Hawaii is cutting the red tape that slows down building permits, which is good news for people rebuilding after the hurricane and for anyone trying to add a home.

• Honolulu now waives fees and skips permits entirely for like-for-like repairs after storm damage.
• Starting September 1st, most home projects must use an AI tool called CivCheck that checks plans for errors before they are filed.
• Early results show permits going through in about half the usual time, with far fewer corrections needed.
• Permit delays cost Hawaii's economy hundreds of millions of dollars, and owners can burn thousands per month waiting.
• Maui hired a private permitting office after the 2023 wildfires and has already rebuilt hundreds of homes — a model other islands may copy.

Outlook: Rebuilding demand will test the new system this fall, with commercial projects expected to move onto the same AI process in 2027.