HGTV’s Tristyn & Kamohai Kalama Focusing on the ‘Positive’ After Recent Allegations

As the second season of HGTV’s “Renovation Aloha” kicks off on February 18, 2025, its stars — Tristyn and Kamohai Kalama — are excited to remind fans why they do what they do, especially after dealing with a swirl of allegations thrown their way at the end of 2024.

In early December, a report by Honolulu’s Civil Beat claimed that the Kalamas, who own a home flipping business in their native Hawaii, have not always followed local construction guidelines. The investigative report alleged that their business starts and completes many renovations without securing proper permits from the Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP).

The report created a firestorm of local coverage — but plenty of support from their community as the Kalamas issued a statement denying most of the accusations and promising to improve their process where necessary. But with the return of “Renovation Aloha,” local media have sought updates from the couple on where things stand.

Tristyn & Kamohai Call December Report on Possible Permit Violations ‘Disheartening’

On February 11, the Kalamas addressed the drama during an appearance on Island News, with Kamohai calling Civil Beat’s report “a story that didn’t tell the full picture.”

“It was really disheartening, honestly, to see that come out,” he told the show’s hosts. “Our passion is our local community and the housing market. We have a very interesting housing market here and one of the things that people always talk about is affordability.”

“And our job,” he continued, “is to bring (a) supply of houses that are oftentimes vacant, very run-down, not bank financeable, and bring them back to the market, which helps with that supply. We have always worked with, are currently working with, and will continue to work with the DPP and city officials on all of our projects.”

One of the good things to come out of Civil Beat’s report, Kamohai said, was that it inadvertently put a spotlight on massive delays and ongoing issues with the permit approval process in Honolulu.

“Honestly, we’ve seen so much positive change with DPP,” he said on Island News. “Like, things are getting so much better. I mean, our community deserves it and we’re just gonna continue to do what we know is right.”

In December, Tristyn & Kamohai Kalama Pushed Back on ‘Misleading Claims’ in Report

Civil Beat’s report, published on December 4, claimed that the Kalamas sold some of the homes they renovated without acquiring the proper permits for work including “major structural, electrical and plumbing upgrades” featured on “Renovation Aloha.”

The outlet did note that obtaining construction permits in Hawaii is a notoriously long process, with most requests taking many months, and sometimes longer than a year, to be reviewed and approved.

In the Kalamas’ statement, they said they were “deeply disappointed” by the article, saying that it “misrepresents our work on ‘Renovation Aloha’ and undermines the values we hold dear.”

“These misleading claims fail to reflect the full context of the challenges we face or the sincerity of our efforts to operate with integrity, comply with all regulations, and serve our community with transparency and care,” they said.

The Kalamas also acknowledged that “there is always room for improvement and we are constantly learning how to be better,” noting that they had “taken concrete steps to improve our processes and ensure our work aligns with all city and county regulations. Specifically, we have strengthened our diligence and ceased working with contractors who fail to meet the standards our community and its regulations demand.”

Season 2 of “Renovation Aloha” premieres on February 18 at 9 p.m. Eastern time.