Hawai‘i County Council also approves Grassroot-supported ADU bill on first reading

from Grassroot Institute

A Grassroot-supported bill that would streamline the county's permitting of accessory dwelling units to help ease the island's housing crisis was approved on first reading by the Hawai‘i County Council on Wednesday.

In a news report yesterday about the bill, Hawaii Tribune-Herald reporter Michael Brestovansky wrote that Bill 123 must pass one final reading at a future Council meeting before being enrolled to the mayor’s office.

Grassroot has testified more than a half-dozen times in favor of Bill 123, which seeks to abolish the county's existing “ohana dwelling” permit, redefine ohana dwellings as “accessory dwelling units,” make changes to where and how such units are allowed to be built, and allow guest houses and ADUs to be built on the same lots.

The Council's action on the bill occurred on the same day that a commentary by Grassroot policy researcher Jonathan Helton supporting the bill was published in the Hawaii Tribune-Herald.

Headlined "Council bill could ease housing shortage," Helton's article noted that Bill 123, introduced by Council members Heather Kimball and Ashley Kierkiewicz, would "make it easier for homeowners to build ohana or accessory dwelling units in the county’s urban areas such as Hilo, Kona and Waimea."

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Grassroot pushes for tax relief, housing, simpler permitting and roadside vending

from Grassroot Institute

The Hawai‘i and Honolulu county councils have been chock full of measures lately intended to provide property tax relief, increase housing stock and streamline permitting rules.

The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii has been there to cheer on those bills, as well as make suggestions when an amendment could make a good bill even better.

One other measure that caught Grassroot's attention this week was Hawai‘i County's Bill 184, which would legalize roadside vending for certain types of entrepreneurs to increase income opportunities for Hawaii residents.

County of Hawai‘i

>> Bill 121 — "Strict STR proposals need further review"

>> Bill 123 — "Proposed ADU changes would meet general plan objectives"

>> Bill 144 — "Lifting beekeeping rules would be ‘a major positive change’"

>> Bill 184 — "Permit roadside vending to open up opportunities"

City and County of Honolulu

>> Bill 39 — "Remove affidavit requirements to simplify permitting process"

>> Bill 40 — "Expand self-certification for certain energy-related projects"

>> Bill 45 (2024) — "Raise tax credit eligibility now to stay ahead of AMI increases"

>> Bill 47 — "Follow Maui’s example, grant ‘aina kupuna’ tax exemption"

>> Bill 48 CD1 (2024) — "Tax rollback wording hurts aim of long-term rentals bill"

>> Bill 49 — "Amend Bill 49 to counter distortionary effect of assessment caps"

>> Bill 51 — "Ease adaptive-reuse rules to encourage homebuilding"

>> Bill 53 — "Reduce delays by reducing some SMA permit reviews"