February 16, 2021

Honolulu, Hawai'i – ALOHA Homes (SB1 SD1), introduced by Senator Stanley Chang (District 9 – Hawaiʻi Kai, Kuli‘ou‘ou, Niu, ‘Āina Haina, Wai‘alae-Kahala and Diamond Head) was passed today by the Senate Committee on Housing in a unanimous vote. It was passed with amendments offered by the Hawaii Housing Finance & Development Corporation (HHFDC) and the Attorney General. These amendments will do the following:

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• Give greater flexibility on density so that developments can meet local needs.

• Clarify the aspiration of the program to produce enough housing to meet demand.

• Determine pricing based on the "minimum level necessary to be revenue neutral," rather than a specific dollar amount.

• Remove language regarding Native Hawaiian transfers to comply with the Fair Housing Act.

• Give HHFDC greater flexibility in repurchasing the units.

• Remove the requirement that these units need not subsidize non-housing uses.

• Remove the pilot project requirement, as all components of the program should be in place for the first project.

• Add three employee positions to administer the program.

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“I applaud the Housing Committee members for voting to pass SB1,” said Sen. Chang. “We have worked closely with HHFDC to draft proposed amendments that will tighten up the bill. Home prices have soared to record highs even during this economic crisis, which is why it’s so crucial that we embark on this program to end the housing shortage for all generations of local people.”​

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For more information on SB1 SD1, click here.

 

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