LIHUE Mayor Derek S. K. Kawakami signed five Additional Rental Unit bills on Tuesday that would waive permitting fees on additional rental units deemed affordable.
LIHUE — Mayor Derek S. K. Kawakami signed five Additional Rental Unit bills on Tuesday that would waive permitting fees on additional rental units deemed affordable.
“Mahalo to the Kauai County Council and introducers of these bills, Councilmembers Luke Evslin and Mason Chock, for your continued partnership to help our local families in need of housing,” he said. “The signing of these bills is one major step to increasing housing availability and helps alleviate the financial burden upon property owners.”
For many years I have maintained that the primary cause of rising housing costs was the constraints placed on supply by government interference, i.e. land use, zoning and density regulations and onerous permitting processes.
This article featuring Derek signing of five Additional Rental Unit bills proves that this is the case. After all, if government imposed restrictions as listed above did not cause a constraint on housing supplies & rising prices then this sort of legislation would be useless. However, that is not the case, and the powers that be darn well know it…or maybe they are just ignorant. By writing/signing these bills, politicians tacitly admit that the removal or easing of restrictions/rules/regulations that THEY have imposed, will result in an increase in the supply of housing units and a reduction in rental rates.
So the questions remains: why not repeal all causes of the current shortage of housing on Kauai–land use, zoning, density rules and regulations? Doing so would immediately produce an increased supply and eventual reduction in the cost of housing–new and rental. This would require politicians not just tacitly admit they have been the cause by passing bills and hoping the problem goes away…no, they would have to come right out and admit they have been and are misguided and wrong. Don’t hold your breath expecting that to happen anytime soon.
RG DeSoto
What are these bills?
Great coverage……. lol!
Bills created by lobbyists. This is capitalism and greed. The big box band was a huge success for certain families.
This is also the case in where McMansions build on AG land then used as TVR’s created huge money under the table deals like beer gate.
Kauai is getting pimped out like the rest of Hawaii and the local haves are trying to get crumbs from the local have nots while the foreign investors get the pot of gold.
This spin cycle is plantation style mentality where nepotism oppresses the island and state of Hawaii for the Uber wealthy and those who are attached to puppet strings.
How do we solve the problem? Get rid of the old and start with new. We need people in office that is not tied to the old plantation families. Even with these so called progressives, they are overmatched against the majority.
I have maintained for years that the single biggest threat to “affordable housing” is the increase in real estate speculation and transient vacation rentals. Combating this problem is as simple as:
1.) Implement a county ordinance that bars sellers from selling a property for more than its original purchase price for a term of 10 years. After the 10 year term is up, property can be sold at will. This will discourage short term “flipping” of properties. Housing should not be looked at as an investment when families who have lived here for generations can no longer afford even the most modest home.
2.) TVR permits should be barred from transfer, and no new permits should be issued. This discourages housing as an income stream. Existing TVRs will be grandfathered in, but once an owner decides to sell, it will be as a private home, no longer capable of generating $5000/week for out of state owners. This money does very little to benefit the community, as the owners (and profiteers) keep very little of the income generated in the local economy.
2 simple steps would make a WORLD of difference to families seeking a forever home here on Kauai. Of course, the county would NEVER agree to these terms, as it would severely cut down on tax income, something which the county of Kauai will not stand for under ANY circumstances. Instead lets allow developers to build entire subdivisions labeled “affordable housing” with prices starting at $500k. That should solve the problem right??