Hawaii Senate Bill SB1326

Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/23/25
• Refer: 1/27/25

Caption

Relating To The Hawaii Community Development Authority.

Impact

The bill recognizes that many regions within Hawaii are underdeveloped or blighted and that they require substantial renewal efforts. By transferring responsibilities to the Hawaii Community Development Authority, the bill seeks to create a centralized mechanism for community development, which will allow for improved planning and execution of infrastructure projects. This approach is anticipated to foster cooperation between public and private sectors, ultimately leading to enhanced housing options and public amenities like parks and transportation facilities.

Summary

SB1326 proposes to enhance the efficiency of the Hawaii Community Development Authority in managing transit-oriented development infrastructure. The bill aims to streamline related infrastructure improvements by formally integrating this program into the authority and updating the relevant sections of Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS). The intent is to bolster the effectiveness of transit-oriented development initiatives, which are seen as crucial for revitalizing economically depressed areas and improving local living conditions through better infrastructure.

Contention

Notably, the bill identifies previous inefficiencies related to the Act 184 passed in 2022, which established transit-oriented development infrastructure improvement districts. A critical point is that, despite the good intentions of the Act, community volunteers remained scarce, thus preventing the establishment of these districts. SB1326 seeks to circumvent the challenges posed by the shortage of community participation and aims to ensure that necessary infrastructure improvements can advance without such hurdles.