Two-thirds of the single-family homes on Hawaii's most populous island have no hurricane protections
FILE - A neighborhood of single-family homes is shown Thursday, Dec. 24, 2015, in Honolulu. Two-thirds of the single family homes on Hawaii's most populous island have no hurricane protections. This year's return of El Nino is highlighting this weakness because it boosts the odds that more tropical cyclones will travel through Hawaii's waters this summer and fall.
Hawaii's temperate climate means homes don't need to trap heat, so most don't have an additional wall to contain insulation. Structurally, their foundations aren't often properly anchored to the ground. Their lower cost made them Hawaii's preferred construction style for decades. After Iwa, new homes had to have their roofs secured to their walls. After Iniki, new construction had to strap upper stories to lower stories and connect the foundation to the first floor.
The state is looking at some nonprofit and volunteer programs that could help fortify homes, said James Barros, Hawaii Emergency Management Agency administrator. To cool their homes, many people on Guam paint their roofs white to deflect the sun or plant rooftop gardens, said Kyle Mandapat, a spokesperson for University of Guam Sea Grant. Mandapat has even heard of people installing rooftop sprinklers and using drains to catch the water to irrigate their gardens.
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