HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0072.016 2004-2006 :!•',ayor Kim Jan. 18, `OS _
Dear Mayor: `
What timing! The day before you declare an alJ'ordable housir.5 emerge;.cy, I send you a
letter suggesting we should slow up davclopme,;t. But the develc, ment I see gci^.b on l:as very
little to do with aflbrdable houssn~. There are several things that are making housing less
affordable. For one thing; the falling dollar is making car real estate cheaper tier foreigners bul
..,ore expensive for us, Not much we czn do about that. Rut aL' the development that is going on
is also raising real esKatc values all over the island. i think the main reason that affordable housing
is not keeping up with the demand for subsidized housinb is that we have rc residency
requirements for this housing. Where would yot: rather be a street person in New `.'ark or
Ilawaii? ;have been told that a poor person can gzt off the plane and immediately be eligible for
housing assistance. I suspsct that if one had to be a firs year resident of Llawaii before b;,ing
eligible for housing assistance, we would Fnd it much easier to ::Dose all our street people. I t'1so
think we shauld not have to accept nine new high-value houses far each affardabl:: hause that a
developer builds. These affordable houses are not free. The cost of infrastructure far the new
houses is probably more than it would cost for the State to sirnply build what affordable housing
is needed.
I don't have all the answers tc the a~'ordable housing problem, but l don't think that
encouraging big subdivisions is the answer. We need to look at other options.
David Caccsa
PO Box 1788
Honokaa. HI 96727
cc ~JJNr4( cpvNCtL
~ o k. t ~ Nn ~ ~cie~
Cemm. NQ. 7 2 • I SQL
Ref. To: ~ r
Ref. Date„ At~
' WtJ91:BL SaOZ 8T 'Uef SZaT 9L~ 808 'ON 3NOHd d?JJdJ WOa~