Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0158.049 2024-2026HOUSING, , COUNTY CLERK HAWAI 1 S COUNTY OF HAWAII FUTURE 2025 JU14 -4 AN 11: 59 June 5, 2025 TO: Chair Inaba and members of the Hawaii County Council /5. counci611(51 Housing Hawaii's Future'-. 168 PO Box 3043 Honolulu, HI 96802-3043 RE: Proposed Housing Amendment to Bill No. 31, Draft 3, the Proposed Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Dear Chair Inaba and Members of the Hawai'i County Council, Housing Hawai'i's Future is a movement Led by young Locals who will create opportunities for Hawai'i's next generation by ending the workforce housing shortage. Housing Hawai`i's Future supports efforts like Councilmember Kagiwada's Memorandum No. 2, which proposes an additional infusion from the General Fund into the Affordable Housing Production (AHP) program. Ordinance 22-77, hereinafter codified as Section 11-21 of the Hawai'i County Code, establishes the Affordable Housing Production program. The law mandates that at least $5 million shall be appropriated each year for the Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD) to facilitate the production of affordable housing for residents, such as those projects presently underway in Hilo, North Kona, and locations across the island. There's still more work to do. According to the recently released Hawaii Housing Planning Study prepared for the Hawai'i Housing Finance and Development Corporation, Hawaii Island needs 18,879 housing units to address its chronic housing shortage by 2027. Across our state, county governments are stepping forward to inject needed capital into the production of affordable, workforce housing. The Maui County Council, for instance, is allocating $43.5 million more than Mayor Richard E. Bissen's request to increase the production of housing for their residents. Here on Hawaii Island, we hope that the County Council will take similar action to shore up its housing needs. Please increase the capacity of the AHP Program. Aloha, Lee Wang Executive Director Housing Hawai'i's Future Lee(@hawaiisfuture.org hawaiisfuture.org Perry Arrasmith Director of Policy Housing Hawai'i's Future perryna hawaiisfuture.org ComraI.Ae, �v eG. 9 ©:Ref. DatN - 5 025