This Senate Resolution requests the City and County of Honolulu's Department of Housing and Land Management to create a countywide housing pattern book containing pre-approved residential designs. The book would include various housing types like accessory dwelling units and mid-rise buildings, incorporating culturally appropriate and climate-responsive features such as natural ventilation and lanais. By using these pre-reviewed designs, developers could access streamlined permitting processes, reducing delays and costs while maintaining safety and quality standards. The resolution also asks for a design competition to gather innovative plans and collaboration with architects, builders, and community stakeholders to develop the book. Once completed, the pattern book and its approved designs would be made publicly available for use in housing projects.
This House Resolution requests the State Building Code Council to create a new set of basic shelter standards that would allow for low-cost, rapidly deployable housing solutions during emergencies. The bill aims to address Hawaii's housing shortages by establishing minimum safety and sanitation requirements for temporary housing like prefabricated units and single-wall homes, which currently cannot be built under standard building codes due to stricter permanent housing requirements. These basic shelter standards would only be used during declared emergency proclamations for natural disasters or other crises, and the housing would be limited to government agencies and nonprofit organizations to prevent profit-driven misuse. The resolution also includes a pathway for these temporary units to be converted to permanent housing if they later meet full building code standards, while requiring consultation with local officials and stakeholders to ensure the standards are appropriate for Hawaii's climate and cultural context.
This bill is a House Resolution that asks the Hawaii Department of Transportation to work with the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to form a working group. The group will study whether the state should own or control warehouse and logistics facilities near ports, harbors, and airports to lower material costs for publicly funded housing projects. The working group will examine potential sites, cost savings from centralized storage, bulk purchasing options, and whether any laws need to change to implement these ideas. The group must include representatives from transportation, housing agencies, contractors, and legislative committees, and will submit its findings to the Legislature by early 2027.
This Senate Resolution requests the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and the Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions to create a coordinated support system for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries who are homeless or living on extremely low incomes. The bill directs these agencies to assess how many eligible individuals are affected, identify gaps in current housing assistance, and explore options like transitional housing models on trust lands. It also requires the agencies to evaluate funding sources, partner with nonprofit organizations, and ensure all plans comply with the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act. The agencies must submit a report to the Legislature by the start of the 2027 session outlining their findings and recommendations for a pilot program.
This Senate Resolution asks the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to study whether mezzanine loans could help increase housing production in the state. Mezzanine loans are a type of financing that combines debt and equity features, allowing developers to borrow against a project's value without needing to provide as much upfront cash or ownership stake. The study would examine if this financing method could help developers build more homes while making better use of state housing funds. The department must complete the study and submit a report with findings and recommendations to the Legislature by early 2027. This resolution does not create new laws but requests research to inform future housing policy decisions.
This bill is a non-binding resolution that asks state and city officials to acknowledge that mental health facilities, sober homes, and homeless shelters are unevenly distributed across Oahu, with too many concentrated along the Waianae coast. It requests that Partners in Care Oahu consult with community stakeholders on issues such as facility proximity to schools and parks, transparency, insurance, law enforcement resources, oversight, and community engagement. The resolution formally notifies various government leaders and officials about these concerns but does not create new laws or mandate specific actions.
This bill requests that Hawaii's Department of Transportation work with the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to form a working group that studies whether the state should own or control warehouses and logistics centers near ports, harbors, and airports. The goal is to lower material costs for publicly funded affordable housing projects by improving supply chain efficiency and reducing transportation expenses caused by Hawaii's reliance on imported building materials. The working group will examine potential sites, analyze cost savings from bulk purchasing, consider public-private partnerships, and determine what legal changes might be needed to implement such facilities. The group must include representatives from transportation, housing agencies, contractors, and other stakeholders, and will submit its findings and recommendations to the Legislature by early 2027.
This bill requests the Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting to create a countywide housing pattern book containing pre-approved residential designs that meet safety and building codes. The pattern book aims to speed up permit approvals and lower regulatory barriers for building safe, affordable homes on Oahu. It includes designs for various housing types like accessory dwelling units and mid-rise buildings, incorporates climate-responsive features suited to Hawaii, and requires collaboration with architects, builders, and community stakeholders. The bill also calls for a public design competition to generate innovative options and mandates that the final pattern book be made publicly available to streamline construction processes.
SB 908 is a bill addressing homelessness that was introduced in January 2025 and referred to the Department of Health and Human Services. The bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process and has been carried over to the 2026 Regular Session for further consideration. As a short form bill, it does not yet contain detailed provisions or specific policy changes in its current version. The legislation aims to tackle homelessness issues, but its specific mechanisms and direct impacts on affected populations remain undefined at this time.
This bill allocates state funds to the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to support the repair, renovation, and maintenance of public housing units. The money is intended to improve existing housing conditions for residents living in public housing managed by the authority. The legislation does not create new housing but focuses on upgrading current facilities through rehabilitation and remodeling projects. It is a funding measure that directly impacts the operations and maintenance capabilities of the Hawaii Public Housing Authority.
