2024-03-20 Testimonies (267) in Support from Hawaii Regional Council of Carpenters

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Testimony before the Leeward Planning Commission MAR 20 2024 F'M2:41A In Support of the Proposed Royal Vistas project ill=CT HAND DELIVERED Dear Chairperson Barbara DeFranco and Members of the Leeward Planning Commission Letter in Support of Amendments to Ordinance No. 02 131 Change of Zone Amendment Application No. PL-REZ-2022-000033 Applicant: Kona Three LLC Tax Man Keys: (3) 7-6-021.016 and 017• N. Kona Hawaii I would like to encourage the Leeward Planning Commission to support the amendments to the zoning ordinance as requested by Kona Three LLC which, if approved, will give them the opportunity to proceed with the proposed Royal Vistas multiple family residential project that will provide much -needed employment and housing opportunities for our local families. The proposed Royal Vistas multiple -family project is a part of the larger Kona Vistas community that was originally approved in 1984 by both the State Land Use Commission and the Hawaii County Council. The past 39 years has seen the completion of the 215-lot Kona Vistas single-family residential subdivision targeting the upper -income market, with homes now selling between $1.5 to well over $2 million. We simply wish to be given the same opportunity to live and thrive in this community. The past 3 years have seen historical levels of inflation, especially in the real estate market, pricing out many local families. The proposed Royal Vistas community will give hundreds of local families that opportunity to live and prosper within a growing urban infill community that has seen most existing housing units priced well beyond their means. Finding an affordable place to live in the Kailua-Kona area is next to impossible. Many of us who work in .the North Kona area reside in the outlying communities of South Kohala, South Kona, and Ka`u. Many also make the daily trek from the east side of the island. The most practical solution is to provide affordable housing opportunities where people work, thereby reducing the number of residents having to make the long commutes. Standing ready to bring this proposed community into reality are people who work in the trades; the carpenters, plumbers, electricians and equipment operators. This is what the Royal Vistas project will provide to locals —jobs and a place to live. These two things will set the foundation for a strong community. We need to support projects that provides more -affordable housing opportunities for local residents, and it is needed now more than ever! I urge you to give Kona Three LLC the additional time they need to complete the urgently -needed Royal Vistas housing project. Sincerely, s'e A �R,/