Hawaii faces a major issue with deferred maintenance across various state departments, including the airport, University of Hawaii, schools, and other facilities. A Grassroot Institute report highlighted the extensive backlog of maintenance projects, totaling millions of dollars for essential infrastructure like the Aloha Stadium, Ala Wai Canal, state Capitol, schools, universities, hospitals, public housing, and roads and bridges.
The government has taken steps to address this issue by including estimates of deferred maintenance backlog in the Executive Biennial Budget since 2017. However, some departments have not fully reported their deferred maintenance needs, raising concerns about the completeness of the data.
The University of Hawaii, Hawaii Public Housing Authority, and Department of Education have the highest deferred maintenance amounts, with funding sources including general fund, special fund, debt, and federal dollars. Some departments, like the State Library System, Department of Accounting and General Services, and University of Hawaii, have deferred maintenance that exceeds their operating budgets, indicating a significant challenge in maintaining critical facilities.
As lawmakers consider budget allocations, they should prioritize addressing deferred maintenance to prevent further degradation of state services. It is crucial for the government to find sustainable solutions to address these long-standing maintenance issues that affect essential infrastructure and services statewide.
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