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AKINAKA & ASSOCIATES, LTD Page 2 of 3 In Consideration of Bill No. 156 An Ordinance to Amend Chapter 11 of the County Code to Include Affordable Housing Requirements for Industrial Park Developments Friday, 9 March 2007 - 9:00 a.m. The Honorable Pete Hoffmann, Chair and Members of the Hawai i County Council 333 Kilauea Avenue (Ben Franklin Building) Zed Floor, Council Room Hilo, HI 96720 Aloha Chair Hoffmann and Members of the Hawai i County Council: I am Jacqui Hoover, President of the Hawaii Leeward Planning Conference (HLPC) whose seventy-five members are committed to sound planning, wise use of our resources, and effective government process. Hawai i County finds itself in a critical situation over affordable housing and the Hawaii Leeward Planning Conference wishes to maintain its consistency in partnering with the Council and others to effectively resolve the challenges that face our island community. HLPC is concerned that efforts to mandate affordable housing exclusive of a comprehensive review of all of the factors involved will not lead us to a sustainable affordable housing policy. Specifically, while there is recognition and discussion of the clear link between employment and affordable "workforce" housing, there is no discussion of the simultaneously critical link between income and affordability. In order to address comprehensively the long-term issues and meet objectives for economic diversity and sustainability; quantity and quality employment opportunities; and community building with all components including and not limited to, affordablelinclusionary housing, we must: 1. recognize that there is a distinct link between income and affordability; 2. develop initiatives and options that will invite employers to bring higher income opportunity jobs into the community; and 3. provide incentives to ensure that an adequate and sustainable housing inventory is established. The Hawaii Leeward Planning Conference is committed to working with the Council and administration to develop a "toolbox" of initiatives on a wider spectrum that considers all of the factors that are related to our housing needs. Hawaii Leeward Planning Conference In Consideration of Bill No. 156 9 Mareh 2007 Page Two of Two The intent of Bill 156 is to provide housing that is affordable to the workforce, however, an inadvertent consequence may be the discouragement of investments in industrial and commercial developments of which the end result would be no new job creation. The problem is not the new jobs being created but 3/9/2007