integrity, accountability, and effective leadership. The mayor said
White’s experience managing complex organizations and building strong partnerships makes him well suited to lead the Commission as it continues its important public safety mission while supporting Oʻahu’s hospitality industry.
Affordable Housing to Replace Former Dee Lite Bakery
The former Dee Lite Bakery building in Kalihi is being demolished to make room for a future affordable housing development, directly across from the future Mokauea (Kalihi) Skyline Station. The site is being developed as part of the Blangiardi administration’s housing strategy to activate transit-oriented development areas along the Skyline corridor.
Steven Young Named DPP Deputy Director
Mayor Rick Blangiardi has appointed Steven Young as Deputy Director of the City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP).
Young will work alongside DPP Director Dawn Takeuchi Apuna to advance the City’s ongoing efforts to modernize and improve the permitting process through new technology, streamlined operations and more efficient service to the public.
Young brings more than 20 years of experience as a civil engineer with DPP. Since joining the department in 2005, he has served in several leadership positions, including Civil Engineering Branch Project Review Section Supervisor and Site Development Division Program Administrator.
New DMV kiosk for Kailua
A new DMV self-service kiosk has been installed inside Foodland at Kailua Town Center, giving Windward Oʻahu residents another option to renew and print their vehicle registrations. The new kiosk brings the total number of DMV self-service kiosks on Oʻahu to 11.
City Marks 25th Anniversary of September 11th
The City and County of Honolulu marked the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks with a solemn remembrance ceremony at Honolulu Hale, honoring the nearly 3,000 lives lost and the courage and sacrifice of first responders.
Governor Josh Green and Lt. Colonel Gil Mestler (Ret.) joined Honolulu’s first responder leaders and community members in reflecting on a day that forever changed our nation and remembering the nine victims with ties to Hawaiʻi.
“As we mark the 25th anniversary of September 11, an entire generation has now grown up with no personal memory of that day. For them, it is history. For so many of us, it remains deeply personal,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “That is why we have a responsibility not only to remember those we lost, but to pass forward the values we witnessed in the face of unimaginable tragedy: courage, selflessness, resilience, compassion and unity. Twenty-five years later, those values remain just as important to who we are as a nation and as a community.”
The ceremony also paid tribute to the firefighters, police officers, emergency medical personnel and countless others who answered the call on September 11, many putting their own lives at risk to save others.
Twenty-five years later, the gathering served as a reminder that remembering September 11 is not only about honoring the past, but ensuring its lessons are carried forward by future generations.
Honolulu will continue to remember those we lost, honor those who served and carry forward the courage, compassion, resilience and unity that emerged from one of the darkest days in our nation’s history.
City Supports Kaua‘i Recovery Following Hurricane Lowell
Oʻahu was spared major damage as Hurricane Lowell passed the Hawaiian Islands, but the City and County of Honolulu quickly stepped up to support storm response and recovery efforts on Kauaʻi.
As Lowell approached, the O‘ahu Emergency Operations Center was activated, a Hurricane Refuge Area was opened, and departments and first responders prepared for potentially dangerous winds, flooding and high surf. While Oʻahu experienced some impacts, including significant sand and debris along portions of the coastline, the island avoided the more serious damage seen on Kauaʻi.
In advance of the storm and in its immediate aftermath, the City deployed more than 20 employees to Kauaʻi to assist with recovery efforts. The deployment included Department of Parks and Recreation employees supporting shelter operations, members of the City’s Incident Management Team and multiple public information officers assisting with emergency communications.
The Honolulu Emergency Medical Services (EMS) assisted seven dialysis patients who urgently needed transportation to a dialysis center on Oʻahu, after the hurricane disrupted their ability to receive regularly scheduled treatments on Kaua‘i. EMS deployed two vans and two ambulances, staffed by paramedics and support services personnel, to Kalaeloa Airport, where the patients and their caretakers arrived by a military helicopter.
The effort reflected the strong partnership among Hawaiʻi’s counties and the willingness of City employees to help neighboring communities in need.
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