affordable housing

People living on the sidewalks is hard to get used to, yet Hawai‘i residents on every island see it every day.  Recently back from a statewide homeless tour, Lt. Governor Josh Green says two new initiatives on O‘ahu hold promise for making a difference. H4 services and the Kauhale housing initiative would dovetail with successful programs already underway.

Following a recent trip to Singapore, State Senator Stanley Chang remains committed to adapting the island nation’s public housing model for Hawaii.

  Future of Haiku Stairs; Lawmakers Exploring Housing Solutions in Singapore; Spotlight on Sand Island Treatment Center; Homelessness on the Big Island

A legislative proposal to build affordable apartment housing on state-owned land has come back from the dead. The bill appeared to have failed back in March, but was resurrected in the closing days of the legislative session.

Honolulu is the third most expensive housing market in the country. That is according to a February analysis from the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization. But Hawaii has always been an expensive place to live, according to one of the state's top economists. 

Eighty percent of Singapore’s 5.6 million residents live in public housing. A 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom apartment can be purchased on the resale market for around $250,000 U.S. dollars. The island nation’s success in making housing affordable has caught the attention of lawmakers in Hawaiʻi.

State lawmakers, along with the Governor, are attempting to increase the affordable housing supply for either rent or lease. But, what will work?

Officials with the City and County of Honolulu want to build more affordable rental housing. But rather than directly fund construction, they have prepared a package of incentives to make those type of projects more appealing to developers. 

A homeless community on Oahu’s leeward coast is one step closer to finding homes. The group received a $150,000 donation to help fund a plan to transition the residents of Pu'uhonua o Waianae to permanent housing. The money came from some of the biggest real estate trusts in Hawaii.

Abandoned buildings, urban blight, it’s common knowledge now that undesirable neighborhoods with low rental rates attract artists and creatives.   What tends to follow, are eating places, galleries, bars---and gentrification, which ends up pushing the artists out.  HPR’s Noe Tanigawa reports, an 84 unit, affordable, live/work rental space for artists is coming up in Kaka‘ako.

Affordable housing is one of the biggest issues confronting Hawai’i residents. The state’s high cost of living, relatively low wages, and lack of affordable housing make it hard to become a homeowner. So a new mortgage program that made its debut in Hawai’i late last week is attracting a lot of interest. HPR’s Ku’uwehi Hiraishi reports.

Governor David Ige approved new rules today to guide future development in Kaka’ako.

Last week, a coalition of Maui community groups presented a plan at the Alexander and Baldwin shareholders’ meeting in Honolulu.   The coalition, Hukilike no Maui, is proposing to acquire five thousand acres, or 15% of A&B’s Maui land holdings, for affordable housing, agriculture, and conservation.  HPR’s Noe Tanigawa was on Maui with Hukilike members to find out more about this community planning initiative.

House Bill 2748, dubbed the "Bob Nakata Act," recognizes the former state senator and lobbyist for his many years of advocacy for affordable housing. At a news conference yesterday, legislators said they made good on their resolve to do something bold to address the shortage of affordable rental housing. The $200 million agreement aims to jumpstart construction by reducing building costs.

Affordable Housing Initiative; Voter Turnout; Kahua Ranch; Culinary Apprentice Program; Black Snow 

The failure of counties to enforce zoning codes has added to the state's housing crisis with a staggering number of runaway illegal vacation rentals. Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell is proposing to try and fix that broken picture by legalizing Bed and Breakfasts, with operators paying higher taxes and penalties for violations.

Many high-profile developers include affordable housing as required by law, but some developers specialize in that type of housing. Pacific Business News editor in chief A. Kam Napier has more on the people and projects adding affordable housing in Hawaii.

The Honolulu City Council is wrestling with a half a dozen versions of a bill to slow the growth of so-called “monster homes.” Today we sit down with to talk about a proposed moratorium and to understand what is wrong with our land use laws, and why enforcement is such a problem. 

Guests:

Lack of affordability, convoluted permitting process, monster homes, and more. There is no shortage of challenges in addressing Hawaii’s housing market. Today’s panel will explore those challenges, their causes, and possible solutions.

Kūpuna in an affordable housing complex in Kaka‘ako were given quite the scare last week. They received notices that their rent would soon increase – some would even double. HPR Reporter Ku‘uwehi Hiraishi has more.

Opening Day for the 2018 State Legislature is Wednesday. HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka has this preview.

Hawaii’s Economic Outlook for 2018

A home for the holidays is a gift that can seem next to impossible here in the islands, especially for those of us with limited budgets.  Affordable housing remains one of the biggest issues facing Hawaiʻi residents. But one organization is dedicating a home this holiday season, and vows to build more homes than ever in the coming years. HPR’s Kuʻuwehi Hiraishi has this story.

The Building Industry Association of Hawai’i sponsored its 3rd Summit titled, “Still Houseless in Hawai’i.” HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports.

A Joint Legislative Committee conducted another informational hearing on Affordable Housing today.  As HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports, this time, lawmakers heard from developers.

Affordable Rentals; Pesticides and Honey; Music from Henry Kapono and Jerry Santos

The Honolulu City Council is advancing bills with affordable housing mandates for developers.   HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka attended the hearing and filed this report.

Mayor Kirk Caldwell would like to require developers to build more affordable housing units and keep them affordable for 30 years.  He told members of the Honolulu City Council Zoning and Housing Committee that he wants affordable housing for lower wage earners.

“Where we’re focusing here is 120 percent Area Median Income (AMI) if it’s for sale; rental it’s 80 percent .  But you think, 80 percent AMI level for an

Affordable housing and homelessness are two of the toughest problems Hawaii faces. A new non-profit is aiming the resources of homebuilders at these challenges. PBN editor in chief, A. Kam Napier, has more.

The Governor, the Legislature and the Counties all have plans to build more affordable housing. But as HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports, their developer-based financial model appears to be flawed.