Episode 166: Mayor Blangiardi on the City Council's decision to eliminate OER and the new driver's license design

On this week’s episode of the One O‘ahu Podcast, Mayor Rick Blangiardi joins host Brandi Higa to talk about the redevelopment of Iwilei, the City Council’s decision to eliminate the Office of Economic Revitalization, and the new design for the Hawai‘i Driver’s License and State IDs.

Redevelopment of Iwilei

Last week, the City and County of Honolulu Department of Housing and Land Management (DHLM) announced the completion for the acquisition of 519 Kaʻaahi Street, advancing the administration’s long-term strategy to assemble and revitalize land surrounding the future Kūwili Skyline Station and support the delivery of thousands of affordable housing units through transit-oriented development.

“Ka‘aahi Street and that whole area allows us now a really incredible platform as Skyline comes in there, to build a station, but to build a station in a way that allows housing, retail, and other spaces,” explained Mayor Blangiardi.

With more than 70 percent of the surrounding area already under City or State ownership, the Iwilei–Kūwili district presents a unique opportunity to coordinate housing, transportation, public infrastructure, and community amenities through a comprehensive redevelopment strategy. To learn more about the Iwilei-Kapālama Transit-Oriented Development planning effort, visit: https://www.honolulu.gov/tod/tod-downtown-tod-neighborhood.

Office of Economic Revitalization

On July 8, 2026, the Honolulu City Council made a decision to override Mayor Blangiardi’s line-item veto and effectively dismantle the Office of Economic Revitalization by eliminating 15 jobs and stripping the department of its ability to carry out the work the people of Oʻahu asked us to do.

“They’ve done a lot of good things,” said Mayor Blangiardi when talking about the work of the Office of Economic Revitalization. “And it was serving a real need for us in the community from the standpoint of having the capability to help people who need that help.”

The Office of Economic Revitalization provided programs for O‘ahu small businesses, support for local ranchers and farmers, those seeking job-training, and those requiring language services.

New Driver’s License Design

Mayor Blangiardi, Hawaiʻi County Mayor Kimo Alameda, and the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Customers Services Director Kim Hashiro came together earlier this week to showcase the enhanced design and security features of the new Hawai’i Drivers Licenses and State ID cards.

“We came up with a card that has more than 50 security pieces on it,” added Mayor Blangiardi. “It’s really designed to protect individual’s identity.”

The redesigned cards incorporate advanced technology to help protect against identity theft, counterfeiting, and fraud. New security features include laser-engraved black-and-white photographs and personal information, tamper-resistant patterns, and raised text that can be felt by touch. In total, the cards contain more than 50 security features designed to deter forgery and verify authenticity.

The updated design celebrates Hawaiʻi while incorporating sophisticated security elements. Familiar images from the current cards — including the iconic rainbow, Hawaiian Island chain, and state flag — remain on the front. The reverse side features the humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa, Hawaiʻi’s state fish, alongside a coral reef that reflects the beauty of the islands’ marine ecosystem. Many of these design elements also serve as embedded security features, with some visible only under specialized conditions.