How the emergency proclamation issued by Gov. Green on the state’s housing crisis could help facilitate the building of new affordable housing units across Oʻahu.
In a groundbreaking move to combat the escalating affordable housing crisis in Hawai‘i, Governor Josh Green signed an emergency proclamation on July 17, aimed at addressing the pressing issue of housing affordability.
With housing costs soaring and the dream of homeownership becoming increasingly out of reach for many local residents, Mayor Blangiardi supports the intent of the proclamation.
The Emergency Proclamation reflects extensive input from state and county agencies that provided details on process maps, application checklists, common areas of approval delays, and recommended touchpoints for engagement.
Please see the Emergency Proclamation Relating to Housing here.
Through the Governor’s Emergency Proclamation, a streamlined process has been put in place to accelerate housing production while maintaining the highest standards of quality. For questions regarding this Emergency Proclamation and the Build Beyond Barriers Working Group, please contact the Governor’s Office on Housing at gov.housing@hawaii.gov.
Now, a collaborative eff ort by the state and all four counties will seek to streamline the regulatory processes for the development of 50,000 housing units over the next five years. Under the emergency proclamation, we will work with the state’s Build Beyond Barriers Working Group to fast track affordable housing projects and speed up the construction of new housing units. The 22-person working group includes representatives from the City, including the mayor’s office and the Department of Planning and Permitting. At Honolulu Hale, Mayor Blangiardi is also bolstering the City’s affordable housing capabilities by bringing on two experts on development and land management.
Kevin Auger joins the City after leaving his post as redevelopment officer at the Hawai‘i Public Housing Authority (HPHA), where since 2017 he has directed all phases of public and affordable housing activities for HPHA’s 82-property multifamily portfolio, including procurement and selection of development partners. Kevin will serve the City as deputy director of the Mayor’s Office of Housing.
And at the Department of Land Management, which handles all of the City’s real estate transactions, Keith Suzuka joins as deputy director. Suzuka is a skilled attorney with more than 30 years of experience in business law as well as residential and commercial real estate, both in the U.S. and Japan. Prior to joining the Department of Land Management, Suzuka was a partner with McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon LLP. The latest appointments come as part of the mayor’s commitment to finding comprehensive solutions to the housing crisis and fostering sustainable growth in the city.
To read more stories included in this month’s edition, visit: https://www.oneoahu.org/newsletter