Urging The Hawaii Housing Finance And Development Corporation To Develop A Plan To Produce Sufficient Housing To Meet The State's Demand.
Summary
SR45 is a Senate resolution urging the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation (HHFDC) to develop a comprehensive plan to produce enough housing to meet Hawaii’s demand. The resolution is grounded in findings that Hawaii faces a severe housing shortage, that housing production has lagged behind need, and that current production has been concentrated too narrowly in low-income rental units financed with low-income housing tax credits. It cites data from the 2019 Hawaii Housing Planning Study showing substantial unmet demand across a broader range of income levels, especially for middle-income rental housing and ownership units.
The resolution asks HHFDC to include several specific elements in its plan: identification of suitable sites and density levels, strategies to maximize walkability and density, an efficient and sustainable financing strategy, assessment of staffing and government capacity needs, and approaches to overcome barriers such as land availability, infrastructure, and financing constraints. HHFDC is also requested to submit the plan to the Legislature before the 2026 Regular Session. As a resolution, SR45 does not itself change statutory law or create binding program requirements, but it directs agency planning and signals legislative priorities for future housing policy and funding decisions.
Impact
SR45 has no direct statutory effect and does not amend the Hawaii Revised Statutes. Its practical impact is to place legislative pressure on HHFDC to produce a statewide housing production plan that addresses both affordable and market-rate needs, with attention to site selection, density, infrastructure, and financing. The resolution may influence future appropriations, agency planning, and housing development policy by broadening focus beyond a narrow low-income rental segment to a wider range of income groups and ownership opportunities.
Sentiment
The overall sentiment around SR45 appears supportive and problem-focused. The bill’s findings frame housing scarcity as an urgent statewide issue affecting families, workforce retention, and out-migration, and the committee vote reflects clear approval: the Senate Housing Committee passed the measure with amendments by a 4-0 vote. The discussion context provided does not show recorded opposition, suggesting broad agreement on the need for a more strategic housing production plan.
Contention
The main point of contention embedded in the resolution is not whether Hawaii has a housing shortage, but how HHFDC should respond. The bill criticizes what it describes as overbuilding in a narrow market of low-income rental units and argues for a broader financing and production strategy that better matches demand, including middle-income rentals and ownership housing. Potential areas of debate include where to site new housing, how much density to pursue, how to fund infrastructure and development, and how to balance affordable housing goals with broader market demand. These issues are raised as planning questions for HHFDC rather than resolved in the text itself.