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ROH §16-12.5

What materials can be used to build a hale

Read the official text at honolulu.gov ↗

This section says a hale must be built only with materials grown and harvested in Hawaii. It lists specific woods for framing, allows certain grasses or leaves for roofing and siding, and sets cord strength and color rules. Metal is not allowed.

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The ordinance, as written (Honolulu County) — Material requirements

A copy, taken August 22, 2026. The version published by Honolulu is the one that governs, and it may have changed since. Check it before relying on anything here.

(a) Hale shall be constructed using only materials grown and harvested in the State. (b) Wood framing material. The wood members for the hale, such as posts and rafters, shall be but not limited to hardwoods of unmilled, straight sections of trunks or branches of the following species: (1) Casaurina equisitafolia (ironwood); (2) Prosopis pallida (kiawe); (3) Eucalyptus robusta (eucalyptus); (4) Psidium cattleianum (strawberry guava); (5) Metrosideros polymorpha (ohia); and (6) Rizophora mangle (mangrove). Exception: Ardisia elliptica (inkberry) may be used only for roof purlins as an alternative to specified woods listed in subdivisions (1) through (6). (c) Roofing and siding. Thatched roofing and siding materials for the hale may be any grass or leaf material grown and harvested in the State, to include but not be limited to, pili, kualohia, pueo, kawelu, sugarcane leaves, and ti leaves. (d) Cord. Natural or synthetic cord used for lashing structural members of the hale shall be 400 pound test. Cord used for tying floating purlins and thatched materials shall be 100 pound test. All cord used on the hale shall be shades of green, tan, brown, or black. (e) Metal prohibited. Metal shall not be used for the construction of the hale.
Read the official text at honolulu.gov ↗as published Jan 1, 2026our copy taken Aug 22, 2026

Published by the City and County of Honolulu through American Legal Publishing.

LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.