HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0810.010 2020-2022 I
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Maile Medeiros David, Chair, ®MM CLERK duly 5, 2022
Aaron S.Y. Chung,Vice Chair COUNTY F HAWAFI
County Council, RECEIVED
County of Hawaii 0-M RV Aupuni Street a 111 rj
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Dear Chair David,Vice Chair Chung and members of the Council,
I would like to submit this letter and written testimony on behalf of the Hawaii Island Housing
Coalition in support of Bill 174 that INITIATES AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE VI OF THE HAWAII
COUNTY Draft 2)CHARTER(2020 EDITION), BY ADDING A NEW CHAPTER TO ESTABLISH A
DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING.
The Hawaii Island Housing Coalition is a stakeholder working group of the Vibrant Hawaii non-
profit with a commitment and focus on addressing our island community's housing crisis. Our
membership is comprised of representatives of various non-profit organizations, businesses,
community members, and county government representatives. Since its inception the Housing
Coalition membership has been working collaboratively on identifying not only the barriers and
obstacles contributing to our housing shortage and crisis but on solutions and opportunities to
make a difference for our community members in need of housing.
The current structure and broad spectrum of responsibilities of the Department of Public Works
appears to have grown to a point that would benefit from a reorganization and the redistribution of
program management. As proposed in Bill 174,the establishment of a new and separate
Department of Building would provide for more effective management of critical programs related
to building code development and adoption, building plans review, permitting, and inspection. Each
of these areas play an integral role in the facilitation of much needed housing development and
construction in our community and require a level of focus and appropriate resource allocation that
can be best achieved through the establishment of a stand-alone Department of Building. Further,
the proposed action would provide the opportunity for greater accountability and transparency.
Now is the time for new and innovative strategies to address the growing housing crisis in our
community. Bill 174 is a step in a direction that recognizes and acknowledges the importance of
building construction as a critical factor in the social and economic stability of our community.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony in support of Bill 174 and I strongly
encourage your passage of this measure.
Sincerely,
Darryl Oliveira, Co-Chair
Ref.T®® G1
200 Kanoelehua Avenue, PMB 366 1 Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Ref. Date i 44n