HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0072.019 2004-2006
Testimony on Proposed Amendments to Chapter 11 of the Hawaii County Code
Good morning councilmen, my name is Keith Kato and I am the Executive Director of the
Hawaii Island Community Development Corporation. The HICDC is a 50] (c)(3) non-profit
corporation whose purpose is to assist low income residents to secure affordable housing.
Over the past years HICDC has worked with our owner builder families to construct a total of
180 self help homes around the island. Since 1996 we have also competed four subdivisions
totaling 101 lots and four elderly housing projects with a total of 119 units.
The primary obstacle that we face in the expansion of our program is the lack of suitable
development sites which are served by adequate off-site infrastructure. Without such sites
affordable housing is not possible.
When we talk with landowners about conveying land to us for affordable housing the issue of
housing credits often comes up. Typically the land is not within market projects but separate
free standing sites. The credits that would be earned from the provision of such land, either at a
reduced cost or at no cost, should be recognizable and the amount of credit should be reasonably
negotiated. Flexibility in administration of the housing requirement is necessary and should be
provided for.
More broadly, I urge the county to consider a wider effort in dealing with the affordable housing
problem. Passing this ordinance alone will not solve the problem. The creation of sufficient
affordable housing is an integral part community development. It is important to keep economic
activity, infrastructure capacity, and housing supply in balance. In this way Che entire community
functions best and the quality of life is enhanced.
Affordable housing programs function best when the entire residential market is working well.
In those situations, there are ample areas served by adequate infrastructure where development
can occur. This creates opportunities for many different types of development which can be
created in a variety of sizes, that is, where many projects, large and small, are possible. Right
now, due to the limitations of infrastructure it is difficult for the smaller projects to proceed.
The county's role in community development is critical as it controls, to an extent, land use and
has to deal with the funding decisions that come from both the federal and state govermnents.
The past decades of growth have not been matched by infrastructure capacity deveiopment
which is due in large part to the reduction in federal assistance of all types and the change in
state CIP funding. Essentially, this leaves the county holding the bag so the county in tum
passes it on to developers in the fom~ of conditions of approval. The problem is that most
infrastructure systems are way larger than the typical development. This makes many potential
residential projects unfeasible or, at the least, more expensive.
I urge the county to take a hard look at developing a growth management strategy that
incorporates short and long term capital improvements, on-going financing for Chose
improvements, and requirements for affordable housing. The major land use decisions affecting
economic development have been made. The challenge now is to come up with a financing and
growth management plan that supports the secondary growth which we are now facing.
Comm. No. 7 2•
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