Happy Lei Day! Update on Flood Insurance and relief assistance

denisemiyahira
3 hours ago
2 min read

Happy Lei Day and Aloha Friday!

Enjoy this article on how to make lei from Honolulu Magazine: https://www.honolulumagazine.com/diy-lei-for-lei-day-in-hawaii/

Our Tips

Buy a lei needle. Specially crafted to sew lei, this thin, 12-inch needle makes it easy to thread multiple flowers. We got ours at Longs for less than $4.
Use kite string. The perfect thickness, find kite string at Ben Franklin Crafts. Or, in a pinch, use waxed dental floss.
Measure to the piko. For the perfect length, drape the lei string around your neck, pull down taught, and cut it off at your belly button.
Count your flowers. Heads-up: you’ll need approximately 55 blooms for an adult lei or 45 for a keiki lei.
Keep it fresh. Plumeria lei will only last about 24 hours before turning brown. To keep it beautiful as long as possible, store the lei in a paper or plastic bag in the refrigerator.

JUNE 10 - Floor zone maps changes

On June 10, 2026, FEMA's updated Flood Insurance Rate Maps take effect for the City and County of Honolulu, redrawing flood zones along nearly 100 miles of O'ahu streams, placing approximately 3,492 parcels into a Special Flood Hazard Area for the first time.

How do you know if a property is moving into a Special Flood Hazard Area? Check Resilient Oʻahu’s interactive map (www.resilientoahu.org/getfloodready), which features a side-by-side slider that lets you compare a property’s current flood zone against the new zone taking effect June 10, making it easy to see at a glance whether a property’s designation is changing.

Confirm the property’s flood zone designation by visiting the official national repository for all Flood Insurance Rate Maps at the FEMA Flood Map Service Center (msc.fema.gov).

If in doubt, check with your home owners insurance whether you are covered for floods or if you need to purchase flood insurance because you are now in a flood zone.

Grants of up to $1000 for flood victims!

If you know someone affected by the floods and need assistance, please contact me and I can help them with paperwork and applying for up to $1000 in assistance from the Hawai'i REALTORS Charitable Foundation.

Application for Flood Relief Assistance Now Available

Grants of up to $1,000 for Hawai‘i residents

The Hawai‘i REALTORS® Charitable Foundation, the charitable arm of Hawai‘i REALTORS®, will distribute $200,000 in grants to Hawai‘i residents impacted by the Kona Low storms in March.

The funds are provided by the REALTORS® Relief Foundation, which offers housing-related assistance to disaster-impacted communities through the generosity of REALTORS®, state and local associations, and industry partners.

Homeowners and renters affected by the floods may apply for grants up to $1,000. Applications open today (May 1) and will be accepted through July 1, 2026, on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications will be reviewed by the Hawai‘i REALTORS® Charitable Foundation.

More information including eligibility, required documentation and the application can be found at hawaiirealtors.com/disasterrelief. Please share this information with others to ensure we reach those in need.