As rising HGTV stars Kamohai and Tristyn Kalama film the second season of “Renovation Aloha,” they are moving forward unfazed by a newly published report regarding permit issues with the projects featured on their show.
Kamohai and Tristyn Kalama of ‘Renovation Aloha’ Issue Statement Encouraging Others to Follow Permit Process
According to an investigation by Honolulu’s Civil Beat published on December 4, 2024, getting approval for construction permits in Hawaii is a notoriously long process, with most requests taking many months to get reviewed.
In order to keep up with their HGTV filming schedule, the outlet reported, the Kalamas have often started renovation work long before getting approval on permits from the Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP). In many cases, Civil Beat claimed, they sold the homes they renovated without acquiring the proper permits for work including “major structural, electrical and plumbing upgrades” featured on “Renovation Aloha.”
Civil Beat said the Kalamas declined multiple interview requests but emailed the following statement:
“As we currently do, we encourage everyone to go through the process of pulling permits, work within guidelines set forth by DPP, and understand the processes in efforts to further advocate for themselves, their families, and the greater community, in order to effect long lasting positive change.”
When Civil Beat provided the couple with details on its report ahead of publication, the outlet said the Kalamas called the story “factually inaccurate and unsubstantiated” but didn’t note which information they believed was incorrect.
‘Renovation Aloha’ Stars Skirt Around Long Permit Process by Paying Fines, Report Says
On December 4, Civil Beat investigative reporter Christina Jedra told Hawaii News Now that while the Kalamas declined to be interviewed for her story, they have been outspoken in the past about how the DPP’s extended delays on permitting can cause huge headaches and lost income for those conducting renovations.
“In written testimony and in the public record, they’ve talked about that the permitting system needs to be fixed,” she said. “People are really in pain waiting a year or more for renovation permits or building permits, so there’s a legitimate problem there.”
According to her Civil Beat report, most of the permits the “Renovation Aloha” crew did apply for while filming the show took an average of 10 months to obtain and one permit they applied for in September 2023 still hasn’t been approved.
Jedra told Hawaii News Now, “Probably if the Kalamas waited to go the proper route, they wouldn’t be able to have their business. But there are consequences when you go about it this way.”
Those consequences are fines from DPP that are small compared to the potential profit the Kalamas and other renovators can make on a transformed house, Jedra said, so they typically will pay the fine rather than delay the work.
Fans of the first season of “Renovation Aloha” are eagerly awaiting its return, expected in early 2025. The Kalamas also recently finished competing on the sixth season of “Rock the Block,” which will also air in early 2025, per HGTV.
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