Hawaii House Bill HCR159

Hawaii 2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/8/24
• Refer: 3/14/24

Caption

Urging The Hawaii Community Development Authority To Establish A Multiagency Working Group To Update The Maps, Tier Tables, And Inventories Of State Lands Suitable And Available For Affordable Housing Development.

Impact

The resolution calls for a coordinated effort among various stakeholders, including state agencies, local governments, and private sector players, to ensure that planning and funding align effectively toward the goal of increasing affordable housing availability. The proposed working group will focus on updating existing resources to identify and catalog potential housing developments, encouraging the use of existing urban land to minimize infrastructure improvements, and exploring mixed-use development on state-owned properties.

Summary

House Concurrent Resolution 159 (HCR159) urges the Hawaii Community Development Authority to establish a multiagency working group tasked with updating the maps, tier tables, and inventories of state lands suitable for affordable housing development. Hawaii faces an ongoing affordable housing crisis characterized by housing costs significantly exceeding the national average and a projected demand for over 60,000 new housing units, especially for households earning below 80% of the area median income. By addressing this critical shortage, HCR159 seeks to prioritize the development of affordable housing as a state-wide concern.

Contention

While the intent behind HCR159 is to alleviate the housing shortage, there may be contentious discussions regarding the prioritization of lands for development, the balancing of environmental concerns, and the involvement of local communities in the planning process. Critics may argue that without careful consideration of ecological impacts and community needs, the initiative could lead to new conflicts and negative outcomes, potentially undermining the very goal of providing affordable and sustainable housing solutions.