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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0200.025 2006-2008 Page 1 of 1 Murashige, Laura From: Jacqui Hoover [jacqui_hlpc@yahoe.com] Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2007 5:39 PM To: HI County Council Subject: Testimony -Bill 156 Attachments: 070418 Bi11156.doc Aloha, Please find attached statement for consideration related to Bill No. 156 - An Ordinance to Amend Chapter 11 of the County Code to Include Affordable Housing Requirements for Industrial Park Developments. Mahalo, ^ Jacqui Hoover Jacqui Hoover, President Hawaii Leeward Planning Conference P.O. Box 2159 Kamuela, HI 96743 Phone (808) 885-9588 Fax (808) 885-9590 Cell (808) 960-7503 E-mail jacqui_hlpc@yahoo com CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This a-mail message, includiny any attachmentlsl. is for the sole use of the intended recipienrysf and may contain confidential and/or privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, copying, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. It you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender immediately Uy reply e-mail and destroy the original message and all copies. r.... ~ 'n p_a "1 _~OU.z.S << ~ G v 4/18{2007 f;o.~$ `r;~;,~ r.;,~-_ ' 7-~ ~>.~n~;:.~. AKINAKA & ASSOCIATES, LIMITED ALSTON HUNT FLOYD & ING ASHFORD & WRISTON HAWAII LEEWARD PLANNING CONFERENCE BANK OF HAWAII BAYS DEAVER LUNG ROSE BABA P.O. BOX 2159 KAMUELA, HAWAII 95]C32159 BELT COLLINS HAWAII, LIMITED CADES SCHUTTE FLEMING & WRIGHT CASTLE & COOKE WAIKOLOA, LLC CENTEX DESTINATION PROPERTIES CENTRAL PACIFIC BANK 18 April 2007 CLARK REALTY CORPORATION COOPER & COOPER, LLC In Consideration of D.R. HORTON, INC., SCHU LER DIVISION DE LUZ ENTERPRISES, INC. Bill No. 156 FIRST HAWAIIAN BANK An Ordinance to Amend Chapter 11 of the County Code to FOREST SOLUTIONS, INC. GREENWELL FARMS, INC. Include Affordable Housing Requirements for Industrial Park Developments HAWAII LAND COMPANY HAWAII PLANING MILL, LIMITED HAWAII ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY HOKU LI'A The Honorable Pete Hoffmann, Chair HOLUALOA COMPANIES and Members of the Hawaii County Council HUALALAI RESORT 333 Kilauea Avenue Ben Franklin Buildin IMANAKA KUDO & FU]IMOTO g) JACOBY DEVELOPMENT, INC. 2nd Floor, Council Room JARDINE INVESTMENT PROPERTIES, LLC Hilo, HI 96720 KAHUA RANCH, LIMITED KAI HAWAII, INC. KAMEHAMEHA INVESTMENT CORP. KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS Aloha Chair Hoffmann and Mem hers Of the Hdwdl~l COUnty COU nCII: KAU PU LEHU DEVELOPMENTS KEALAKEKUA RANCH, LIMITED KEALIA RANCH 1 am Jacqui Hoover, President of the Hawaii Leeward Planning Conference KEAUHOU KONA CONSTRUCTION CORP. (HLPC) whose seventy-five members are committed to sound planning, WISe KE KAILANI DEVELOPMENT, LLC use of our resources, and effective overnment r00055. KITCH ELL CONTRACTORS 9 P KOBAYAS HI GROUP, LLC KOHALA RANCH DEVELOPMENT CORP. Hawaii Count finds itself in a critical situation over affordable housin and the KTA SUPER STORES y g LANIHAU PROPERTIES, LLC Hawaii Leeward Planning Conference wishes to maintain its consistency In L'ORANGE & ASSOCIATES partnering with the Council and others to effectively resolve the challenges that LYNCH HAWAII DEVELOPMENT, LLC face OUr ISldnd COmmUnlty. Mac FARM SIOF HAWAII MARVL GROUP, INC. HLPC is concerned that efforts to mandate affordable housing exclusive of a MAUNA KEA PROPERTIES, INC. COm rehensive review of all of the factors Involved Wlll not lead US t0 d MAUNA LANI SERVICE, 1NC. P McCAN DLESS LAND & CATTLE COMPANY sustainable affordable housing policy. Specifically, while there is recognition MtCORRISTON MILLER MUKAI Mc KIN NON and dISCUSSIOn of the clear link between employment and affordable MEN EHUNE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, INC. "workforce" housin there is no discussion Of the simultaneousl critical link MOOERS ENTERPRISES, LLC gr Y THE NATURE CO NSERVANCV OF HAWAII between income and affordability. In order to address comprehensively the NORTH KONA VILLAGE, LLC long-term issues and meet objectives for economic diversity and sustainability; OKAHARA & ASSOCIATES, INC. uantit and Uallt em to ment O ortunities; and communit buildin Wlth PA AHANA ENTERPRISES, LLC q v q v p y pP Y g PACIFIC RESOURCE PARTNERSHIP all components including and not limited to, affordable/inclusionary housing, PARKER RANCH We mUSt: PBR HAWAII PONOHOLO RANCH, LIMITED QUEEN EMMA LAND COMPANY 1. reco nl2e that there IS a dIStII1Ct llnk between Income and affordability; THE QUEEN LILI'UOKALANI TRUST g R.M. TOWILL CORPORATION 2. develop initiatives and options that will invite employers to bring higher RIEHM OWENSBY PLANNERS ARCHITECTS income opportunity jobs into the community; and RYAN ASSOCIATES 3. provide incentives to ensure that an adequate and sustainable housing SU ETY KOOALA CORPORATION IrIV00tOry IS established. TITLE GUARANTY ESCROW SERVICES, INC. TSA CORPORATION WAIMEA WATER SERVICES, INC. WASTE MANAGEMENT OF HAWAII The intent of Bill 156 is to provide housing that is affordable to the workforce, WATER RESOURCES INTERNATIONAL, INC. however, an inadvertent consequence may be the discouragement Of WEST HOWAII CONCRIETES investments in industrial and commercial developments of which the end result WILSON OKAMOTO CORPORATION would be no new job creation. The problem is not the new jobs being created WIM BERLY ALLISON TONG & GOO but rather, the lack of housing that is affordable to the workforce. Jacqui L. Hoover President P.O. BOX 2159 KAMUELA, MAWAI196743 TEL: 806.885.9588 FAX: 808.885.9590 h IpcC~hawaiiantei. net Hawaii Leeward Planning Conference In Consideration of Bill No. 156 18 April 2007 Page Two of Two Clearly we need new, diverse, and higher-wage employment opportunities as well as, affordable workforce housing. However, placing such affordable housing requirements on the investors who generate new employment opportunities is very much like killing the goose that lays the golden egg. Instead, it may be wiser for us to recognize that prospective employers look at numerous factors including and not limited to, an available and educated workforce. Currently, Hawaii County employers are facing challenges finding and sustaining such a workforce, and often the lack of affordable housing is cited as a primary reason for this shortfall. This leads us to the adage of "what comes first the chicken or the egg" - or in this case, "workforce or workforce housing". As such, perhaps a better strategy would be for us to focus on identifying and implementing the means by which we can increase the inventory of affordable workforce housing, which in turn, would attract a workforce which would encourage investment and thus, create more employment opportunities. The Hawaii Leeward Planning Conference humbly requests that the Council revisit policy development on affordable housing and consider all of the contributing elements to this issue to ensure a sustainable policy that will endure through both good and difficult economic times. In the interim, absent a comprehensive discussion as noted above, the Hawaii Leeward Planning Conference reiterates opposition to Bill No. 156. Thank you for your leadership in finding and executing a responsible solution to our island's challenges, and for this opportunity to express our views on this matter. Respectfully submitted, Jacqui L. Hoover President Hawaii Leeward Planning Conference