Yes, in my backyard! Putting affordable housing in my backyard is totally fine, and if government just gives me a little help — I’ll build it myself.
Like tens of thousands of homeowners across Hawai’i on every island, I’m allowed by law to build behind my existing home an additional dwelling unit (ADU), a guest house, ohana unit, or an additional rental unit (ARU) (different county’s call them different names).
I’d love to build a small rental unit for family (or for my wife and I when we get old) and/or to rent out for some extra retirement income.
Because the county offers property tax breaks for owners who rent at affordable rates, and because I want to do what’s right for family and community, I’d be happy to keep the rent of this new unit at truly affordable levels.
The law however requires me (and everyone else) to upgrade my cesspool to a septic system which could add up to $50,000 or more to the cost of construction.
If the state of Hawai’i would cover the first $50,000 of the costs via an affordable housing construction grant, thousands of existing homeowners across the island chain (including myself) would jump at the opportunity to build a little ohana unit out back.
Of course any such state grant must have strings attached to ensure that rents on the new unit remain affordable and short-term vacation rentals, and speculative sales, are prohibited.
Yes, if the state would help existing homeowners pay for that cesspool conversion/expansion or other startup construction costs, many would jump at the chance to build that little rental.
Better yet, the state could partner with the county and offer a “twofer.” For those affordable ohana units that break ground within one year and complete construction within 24 months (or whatever time frame is reasonable), both the county and the state could kick in $50,000 for a total $100,000 benefit.
Yes, strings must be attached to ensure long term affordability. But, a $100,000 incentive to help with construction costs would be a huge motivator for local residents to do what they’ve always wanted to do anyway, build that ohana unit in the back. And build it now.
Think about the benefits.
There’s no need for massive infrastructure upgrades that take decades to complete because these new homes are disbursed across existing neighborhoods.
There are almost zero environmental or cultural impacts for the same reasons.
There’s no need to suspend any law whatsoever.
The financial benefits of this affordable housing construction subsidy would go into the pockets of local residents hiring local contractors, and not exported to off-island developers hiring off-island contractors.
Zero land need to be rezoned, there’s zero increased urban sprawl, and zero loss of valuable agricultural lands.
To put icing on the cake, the entire thing could be structured so it’s “risk free” for the county and state government.
The state could provide its $50,000 as a low interest loan that converts to a grant upon completion of the affordable unit (with appropriate affordability protections in place).
All or a portion of the county’s $50,000 contribution could be via a long-term property tax credit, on taxes that the County would not be getting anyway unless the new unit was built.
Tell me please, what’s there not to like about this?
Yes, it leaves all of the big developers and big landowners out, and provides tangible financial help to regular local residents. But that’s what makes the whole idea even more better.
•••
Gary Hooser served eight years in the state Senate, where he was majority leader. He also served for eight years on the Kaua‘i County Counci. He presently writes on Hawaii Policy and Politics at www.garyhooser.blog.
As usual…progressive Gary sees the solution to a county/state problem as more state/county involvement and all ready overburdened taxpayers subsidizing others. Why not simply change the “rules” for Ohana units slated for “affordable” rental?
In other words…government needs to just get the h_ll out of the way. Find any housing problem (actually, any problem) and at its root you will always find some government obstruction or corruption.
But Gary and other government types are blind when it comes to seeing where the responsibilities lie for people’s problems…time for them to look in the mirror.
RSW
Aloha Gary, how about free use of existing plans for 500sq ft or 800 sq ft houses…at basically copy paste or photpcopy it would speed the permit process not making county plan check and planning people go over every detail to plans already approved on island. Quicker permitting.
Gary. Septic tanks do have an environmental impact and a high density of septic tanks in an area have a very large impact. The island does need more housing however shifting this crisis to the citizen to remedy is parellel to the campaign to recycle. “People start polution, people can stop it”. While that isn’t an non-truth it is not a solution and it was corporations way of passing the impact to the citizen and obsolving themself of responsibility. We have since realized this and begun to regulate industries such as plastics. The goverment is really the one that is responsible for housing. We need infrastructure. If the county as a whole does not want added infrastructure because they don’t want growth, they should be transparent about their mission statement. If they want to have growth and affordable housing it starts with them and grants and tax relief to developers and infrastructure. I love you Gary but not for asking our environment to take a hit only to realize that we have to react and clean up later down the line.
I will tell what’s not to like: Spending $100K in taxpayer dollars to fund your rental. Off the wall crazy.
Frankly, I’m somewhat surprised (not) that a law that was passed under some highly “tainted” circumstances is still being enforced, and hasn’t been challenged in court. I’m talking about the “cesspool to septic” requirement.