Save Hawaiʻi's
"Stairway to Heaven"
In August 2021, the Honolulu City Council voted to demolish the iconic Haʻikū Stairs. The vote came despite an overwhelming public outcry to save the Stairs. In the preceding two years, over 5,000 public comments were submitted with more than 90% favoring preservation. A professional public opinion poll in April 2022 confirmed that a clear majority of O‘ahu residents want to save the Stairs not destroy them. The Stairs are a historic World War II monument eligible for the National Historic Register. They offer a unique, world-class hiking experience, treasured for generations. It would be tragic to lose them.
The Friends of Haʻikū Stairs are spearheading the fight to save the Stairs. We filed a lawsuit against the City & County of Honolulu in August 2023 and are pushing to block the demolition on multiple fronts. With your help we will convince City leaders to heed the public will.
Please donate to support our efforts.
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Who We Are
Friends of Haʻikū Stairs (FHS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that has used volunteer labor and donations to protect and maintain the historic Haʻikū Stairs and its surrounding environment since 1987. Our organization was based on providing volunteer maintenance for the Stairs to keep them in good physical shape and to preserve the natural environment. When our maintenance access was terminated and the City threatened to destroy Haʻikū Stairs, FHS reinvigorated our mission to protect them.
FHS is governed by a board of directors with members from hiking organizations, community groups, conservation organizations, and individuals who are passionate about preserving the history, ecology, cultural integrity, and recreational opportunities that exist now in Haʻikū Valley on Windward Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi.
Throughout the decades, our success is attributed to the hard work of core members, volunteers, and supporters. We are engineers, hikers, gardeners, mathematicians, electricians, doctors, students, botanists, photographers, and residents of Haʻikū Village neighborhood.
With the support of the community, we are finding solutions and creating plans that put our communities and our ʻāina first. Through collaboration with local grassroots stakeholders we will realize a shared vision of stewardship for Haʻikū Valley, focusing on creating and sustaining a thriving valley from mauka to makai.
FHS carries out its mission in cooperation and compliance with governmental agencies who have responsibilities related to the Stairs. Our work is funded through memberships, donations, and the sale of merchandise. All proceeds go directly to our all-volunteer organization to support our mission.
What We Do
PETITION Government entities like the City Council & Mayor
Since starting our petition to the Mayor in April 2022, we have collected over 3,000 Hawaiʻi voter signatures. In July 2019, we delivered our 2015 Change.org petition to the Board of Water Supply, and handed a second copy to the Mayor's office, with 12,191 signatures and 171 pages of comments in support for Saving the Stairs. Mahalo nui to all of you who contributed towards this effort! We couldn't do this without your support.
Our board members sit on community groups and liaise with local representatives to promote managed access as a sensible alternative to destruction. We make presentations at conservation group meetings and discuss our vision for the future of the Stairs and Ha'ikū Valley with local community groups with the goal of Saving the Stairs and its environment for current and future generations.
REACH OUT to the community & local representatives
RALLY for support
We hold rallies and events in order to raise awareness for the plight of the Stairs. Through sign-waving and public events such as the Save the Stairs rally at Hawaiian Brian's in 2019, we show that there is widespread support for saving this historic and much-treasured monument. Be sure to follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter to keep up-to-date with all our latest events!
How We Do It
As with all things, we couldn't do what we do without you. FHS is a volunteer- and donation-based 501(c)(3) organization. Through fundraising efforts, generous donations, and the sale of merchandise, Friends of Ha'ikū Stairs have been able to continue its mission to save the Stairs. All proceeds go directly to our mission to protect the Ha'ikū Stairs and its environment for current and future generations. Your purchases are tax-deductible, and prices include shipping and packaging to all US locations. Please contact us for international orders.
