The 2019 C&C of Honolulu Pre-Disaster Hazard Mitigation plan notes approximately 193,000 residential home structures on O’ahu. Of these only 36% are built to current hurricane code for Tropical Cyclone wind resistance.

The other 64% or 125,000 residential structures do not have any hurricane mitigation at all unless their owners took it upon themselves to upgrade their residences’ structures and windows. These homes would probably not survive a catastrophic hurricane landfall on Oahu.

In addition, current building codes for Tropical Cyclone wind resistance only address the structure of the home. Windows, however are not included in the building code and as such some type of protection against wind borne debris must be sought after by the owner either as a retrofit to an existing structure or during new home construction.