Applicants should start seeing a difference soon, the mayor says, thanks to new technology.

Mahalo to Mayor Rick Blangiardi for joining us to discuss new updates at the Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting.

The county says it鈥檚 doing its job faster, but that鈥檚 not yet translating to faster permits for property owners. 

Tristyn and Kamohai Kalama continue to renovate O驶ahu homes without proper permits even as their show seeks taxpayer subsidies. 

People have been waiting way too long for permits, with many applications literally taking years, but city data suggests the system is gaining speed.

HGTV hosts Tristyn and Kamohai Kalama are facing backlash because some of their speedy projects lacked proper permits.

As the saying goes, it鈥檚 better to ask for forgiveness than permission. The Kalamas have turned that adage into profit. 

During the investigation, the inspector was put on leave and collected 16 months of pay.

Time is money, and it鈥檚 not just permit applicants who lose. The city pays a price, too. 

New tools promise to give applicants faster feedback on their plans.