It seems that we hear about “affordable housing and rentals” in the news daily.
Of course, the usual targets of the political hacks and their cadre of supporters are the wealthy, TVRs and other handy bogeymen. Convenient scapegoats that direct your attention away from the real problem … government that obstructs rezoning and in general interferes with the ability of individuals and businesses to build housing by rules and regulations and a dreadful permitting process. All of these mechanisms reduce the supply of housing and in the face of growing demand force up the prices.
One of the state’s mandates for people wishing to build is that of solar water heating. This, of course, adds to the cost of building and to the immediate unaffordability of housing.
Solar may well offset the cost of electricity in the long term and allow the owner to recover the cost of the system, but this should be a decision voluntarily made by homeowners, not forced on them by government. After all it’s the individual that pays his or her energy bills … not the government.
Up until recently a home owner could submit to the state what is called a gas variance request. By doing so, they could opt for installing an on-demand gas water heater at roughly a third of the solar system’s cost. This was a good thing that provided an economical option for people not wanting to spend thousands more for a solar water heating system. However, that may soon change.
A lawsuit brought against the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism by the Hawaii Solar Energy Association and the Sierra Club is awaiting a final order from Hawaii Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey Crabtree.
If the judge rules in favor of the plaintiffs you will no longer have the option of utilizing an on-demand gas water heater. Instead, you will be forced to spend at least three times as much for a solar system. (On demand system =$2,000-$2,500; solar system =$8,000-$12,000 depending on size required)
This lawsuit is a blatant attempt by the association that represents companies in the solar business to garner a windfall for its members (the term “economic fascism” comes to mind). They have conveniently, cynically perhaps, associated themselves with the Sierra Club to give unthinking people the idea that this is all about the environment.
That is probably the motivation of the Sierra Club, misguided as it is, but certainly not for the HSEA.
No matter what, this gives us a window into how many of the rules forced on homebuilders and property owners are at their essence instigated by narrow special interests that garner government force and coercion in their favor. This costs Hawaii’s people millions of dollars and contributes substantially to the high cost of housing and rentals.
I’ve often thought that all the rancor over TVRs has its roots in the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association’s lobbying with county and state politicians.
If you will remember, one of our past county councilmembers was from the hotel industry and he was actively anti-TVR. But the distraction mouthed by many — especially those incapable of critical thinking — is that TVRs are one of the causes of unaffordable housing and rentals … a claim with absolutely no basis in fact and one never verified by legitimate research findings.
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Randy Weir is a resident of Kapaa.
New homes must have a system to dispose of human waste. It is cheaper to install a cesspool rather than a septic system if no sewer hook-up is available. Are you advocating that builders be allowed to install cesspools instead of septic systems because they are cheaper, even though it pollutes our Island? I’m sure the septic industry benefits but so does the environment by requiring septic over cesspool. Sometimes, the common good outweighs the developer’s cost of building. If the home costs more and renewable energy is the culprit, so be it. In the long run, we all benefit.
James, do you really believe that septic systems do not polute our island? What happens to the pollutants in a septic system? Do they just magically vanish? Are the pollutants not still present in the liquid part of our waste that is allowed to seep down into the ground? A bigger question is, why didn’t our county government continue to use our tax dollars to install sewer systems and treatment plants throughout the island? It’s all part of the frivolous neglect of the infrastructure while allowing more building and more population.
Mr Weir is correct, but maybe in a “perfect world”, where everyone is as intelligent as he. Where everyone is gifted with good common sense. But in absence of that, which in my opinion is blatantly evident now days, some government control is necessary to protect us from the “intellectually challenged”.
Manufacturers of motorcycle helmets, infant car seats, solar water systems, septic systems and other things have all benefited from government mandates. But so has the many who labor to manufacture those products and build those systems.
If Mr. Weir had a TVR next door to his million dollar home, maybe he’d feel differently about the control of TVRs.
mr. Weir had one TVR next door for many years…
Good Points Randy! We hear 1/8 homes on Kauai are TVR and that its all those nasty white people from the mainland that pollute, ruin the roads cause noise and bring drugs to the island. Perhaps Kauai should look in the mirror and wake up and demand more from its local leaders.
Is almost become pathetic to read, decade after decade the same old story line. Traffic, TVR, trash and noise all caused by Tourist.
The regulations to build, permit fees, time and hurdles placed require thousands of dollars. In the 50’s it was cool to say no building can be higher than a palm tree. The problem with that is in the 50’s & 60″s you did not have 80,000 residents calling Kauai home and a need for low cost housing.
The State of Hawaii is the largest land owner on Kauai, its time to wake up Kauai and demand the State provide land, reduce restrictions on building and allow capitalism to prosper on Kauai. If renting ones house out helps local families keep up with the high cost to live on Kauai why on gods earth is the County trying to stop.
Several of the leaders in Kauai our connected to big business and likely will see Kauai as status quo that appear to still blame tourist for every problem on Kauai.
I never read about real issues on Kauai such as the drug problem, shortage of teachers, shortage of high paying jobs or hotels that hire non US citizens that helps keep wages low at the hotels. Its always the same old rhetoric that any problem Kauai has is caused by those nasty Haoloe from the mainland.
This is a very true statement. Many children are deprived of great,guiding and thoughtful teachers because of the low teacher salary. This is by design. Giving all the money to beauracratic entitys is the top down design of the education system. The point is to make people just smart enough to work for the system but not realize that their lives are wasted in the meantime. Add in magic sky
Wizards on Sunday and the picture is clear. Wake up and stop the magic hamster wheel to nowhere. Politicians are bought and payed for by the very entities that are impoverishing the commons and funneling it all to the top. It is too late for the failed experiment of humankind but let us at least tell the poor children the truth in the anthropothene.
Wow, lack of critical thinkers? Hawai’ian Kingdom subjects are as dumbed down by the capitalist “terrorists ” as they can get…. something has got to give before the Islands implode from dirty money laundering and corruption as the stasis quo….
Please re educate yourself about the present development of Hawai’ian Kingdom Independence…. at
HAWAIIANKINGDOM.ORG
Well said, Randy. Mahalo
Demand will always out pace supply, no matter how many homes are built here on Kauai.
Allowing ADU units on agriculture zoned land is one way to promote affordable housing and help farmers too. Not necessary to punish all because some have illegally allowed vacation renters!
County needs to allow ADU on agriculture zoned land- help with housing crisis and help farmers too. Not necessary to punish all because some ag zoned land owners have allowed vacation rentals.
Solar water is proven technology that works. It saves energy costs for the homeowner and is good for the earth. I just bought a condo and have a need to get new windows. I wish the previous owner had paid the cost, because I am having trouble finding the cash. This is the reality of a new homeowner. Certain items that are good for Kauai’s health, safety and energy grid are best done at the swap of owners. Solar water, septic tanks, and testing potable water at health are the three I believe in the most.
bring back trash burning while you’re at it
Thank you for your insightful ideas. Cost of the solar will cost them more money. But in the long run actually save on gas, and make the environment more less fuel dependent and more solar dependent for its energy use. The problem, homeowners cannot spend more on solar, as their income does not meet the demands for a higher cost to solar system. My point being, politically, we cannot rely on fame and popular thinking politics as the once Bernard p. Carvalho jr. was, or the Kirk Caldwell is to the rail transit. They are for the media only. There must be a better solution. Getting the funds to the people so they can buy solar. This is where the problem lies. How to get more solar and installing them to every households.
For capitalism. For the engineers owning everything in sight. And make a ton of money off the solar panels being installed. And not for the politicians trying to get the money for the engineers. Federal money.
If you’re bringing in special groups, like AJA baseball, they will only advocate failing. Bernard P. Carvalho jr. will try to say something when he is actually unknown now. There is no Bernard P. Carvalho jr.. He cannot represent this failed group called AJA baseball. This is one area of fame that the so called politics will try to hit or accentuate. That is why I don’t like politics here.
Lastly, keep politics out of this. If a engineer will benefit by him or she selling their product to households, I would not mind they making a hefty profit off this venture. Say, $6,500 dollars for one solar household panel. $25,000 dollars for commercial use. Think how wealthy the engineers will get. I for one am pulling for any engineer who can make money off this venture in Hawai’i or in any state. This will be good for the business of engineering. Chalk one up for engineering and the benefits it produced.