Honolulu, Hawaii

Honolulu, pronounced ho-no-loo-loo, not ha-na-loo-loo, is the capital of and the most populous census-designated place (CDP) in the U.S. state of Hawaii, as well as a district of the island of Oahu, in which Honolulu lie. In the Hawaiian language, honolulu means “sheltered bay” or “place of shelter.” It lies along the southeast coast of the island of Oahu and of the City & County of Honolulu. The population was 371,657 at the 2000 census.

Honolulu is the only incorporated city in Hawaii; all other local government entities in Hawaii are administered at the county level. The island of Oahu (approximately 600 square miles/1,600 square kilometres) is under the administrative jurisdiction of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu

It is not known when Honolulu was first settled by the original Polynesian migrants to the archipelago. Oral histories and artifacts indicate that there was a settlement where Honolulu now stands in the 12th century. However, after Kamehameha I conquered Oahu in the Battle of Nu’uanu at Nuuanu Pali, he moved his royal court from the Island of Hawaii to Waikiki in 1804. His court later relocated, in 1809, to what is now downtown Honolulu.

Government

Honolulu is administered under a consolidated city-county form of government employing a strong mayor-council system. The Mayor of Honolulu holds executive privileges — as opposed to mayors with only ceremonial powers — and the Honolulu City Council serves as the legislature. Mufi Hannemann currently serves as Mayor of Honolulu. His term ends January 2, 2010.

One of the largest municipal governments in the United States, the city and county works with an annual operating budget of over USD 1 billion. The Honolulu Fire Department and Honolulu Police Department are administered by the mayor and city council through appointed officials. Likewise, other municipal departments oversee services which include civil defense, driver licensing, emergency medical, parks and recreation, sanitation, streets, vehicle registration, voter registration, water, among others.

Neighborhoods and special districts

• Downtown Honolulu is the financial, commercial, and governmental center of Hawaii. On the waterfront is Aloha Tower, which for many years was the tallest building in Hawaii. Currently the tallest building is the 438-foot (134 m)-tall First Hawaiian Center, located on King and Bishop Streets .
• The Arts District Honolulu in downtown/Chinatown is on the eastern edge of Chinatown. It is a 12-block area bounded by Bethel & Smith Streets and Nimitz Highway and Beretania Street – home to numerous arts and cultural institutions. It is located within the Chinatown Historic District.
• The Capitol District is the eastern part of Downtown Honolulu. It is the current and historic center of Hawaii’s state government, incorporating the Hawaii State Capitol, Iolani Palace, Honolulu Hale (City Hall), State Library, and the statue of King Kamehameha I, along with numerous government buildings.
• Kakaako is a light-industrial district between Downtown and Waikiki that has seen a large-scale redevelopment effort in the past decade. It is home to two major shopping areas, Ward Warehouse and Ward Centre. The John A. Burns School of Medicine, part of the University of Hawaii at Manoa is also located there. A Memorial to the Ehime Maru Incident victims is built at Kakaako Waterfront Park.
• Waikiki is the world famous tourist district of Honolulu, located between the Ala Wai Canal and the Pacific Ocean next to Diamond Head. Numerous hotels, shops, and nightlife opportunities are located along Kalakaua and Kuhio Avenues. World-famous Waikiki Beach attracts millions of visitors a year. Just west of Waikiki is Ala Moana Center, the world’s largest open-air shopping center. A majority of the hotel rooms on Oahu are located in Waikiki.

Downtown Honolulu as seen from the Capitol District

• Manoa and Makiki are residential neighborhoods located in adjacent valleys just inland of downtown and Waikiki. Manoa Valley is home to the main campus of the University of Hawaii.
• Nuuanu and Pauoa are upper-middle-class residential districts located inland of downtown Honolulu. The National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific is located in Punchbowl Crater fronting Pauoa Valley.
• Palolo and Kaimuki are neighborhoods east of Manoa and Makiki, inland from Diamond Head. Palolo Valley parallels Manoa and is a residential neighborhood. Kaimuki is primarily a residential neighborhood with a commercial strip centered on Waialae Avenue running behind Diamond Head. Chaminade University is located in Kaimuki.
• Waialae and Kahala are the upper-class districts of Honolulu located directly east of Diamond Head, where there are many high-priced homes. Also found in these neighborhoods are the Waialae Country Club and The Kahala Hotel & Resort.
• East Honolulu includes the residential communities of Aina Haina, Niu Valley, and Hawaii Kai. These are considered upper-middle-class neighborhoods. The upscale gated communities of Wai’alae ‘iki and Hawaii Loa Ridge are also located here.

View of downtown Honolulu at Bishop and King streets with First Hawaiian Center building (left) and Bank of Hawaii (right)

• Kalihi and Palama are working-class neighborhoods with a number of government housing developments. Lower Kalihi, toward the ocean, is a light-industrial district.
• Salt Lake and Aliamanu are (mostly) residential areas built in extinct tuff cones along the western end of the Honolulu District, not far from the Honolulu International Airport.
• Moanalua is two neighborhoods and a valley at the western end of Honolulu, and home to Tripler Army Medical Center.

HUD US Department of Housing and Urban Development Homes

Hawai’i Department of Education

Carlos Sagastume

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Posted by Carlos Sagastume on March 8, 2007. Filed under HUD Homes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry