| 47 | | - | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Hawaii is in a major housing crisis that continues to worsen. Residents of Hawaii face the highest housing costs in the nation. Median housing costs are 2.7 times the national level. Over the past year, the median price of a single-family home sold in Hawaii was $825,000, and the median condominium price was $600,000. Median single-family home and condominium prices have more than tripled since the 1990s. These costs have further increased due to the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on building materials and supply chains. Hawaii's geographic location also adds to the cost of housing due to shipping costs and high labor costs. The legislature further finds that over the past two years, the share of households in the State who can afford mortgage payments on the median single-family home has fallen from forty-four per cent to thirty per cent, meaning fewer than one in three households can afford the typical single-family home. Fewer than half of households can afford the median condominium. The legislature additionally finds that high housing costs lower the standard of living for residents and hinder the State's ability to attract workers. Some households are forced to live in crowded conditions, some leave the State to find housing elsewhere, and some are forced to survive without housing at all. The legislature also finds that with chronic understaffing across county departments, county building division employees are spending significant time and resources on constant code updates, which takes time away from plan review and inspections. Regular changes to the code also lead to unfamiliarity among private design professionals and public-sector plan reviewers and inspectors, resulting in delays in permit approval. This situation increases the cost and leads to uncertainty in construction in Hawaii. Therefore, the purpose of this Act is to require: (1) The state building code council to adopt, amend, or update the International Building Code and International Residential Code, as published by the International Code Council, within two years of every other official publication of the applicable code; and (2) Provide that if a county does not amend the Hawaii state building codes within the required two-year time frame, the Hawaii state building codes will become applicable as an interim county building code, until superseded by the adoption of an amended version of the Hawaii state building codes or standards by the county. SECTION 2. Section 107-24, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (c) to read as follows: "(c) The council shall adopt, amend, or update codes and standards identified in section 107-25 on a staggered basis as established by the council; provided that: (1) The adoption, amendment, or update of a code or standard shall be within two years of the official publication date of the code or standard[,]; and (2) The adoption, amendment, or update of the International Building Code and International Residential Code, as published by the International Code Council, shall be within two years of every other official publication of the applicable code, pursuant to chapter 92, and exempt from the requirements of chapter 91. If the council does not adopt a code or standard identified in section 107-25 within the two-year time period, that code or standard shall automatically become part of the Hawaii state building code until superseded by the adoption of an amended version of the code or standard by the council pursuant to this subsection." SECTION 3. Section 107-28, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows: "(b) If a county does not amend the Hawaii state building codes within the two-year time frame, the Hawaii state building codes shall become applicable as [an] the interim county building code[.], until superseded by the adoption of an amended version of the Hawaii state building codes or standards by the county pursuant to this section." SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored. SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2491. |
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| 47 | + | SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Hawaii is in a major housing crisis that continues to worsen. Residents of Hawaii face the highest housing costs in the nation. Median housing costs are 2.7 times the national level. Over the past year, the median price of a single-family home sold in Hawaii was $825,000, and the median condominium price was $600,000. Median single-family home and condominium prices have more than tripled since the 1990s. These costs have further increased due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on building materials and supply chains. Hawaii's geographic location also adds to the cost of housing due to shipping costs and high labor costs. The legislature further finds that over the past two years, the share of households in the State who can afford mortgage payments on the median single-family home has fallen from forty-four per cent to thirty per cent, meaning fewer than one in three households can afford the typical single-family home. Fewer than half of households can afford the median condominium. The legislature additionally finds that high housing costs lower the standard of living for residents and hinder the State's ability to attract workers. Some households are forced to live in crowded conditions, some leave the State to find housing elsewhere, and some are forced to survive without housing at all. The legislature also finds that with chronic understaffing across county departments, county building division employees are spending significant time and resources on constant code updates, which takes time away from plan review and inspections. Regular changes to the code also lead to unfamiliarity among private design professionals and public-sector plan reviewers and inspectors, resulting in delays in permit approval. This situation increases the cost and leads to uncertainty in construction in Hawaii. Therefore, the purpose of this Act is to require: (1) The state building code council to adopt, amend, or update the International Building Code and International Residential Code, as published by the International Code Council, within two years of every other official publication of the applicable code; and (2) Provide that if a county does not amend the Hawaii state building codes within the required two-year time frame, the Hawaii state building codes will become applicable as an interim county building code, until superseded by the adoption of an amended version of the Hawaii state building codes or standards by the county. SECTION 2. Section 107-24, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (c) to read as follows: "(c) The council shall adopt, amend, or update codes and standards identified in section 107-25 on a staggered basis as established by the council; provided that: (1) The adoption, amendment, or update of a code or standard shall be within two years of the official publication date of the code or standard[,]; and (2) The adoption, amendment, or update of the International Building Code and International Residential Code, as published by the International Code Council, shall be within two years of every other official publication of the applicable code, pursuant to chapter 92, and exempt from the requirements of chapter 91. If the council does not adopt a code or standard identified in section 107-25 within the two-year time period, that code or standard shall automatically become part of the Hawaii state building code until superseded by the adoption of an amended version of the code or standard by the council pursuant to this subsection." SECTION 3. Section 107-28, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows: "(b) If a county does not amend the Hawaii state building codes within the two-year time frame, the Hawaii state building codes shall become applicable as [an] the interim county building code[.], until superseded by the adoption of an amended version of the Hawaii state building codes or standards by the county pursuant to this section." SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored. SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 3000. |
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| 50 | 50 | | |
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| 51 | 51 | | The legislature further finds that over the past two years, the share of households in the State who can afford mortgage payments on the median single-family home has fallen from forty-four per cent to thirty per cent, meaning fewer than one in three households can afford the typical single-family home. Fewer than half of households can afford the median condominium. |
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| 52 | 52 | | |
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| 53 | 53 | | The legislature additionally finds that high housing costs lower the standard of living for residents and hinder the State's ability to attract workers. Some households are forced to live in crowded conditions, some leave the State to find housing elsewhere, and some are forced to survive without housing at all. |
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| 54 | 54 | | |
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| 55 | 55 | | The legislature also finds that with chronic understaffing across county departments, county building division employees are spending significant time and resources on constant code updates, which takes time away from plan review and inspections. Regular changes to the code also lead to unfamiliarity among private design professionals and public-sector plan reviewers and inspectors, resulting in delays in permit approval. This situation increases the cost and leads to uncertainty in construction in Hawaii. |
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| 56 | 56 | | |
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| 57 | 57 | | Therefore, the purpose of this Act is to require: |
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| 58 | 58 | | |
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| 59 | 59 | | (1) The state building code council to adopt, amend, or update the International Building Code and International Residential Code, as published by the International Code Council, within two years of every other official publication of the applicable code; and |
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| 60 | 60 | | |
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| 61 | 61 | | (2) Provide that if a county does not amend the Hawaii state building codes within the required two-year time frame, the Hawaii state building codes will become applicable as an interim county building code, until superseded by the adoption of an amended version of the Hawaii state building codes or standards by the county. |
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| 62 | 62 | | |
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| 63 | 63 | | SECTION 2. Section 107-24, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (c) to read as follows: |
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| 64 | 64 | | |
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| 65 | 65 | | "(c) The council shall adopt, amend, or update codes and standards identified in section 107-25 on a staggered basis as established by the council; provided that: |
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| 66 | 66 | | |
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| 67 | 67 | | (1) The adoption, amendment, or update of a code or standard shall be within two years of the official publication date of the code or standard[,]; and |
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| 68 | 68 | | |
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| 69 | 69 | | (2) The adoption, amendment, or update of the International Building Code and International Residential Code, as published by the International Code Council, shall be within two years of every other official publication of the applicable code, |
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| 70 | 70 | | |
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| 71 | 71 | | pursuant to chapter 92, and exempt from the requirements of chapter 91. |
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| 72 | 72 | | |
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| 73 | 73 | | If the council does not adopt a code or standard identified in section 107-25 within the two-year time period, that code or standard shall automatically become part of the Hawaii state building code until superseded by the adoption of an amended version of the code or standard by the council pursuant to this subsection." |
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| 74 | 74 | | |
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| 75 | 75 | | SECTION 3. Section 107-28, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows: |
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| 76 | 76 | | |
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| 77 | 77 | | "(b) If a county does not amend the Hawaii state building codes within the two-year time frame, the Hawaii state building codes shall become applicable as [an] the interim county building code[.], until superseded by the adoption of an amended version of the Hawaii state building codes or standards by the county pursuant to this section." |
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| 78 | 78 | | |
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| 79 | 79 | | SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored. |
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| 80 | 80 | | |
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