HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0989.148 2018-2020 Hawai'i
COUNTY OF HAWAIII
RECEIVED
Constpuction
P.O.Box 179441
Honolulu,HI 96817Alliance (808)220-8892
August S, 2020
The Honorable Aaron Chung, Chair
The Honorable Karen Eoff, Vice Chair
and Members
Hawaii County Council
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
RE: OPPOSITION for Bill 179 An Ordinance Establishing a County Construction Code
Relating to Building Construction and Related Systems Within a Building Under
Construction by Amending the Hawaii County Code 1983 (2016 Edition, as Amended)
Dear Chair Chung, Vice Chair Eoff, and members:
The Hawaii Construction Alliance is comprised of the Hawaii Regional Council of Carpenters;
the Operative Plasterers' and Cement Masons' Union, Local 630; International Union of
Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers, Local 1; the Laborers' International Union of North
America, Local 368; and the Operating Engineers, Local Union No. 3. Together, the member
unions of the Hawaii Construction Alliance represent 15,000 working men and women in the
basic crafts of Hawai`i's construction industry.
i
HCA writes in strong support ort of Councilmember Poindexter's Proposed Amendments in
p
Communication No. 989.33. As written, Appendix L gives FBHreferential treatment b
P Y
allowing the FBH homebuilder to bypass standard permitting and inspection requirements during
the manufacturing process that must be complied with for any other building or structure. 3
Councilmember Poindexter's proposed amendments will help to close this loophole in the
building code to ensure that the FBH homebuilder must comply with the same permitting and
inspection requirements as the traditional homebuilder when constructing a home in a factory.
This will both protect the health and safety of the consumer and create fair and equal
opportunities for all homebuilders.
Without of Councilmember Poindexter's Proposed Amendments, Bill 179 gives preferential
treatment to FHB and would effectively allow a single company to bypass the plan review
process and attempt to dominate the homebuilding market.
..Ref. Date 650005j/
.lW
Ref. To-
ur
Once a monopoly has been established there is no guarantee that prices would be affordable, due
to the lack of competition.
Furthermore, we believe that FHB's-are more expensive than traditional) built homes and call
�. y
upon the company that is attempting to pass'this legislation to show the true cost to the consumer
for a "factory built home".
If FHB's will in fact result in more affordable housing for the public, why does this bill give
FHB'S so many exemptions to permitting and inspections?
Portions of this bill, such as the development of a new comprehensive construction code, could
expedite the plan review process and stimulate economic growth in these uncertain times.
The attempt to manipulate the building code during the COVID-19 pandemic, when thousands of
local families are suffering, only to enrich a few individuals is especially egregious.
We call on the council to tread carefully in what appears to be a bill specifically drafted to cater
to a single special interest.
Mahalo,
y
Nathaniel Kinney
Executive Director
Hawai`i Construction Alliance
execdir@hawailconstructionalliance.org
y ,a
1 'U