Affordability is my number one goal! 

I have 4 children. Whether it is health care, food or housing, affordability  is my primary focus: 

What am I doing about housing? 

Making Housing more affordable: Actions, not just words!

I am pleased that the Amato 2022 housing plan to use State land and fund infrastructure development has been implemented for multiple special projects!

What is my plan? A controlled amount of State land could be opened up for development as long as there are no bad environmental consequences.  The amount should be limited to keep the market from collapsing.   This is a way to increase housing as well as sales, while maintaining a stable market without soaring costs.  Caveat: We must be careful to only develop on land when environmental damage is not caused.  This issue also touches on water use, so we must observe Article 11 Section 1 of the State Constitution. 

I am proud to support state funding for HHFDC. Since 2022 we have completed 465 affordable housing units in Kīhei. I have more work to do in 2027.  Affordability is my number one goal

Since 2022 we have completed 465 affordable housing units in Kīhei.

< Our latest Affordable housing complex in Kihei!

Completion of Hale O Piʻikea in Kīhei shown here will provide 223 more affordable homes for locals and kūpuna.

This year I supported key measures that will have huge impact on affordability and home access for local families.

HB2444 increases exemptions and lowers taxes for low-income renters providing immediate relief to those most affected by high housing costs.

SB2552 increases deductions to help local residents save tax-free for a down payment, creating a realistic path to homeownership.

SB2866 makes long-term funding for senior housing, permanent allowing kūpuna to stay on Maui near their families.

These efforts focus on what matters most: lowering costs, increasing supply, and helping local families stay in Hawaiʻi.

Affordability is my number one goal! Here is our latest progress - Bills we PASSED THIS YEAR!

HB1800 set aside $250 million for infrastructure development and affordable housing to help keep our families here

SB3219 proposes a constitutional amendment allowing Counties to issue bonds to fund infrastructure needed to build more housing.

SB2060 provides financing for the development of rental housing units requiring preference to projects with ‘Perpetual Affordability!’

HB1740 incentivizes projects with ‘Resident Only permanent restrictions’

SB2552 increases pre-tax income you can save in a housing account up to $40,000 to help save for a down payment to buy a home

SB2866/HB1975 makes the state ‘Rent Supplement Program for Kūpuna permanent and provides extra subsidies to kūpuna 62 and older on a fixed income.

There is more work to do in 2027.  I am up for it!

More details:  

With over 46,000 units needed by 2030 how we can increase the supply of housing?

I have given a great deal of thought to this complex issue: The standard answer is that as price increases quantity supplied increases, but then demand decreases until an equilibrium point is reached.  Labor and materials, supplies, and views on development as well as maintaining a stable market all interact.  

Something has to give: Ultimately the land use regulations in Hawai’i affect this and I believe a controlled amount of State land could be opened up for development as long as there are no bad environmental consequences.  The amount should be limited to keep the market from collapsing.   This is a way to increase housing as well as sales, while maintaining a stable market without soaring costs.  Caveat: We must be careful to only develop on land when environmental damage is not caused.  This issue also touches on water use, so we must observe Article 11 Section 1 of the State Constitution. 

Specifically, In 2022 I proposed using federal and State infrastructure funds to support building housing with union labor on a limited amount of State lands. This should include allocating a fraction of structures for disabled, elderly as well as civil servants who serve in critical unfilled positions: I am excited that this happened this term, see below answer to the “38% question” below.  This will make good jobs and reduce our crisis without raising taxes.  My plan to use State land and fund infrastructure development has been implemented to some degree by Gov. Green for special projects.  

Some solutions follow: 

I am pleased that the Amato 2022 housing plan to use State land and fund infrastructure development has been implemented for multiple special projects including Ke ʻAla Punia a 47-unit workforce housing development built for educators and staff in the State Department of Education, Construction of a 95-unit workforce housing project at Mililani High School and Kaiāulu o Kūkuʻia designed specifically for disaster recovery in Lahaina, with 200 family units. 

We are using this same strategy-  state land and infrastructure for the new State Veterans home in Kihei, (and in this case mostly federal building funds). I supported $45 Million in our district for the purchase of Haggai institute to be remade into housing. 

I voted for a number of important housing bills, here are just a few: To develop required housing infrastructure I supported SB3219 , a constitutional amendment allowing Counties to issue bonds to fund infrastructure needed to build more housing.   On permitting, last year I supported SB66 to establish procedures for expedited permit applications, and we need to make use of technology like AI to accelerate initial review processes, or course with human guardrails. 

To address affordability I supported a number of new laws for example SB2552 to increase pre-tax income for housing accounts up to $40,000 to help save for a down payment to buy a home, stimulate the realty market, and keep our population on Maui.   I proudly supported state funding for HHFDC: Since 2022 we have completed 465 affordable housing units in Kīhei.  

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2024:  What am I doing about housing? More than just talk!

Affordable Housing:

• Completed acquisition of ~180 Kīhei affordable workforce housing units 

  • (working with leadership we obtained $45M to do this!)

• Passed phase1 legislation for a new Maui Veteran’s home

• Housed 99% of 7796 displaced Lahaina families in long term housing

• Allocated $450Million to rebuild Lahaina with a $5 Billion federal match

• Funded ‘Hula Mae Mortgage Loan Program’ for 1st time home buyers

• Increased funding for homeless: 7 of 21 new kauhale now operational

• Broke ground on 117 new units of Kīhei affordable Senior housing! 

Extra funding for Kīhei/South Maui! $63,470,000 extra! 

From Maui News interview

nterview:

From Star Advertiser interview:

We have a serious housing crisis:   The fact that such a small amount of land is available for housing is one of the largest cost drivers creating the housing crisis.  I support initiatives to use state land to build affordable housing using union workers.  I’ll support Executive branch action freeing up state land that is not in environmentally or culturally sensitive areas.  

What I am proposing here is 20x the size of what the county council members have proposed, but without affecting your taxes: 

I’ll support executive action to build truly affordable housing on free state land that is not in environmentally or culturally sensitive areas.  I’ll submit legislation to use state funds to build infrastructure and housing with union labor and allocate homes for teachers and other civil servants. This will make good jobs and help all of society.

This will generate housing at half the cost as the land is free. I’ll submit legislation to use state funds to build that housing and allocate a dedicated percentage of it for teachers, healthcare workers and other civil servants. This is more than just talk: It will help address our housing crisis, create good jobs and help people.  

For the houseless, we should also invest 5 times the current level in proven small housing projects for the houseless, similar to Kau Hale in Kalaeloa.

State and county legislators rarely speak.  I’ll have monthly meetings with my county counterparts, so we can work as a team on housing AND other critical issues like tax reform so giant corporations pay their fair share, our environment, jobs, health care access (especially for women considering Roe) and Solar power.

A ‘Living Wage’ is needed: A minimum wage is not sufficient. People should be able to afford their basic needs on 40 hours a week: I support more than just higher wages over a 6 year period as passed in this year's House bill 2510. We must add to that good start, a LIVING wage geared to the cost of living index.