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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN CRCOC 2023/12/19 (2022-2024) Committee on Communications, Reports, and Council Oversight 18th Session West Hawai`i Civic Center 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway, Building A Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i December 19, 2023 CALL TO The regular meeting of the Committee on Communications, Reports, and ORDER: Council Oversight was called to order at 9:04 a.m., in the Council Chambers, Kailua-Kona, by Ms. Rebecca Villegas, Chair. ROLL CALL: Present: Ms. Rebecca Villegas, Chair Ms. Jenn Kagiwada, Vice Chair Ms. Cindy Evans, Member Ms. Michelle M. Galimba, Member(came in later) Mr. Holeka Goro Inaba, Member Mr. Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder, Member(via videoconference from Hilo, came in later) Ms. Ashley L. Kierkiewicz, Member Ms. Heather L. Kimball, Member Ms. Susan L. K. Lee Loy, Member (came in later) STATEMENTS The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, FROM THE Statements from the Public on Agenda Items. PUBLIC ON AGENDA ITEMS: (There were none.) COMMUNI- The Chair directed the Committee to proceed to the next order of business, CATIONS: Communications. Comm. 322.2: QUARTERLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING REPORT: JULY 1, 2023 — SEPTEMBER 30, 2023 From Housing Administrator Susan K. Kunz, dated November 29, 2023, transmitting the above report pursuant to Section 11-19 of the Hawai`i County Code. Motion to Close File: Mr. Inaba moved to close file on Comm. 322.2. Seconded by Ms. Kierkiewicz. CRCOC-18 December 19,2023 CHR. VILLEGAS: Do we have Administrator Kunz? Should we take a short recess and wait for her, or table it and go to the next one? Oh, here she is, welcome. No worries. Good morning, Susan. (Note: At this time, Housing Administrator Susan K. Kunz came forward to address the members of the Committee.) MS. KUNZ: Good morning, everyone. Sorry for my tardiness. CHR. VILLEGAS: No worries. The floor is yours. MS. KUNZ: Okay. So, I am providing a quarterly report per the ordinance number 23-20. This is going to be for the period of July 1st, 2023, to September 30th, 2023. So, for this period, we did not see any activity with excess credits reporting. So, you can see that the report reflects 1,301.2 credits, same as the last period. And the other information that the Council has asked for is populated in exhibits two and three. I'm sorry, two. There was a change in the rental housing number, we added Waikoloa Family Affordable which was completed during this period. They are not fully leased as far as we know, but they are in the process of actively leasing. So, we're looking at an additional 110 units to the rental housing inventory. There was also a change to the senior rental housing list of projects. You can see that we added Sacred Hearts Affordable Housing Project towards the bottom of the list. So that's for an additional 12 units, and now a total of 981 units for senior rental housing. CHR. VILLEGAS: Thank you, Ms. Kunz. MS. KUNZ: And I think those were the only changes that—yes, that we made. CHR. VILLEGAS: Okay, thank you. Alright, and let the record show that Council Member Galimba is with us now. And with that, I'll open up to any questions or comments from my colleagues on the Council. Council Member Evans. MS. EVANS: Thank you. So,the 122 rental units constructed in Waikoloa, where does it appear on your housing report? MS. KUNZ: Okay, so the 122 additional units includes the Waikoloa Family Affordable for 110. So, you will see that on the rental housing inventory list. Waikoloa Family Affordable is the second from the bottom. MS. EVANS: So, the reason it's not 122? You have only 110. Page 2 CRCOC-18 December 19,2023 MS. KUNZ: So, 110 is for Waikoloa Family Affordable, and the other 12 is Sacred Hearts. So, it's a total number. MS. EVANS: Oh, I see. MS. KUNZ: Yeah. And the Sacred Hearts is listed on your senior rental housing list. MS. EVANS: Got it. Okay, thank you. And I have one more question on the— you have the report on what people are doing with these tax credits and no activity. Is that kind of normal? MS. KUNZ: Tax credits, or housing credits? MS. EVANS: Yeah, these affordable housing excess credits. July to September 30, there was no action. MS. KUNZ: Well, it's not that we're not working with developers. It's just during this period, there were no excess credits earned. MS. EVANS: Okay. Do you anticipate in process that we're going to see more excess? MS. KUNZ: We're actually working with the developer called Mailani. So, I think that's the next one that you're going to definitely see in the next reporting period. I believe he purchased five and half credits, but he redeemed them to meet his affordable housing requirement. So, you're going to see that activity on the report during the next period. MS. EVANS: Okay. MS. KUNZ: Yeah, we were really careful to try and recognize when this activity was recorded, and which period to report it in. So, it is going on right now, but it wasn't completed by the end of September. So, it will be reflected in your next report. MS. EVANS: Alright, good. Alright, thank you. I yield. CHR. VILLEGAS: Thank you, Council Member Evans. Anyone else? Council Member Kagiwada. MS. KAGIWADA: Thank you. Thank you, Administrator. So just wondering, you had in a report at one point that said we needed an additional 6,600 rental units for our county. I think that was in 2020, and it was by 2025. Is that correct, the time period? Page 3 CRCOC-18 December 19,2023 MS. KUNZ: So, the number of affordable housing units that we recognize is a need by this community was actually 10,000—a little bit more than 10,000, by the year 2025. So those are actually, that's data that's being reported in the Hawai`i Housing Planning Study. That's where I got that number. MS. KAGIWADA: Okay, and that's from 2020? MS. KUNZ: 2020. MS. KAGIWADA: Yeah. So, I guess my question is, how far along have we gone? Because this is all the units available. But how many have been built or made available since 2020? MS. KUNZ: So, when this Administration came on board, there were approximately 1,200 units that were being worked on. So, we say it's in the pipeline. To date, in fact just as of last week, we updated our activity numbers so, it's looking like 6,992 units that are actively being worked on right now. And I can report that about 5,000 of that number is here in West Hawai`i, Waikoloa through the Kona area. MS. KAGIWADA: Wait, 5,000 of them? MS. KUNZ: Approximately 5,000 of the 6,992 units is in West Hawai`i, and the remaining number is on the east side. So, it could be Puna, Hilo area. MS. KAGIWADA: Okay. Alright. But as far as how many have been completed since 2020 that people are moving into, are those those Waikoloa Family and the Sacred Hearts? MS. KUNZ: So, we've been populating completion numbers since 2021, when we came aboard. You know, I don't have the numbers in front of me, but it hasn't been huge numbers. I want to say, two to three hundred units per year is what we've been producing. What we've anticipated, especially for this year, and maybe a little bit higher for next year. But maybe a few hundred units per year is what we're seeing. It's not fast enough. MS. KAGIWADA: Okay. I just was trying to gage where we are within those. Thank you so much. Appreciate that. CHR. VILLEGAS: Thank you, Council Member Kagiwada. Anyone else? I also want the record to show that Council Member Kaneali`i—Kleinfelder has joined us. Mr. Kaneali`i—Kleinfelder, any comments or questions from your end? MR. KANEALI`I—KLEINFELDER: No. Just good morning to you all. Thank you. Page 4 CRCOC-18 December 19,2023 CHR. VILLEGAS: Good morning. And if no one else has any then I'll come back to you, Council Member Evans. MS. EVANS: Sony. CHR. VILLEGAS: Oh, okay. You're good? Fantastic. Alright. Then I'll just take a couple minutes to express my gratitude, Ms. Kunz, for bringing this forward to us every three months. And for—I don't have the prior reports with me, but I see some consistency now in how it's being presented and being able to follow that rental housing comes before senior housing. So, it's just easier to track and compare to the prior reports. Thank you to you and your team for putting that together. I also am grateful that, ironically, we don't have any more or new outstanding affordable housing credits. Because what this represents, essentially on our balance sheet for building homes, could be upwards in nine million dollars of homes that don't need to be built, because the credits are already there. So, I'm grateful to hear of the projects that are being built. And congratulations, the blessing for that 110 units in Waikoloa. My apologies, I wasn't able to attend but I understand Council Member Inaba was. And those units are really nice units, and I'm excited to see those being filled. In today's paper there's already an article about Mr. Benioff and his wife Lynne, and their contribution of a few hundred acres, and the contribution being specifically allocated for more affordable housing. So, the train has left the station, and it's headed for a good location. And I also want to be sensitive to my colleague, Ms. Kagiwada, and her desires for more affordable housing on the east side as well. But I am grateful that the majority of these units are being built on the west side because most predominately what we hear is that people are working here and having to commute in order to work on this side. So, providing more affordable housing on this side of the island, in comparison to what I'm told is a housing market that's more affordable on the east side. So somehow, we're going to get to the sweet spot of the equitable distribution, and opportunity, and getting people into homes they can raise their families in. I also just want to—as we navigate the holiday seasons, send out a heart felt blessing, and prayers for comfort and support for those families who have lost their homes and who are navigating this first holiday without a place to live. So, as we continue to move in the right direction of providing shelter and homes for the families that reside on the Big Island,just being sensitive to those who are navigating this loss under that tragedy. So, with that, I think we're good to go with this report. But thank you for being here with us today. With that, I'll go ahead and take the vote to close file on Communication 322.2. All those in favor? Page 5 CRCOC-18 December 19,2023 Vote on Comm. 322.2: The motion to close file on Comm. 322.2 was carried (Filed) by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Evans, Galimba, Inaba, Kagiwada, Kaneali`i—Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, and Chair Villegas—8. Noes: None. Absent: Committee Member Lee Loy— 1. Excused: None. CHR. VILLEGAS: Mr. Clerk. Comm. 628: 2023 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC ACCESS, OPEN SPACE, AND NATURAL RESOURCES PRESERVATION COMMISSION From Mayor Mitchell D. Roth, dated November 17, 2023,transmitting the above report pursuant to Hawai`i County Code Section 2-218, providing a detailed summary of the purchasing history and status of lands acquired through the fund, a report on management and stewardship of acquired lands, and the updated prioritized list for proposed acquisition of land. Motion to Close File: Mr. Inaba moved to close file on Communication 628. Seconded by Ms. Kimball. MR. HENRICKS: Madam Chair, if I could just note that Mr. Hamana Ventura is available from Property Management, Department of Finance if you have any questions, or if you'd like for him to provide comment on the report. Available by Zoom. CHR. VILLEGAS: Okay. Yes, that would be wonderful if we could bring him in. And also,just for the record, Council Member Lee Loy has joined us. Is Mr. Ventura then going to jump on? (Note: At this time, Property Manager Hamana Ventura came forward to address the members of the Committee.) MR. VENTURA: Aloha Chair, can you hear me? CHR. VILLEGAS: Yes. Aloha, Hamana. Thank you for being here. MR. VENTURA: Aloha Chair, and members of our committee, and happy holidays. We'd just like to take this time to thank our commission for moving forward in an expedited way to provide the annual recommendations to our mayor. And thank you to the Administration for forwarding. And so, this year Christmas basically comes early, this is a procedural process. But it's vital that part of our open space funds, that the annual report comes to you, the Council, Page 6 CRCOC-18 December 19,2023 and then moving forward, you have the opportunities to bring forth resolutions to tell us to move forward with acquisitions. Mahalo. CHR. VILLEGAS: Fantastic. Thank you, Mr. Ventura. With that, we'll open up to any questions or comments from my colleagues. Council Member Kimball. MS. KIMBALL: Thank you, Chair. I just also want to take a moment to thank the members of the commission. You know, we've had this transition from oversight of the PONC (Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Commission) process from Parks and Rec to the Finance Department. We want to definitely thank Hamana, and then of course, Maxine, who is retiring from the County. Without their guidance and leadership, I think we wouldn't have seen this real pivot in the commission. The commissioners that are on the board right now are very active, have done a lot in terms of setting a standard of protocols and procedures for the committee to make evaluations. As well as providing a lot of support to community members either wishing to nominate properties, or to apply for the stewardship grant program. So,just wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their hard work in continuing to advance and develop this program further. Thank you, Chair. I yield. CHR. VILLEGAS: Thank you, Council Member Kimball. Council Member Kagiwada. MS. KAGIWADA: Thank you, Chair. Yeah, ditto. I would like to thank everybody who's worked so hard to bring us these recommendations, as well as give us all the information we need so we can choose to go forward with pursuing these PONC properties. I just want to say I'm extremely grateful that my district will have its first possibility of getting a PONC property, and that it's actually going to be interesting because it's a water shed property up in the more like the hills, the mountains, as opposed to most of our coastal properties. So, it should be really interesting I think, and looking forward to bringing a resolution before you all. Yeah, but thank you everybody that's worked on this, Hamana and Maxine, and Jean from Corp Counsel, and everybody, of course, on the commission. Thank you so much. CHR. VILLEGAS: Thank you, Council Member Kagiwada. Council Member Evans. MS. EVANS: Thank you. I noticed in here it said that we can go into public folders to look at ongoing list of what has been done by previous PONC. What is the name of that public folder? It doesn't mention that in terms of finding what other years, past previous years. What's the name of that public folder? MR. VENTURA: Council Member Evans, I'll get that information to you. Page 7 CRCOC-18 December 19,2023 MS. EVANS: Thank you. I appreciate that. And I just want to say, I look at this report and it's just pretty amazing. Very, very, thorough, a lot of work, so, I just appreciate all the effort. Whoever put all this information together, it's really, really, good, and I'm very excited to see two of the three are in my district. And so, I'm real excited about this. So anyway, thank you so much, and happy holidays. I yield. MR. VENTURA: Mahalo. CHR. VILLEGAS: Thank you, Council Member Evans. Council Member Galimba. MS. GALIMBA: Thank you, Chair. Hamana, I just wanted to ask one clarifying question. On the report, under summary of authorized land acquisitions, you have those two that are there. And I think they were both authorized this year, right? MR. VENTURA: Not sure. I'm on the road so, I'll have to get back to you on that one as well. It's hard, you know. We don't drink and drive and we don't look down at our laptop and drive at the same time. MS. GALIMBA: Alright. I'll get with you later. Thanks. Thanks very much. MR. VENTURA: Thank you. CHR. VILLEGAS: Thank you, Council Member Galimba. Anyone else? Okay with that, I just want to also express my gratitude, Mr. Ventura. We worked together on a number of different properties and resolutions. Some have come to fruition, some have not for extenuating circumstances or prioritization. However, I continue to be deeply grateful for the properties that have been purchased in District 7, and are continuing to be navigated in District 7, and throughout the island in general. Congratulations to the closing of the purchase and the collaboration with the land trust for the Mahukona purchase. Wow, to finally see that come to fruition and be closed is amazing. I'm also grateful to see on here the `Anaeho`omalu Kapalaoa property. I had been notified about the potential of that property. It seems just incredibly rich and historic and culture resources. As well as this coastline and potentially some of the ponds that exist there. Absolutely priceless for being purchased and available for the public in perpetuity. My one quick question here is, I see there are three properties on the 2023 prioritized list. And I thought I remembered the prioritized list, and the list of properties being longer in prior years. MR. VENTURA: I'll check on that and get back to you. CHR. VILLEGAS: Did we lose you? Page 8 CRCOC-18 December 19,2023 MR. VENTURA: Nope, I'm still here. I will check on that and get back to you. MR. KANEALI`I—KLEINFELDER: Chair, I can hear Mr. Ventura. He said he would check on that and get back to you. Can you hear Hilo? MR. VENTURA: I can hear you. MR. KANEALI`I—KLEINFELDER: I can hear you, Mr. Ventura. I think we may have lost the audio connection with Kona. MR. VENTURA: Ah, ok. We've got to pay the bill. MR. KANEALI`I—KLEINFELDER: Ok, thank you. I'll let them know, Hamana. CHR. VILLEGAS: Hamana, for some reason we can't hear you in chambers, but your voice is coming through on the computer. So, we're going to check our systems. Should we take a quick recess? We'll get this set up because I do just have a couple more questions. So,just ask for everyone's patience. Hamana, if you would just remain either on the line or on standby for us to reconnect to you, that would be wonderful. And with that we're in recess. Recess: At 9:27 a.m., the Chair called for a recess. Reconvene: The meeting reconvened at 9:45 a.m. CHR. VILLEGAS: We're taking this meeting out of recess at 9:45 a.m. Mr. Ventura, are you still with us? MR. VENTURA: Can you hear me? CHR. VILLEGAS: Yes, yay. Thank you to our tech team here, Scott and Charlie, for getting us back online and everything connected. Okay,just quickly going back to my question, Mr. Ventura. And I was able to pull up my 2021 annual report to the mayor of the PONC program. My question begs to, in the 2021 report there were 26 properties on the prioritized list, and on this year's, there are only three. So, I'm just wondering what happened to the other properties? Did they fall off the list? I know that a couple were in stages of negotiation. Can you explain how the list shrunk so significantly in the last two years? MR. VENTURA: Sure, because each year the list that comes to Council are only the submissions made to the commission for that year. CHR. VILLEGAS: Gotcha. So, unless they bring it back every year, they don't continue on the list. Page 9 CRCOC-18 December 19,2023 MR. VENTURA: They always will be on the list. That's the nice thing is that once you're on the list, you will always be on the list. And that's part of what we were able to clarify to our suggesters, is that it's not necessary that you show up every year to submit. Once you submit, you make the list. CHR. VILLEGAS: Gotcha. So, the list is still in existence, it's just not included in this report per say, only the prioritized properties. MR. VENTURA: This is the ones that came through the commission this year. And these are their recommendations. And so, for 2023, we had three submissions. CHR. VILLEGAS: Gotcha. Thank you. Great, that's what I wanted to ask about. So, for instance, the Keauhou Bay property that's been on the list for a number of years you're still working on that one, correct? MR. VENTURA: No, that's not correct. Actually, we bought Keauhou Bay about a month back. MS. VILLEGAS: Oh, my goodness. Well, that's incredible news. It closed. How did that miss the newspaper? MR. VENTURA: We've been scrambling. Once we got through the acquisition it was all hands-on deck to make sure that we met the closing deadline for Mahukona. So, we were in scramble mode to make sure that we did all of our due diligence, provided all of the documentation, and monies to get to Mahukona. MS. VILLEGAS: Well, I am so grateful. This becomes probably one of the best Christmas presents ever for myself, personally and professionally. And also, for our community and for all the people that enjoy Keauhou Bay. And for the opportunity that provides for extra space as the usage there grows, and access to our shoreline, it's just priceless. Thank you, Hamana. That's incredible news. I'll look forward to seeing some kind of a press release. And you know, hope to get to work with you on a blessing as we did for Puapua'a property. And thank you for catching me up, and reclarifying, all the other properties continue on the list. They just aren't necessarily included in the report that we have before us today. Thank you, Hamana. Happy Holidays. Please drive safe, and we'll be in touch after. MR. VENTURA: Thanks to all of you. Mahalo. CHR. VILLEGAS: Alright. Aloha. And with that, if we have no other questions or comments. All those in favor of closing file on Communication 628, please say "aye." Page 10 CRCOC-18 December 19,2023 Vote on Comm. 628: The motion to close file on Comm. 628 was carried (Filed) by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Evans, Galimba, Inaba, Kagiwada, Kaneali`i—Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, and Chair Villegas—9. Noes: None. Absent: None. Excused: None. ADJOURN- There being no further business, at 9:50 a.m., Ms. Kagiwada moved to adjourn the MENT: meeting. Seconded by Ms. Evans and carried by the following voice vote: Ayes: Committee Members Evans, Galimba, Inaba, Kagiwada, Kaneali`i—Kleinfelder, Kierkiewicz, Kimball, Lee Loy, and Chair Villegas —9. Noes: None. Absent: None. Excused: None. CHR. VILLEGAS: With that, we close this committee. Approved: • Ms. ebecc ille a , Chair ( ate) Communications, Reports, and Council Oversight Committee RV/rk Page 11