A policy disagreement over sewer fee rate schemes at the Honolulu City Council prompted council chair Tommy Waters, a Democrat, to instigate a leadership shakeup that elevated MAGA Republican Andria Tupola to Vice Chair.

In 2013, the Hawaiʻi Community Development Authority kicked off a condo-building boom in low-lying, makai district Kakaʻako. But without adequate infrastructure in place to support even the prior population, things quickly began to smell a little off.