Duke and Lynn Announce Affordable Housing Plan

From www.AionaFinnegan.om

HONOLULU - Duke Aiona and Lynn Finnegan today issued their policy agenda for affordable housing in Hawai‘i.

"Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to live," said Duke Aiona. "We have a responsibility to encourage the construction of more affordable housing while keeping down the financial burden on our citizens."

An Aiona-Finnegan Administration will restore state funding that supports affordable housing developments; expedite approvals of affordable housing developments by nonprofits and organizations that excel in building new homes and new communities; accelerate the repair and renovation of public housing for low-income families and seniors; encourage public housing residents to transition to homeownership through rent-to-own and self-sufficiency programs; continue the greatly accelerated momentum of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands in awarding homesteads to Native Hawaiians; and maintain the state's commitment to shelter those without a place to live and work closely with the counties to fulfill their obligations to the homeless.

As part of the plan, as Governor, Duke Aiona will propose a budget that restores money to the State Rental Housing Trust fund and Dwelling Unit Revolving fund, which will include taking conveyance tax funds that have been diverted and putting them back into housing accounts. He will also work to put into place measures that will keep affordable housing funds from being raided.

He will make sure that state agencies reviewing housing developments make approving these projects a priority. He will also propose legislation to place time limits on the issuance of permits and approvals, which will help accelerate the construction of rental housing and new fee-simple homes.

He will pursue public-private partnerships to reconstruct, upgrade and manage public housing. An Aiona-Finnegan Administration will also extend to public housing residents the successful Homeownership Assistance Program launched by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, which helps renters become successful homeowners.

In addition, he will accelerate the annual cash payment received by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, providing $60 million in funding for fiscal year 2012 to expedite the reunification of more Hawaiian families with their own land. And he will draw upon his experiences working with those who provide substance abuse and mental health counseling to ensure that those who are homeless receive treatment and do not have to live on the streets.

The full plan can be accessed online at www.AionaFinnegan.com. Click here for a direct link to the plan.

Duke and Lynn have already issued their policy agendas for jobs and the economy, education, energy, transportation, health care, agriculture and environmental stewardship.

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