The following testimony was submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii for consideration by the Senate Committees on Housing and Water and Land on Feb. 1, 2024.
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Feb. 1, 2024, 1 p.m.
Hawaii State Capitol
Conference Room 225 and Videoconference
To: Senate Committee on Housing
Sen. Stanley Chang, Chair
Sen. Troy N. Hashimoto, Vice-Chair
Senate Committee on Water and Land
Sen. Lorraine R. Inouye, Chair
Sen. Brandon J.C. Elefante, Vice-Chair
From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns
RE: COMMENTS IN SUPPORT OF SB2018 — RELATING TO HOUSING
Aloha Chairs Chang and Inouye and Committee Members,
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii would like to offer its support for SB2018, which would prohibit the counties from reducing the allowable density of a parcel or zoning district unless the county also enacts measures to ensure there is no net loss in allowable residential density throughout the county.
Basically, HB2018 would prevent counties from exacerbating the housing crisis. When a county changes a zoning ordinance to reduce the amount of housing that is allowed in a certain zone, it reduces the potential housing supply.
These sorts of “downzonings” have occurred in the past. For example, in 1973, Honolulu lowered the density of a parcel zoned for apartment use and the owner sued in response.[1]
More recently, some iterations of Honolulu’s land-use reform bill included downzoning provisions. One draft would have limited the lot area of farm dwellings beyond the current limitations in city code.[2]
SB2018 would not strip the counties of the power to downzone entirely. But it would maintain a balance by allowing them to downzone a parcel or a zoning classification, but only if they upzone another area of land so as to retain or increase the total allowable housing in the county.
That particular draft of Honolulu’s land-use reform bill would likely have qualified under the balanced approach of SB2018, as it included several amendments to increase the housing stock. However, a state law would ensure that the housing supply is protected from future downzoning.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
Ted Kefalas
Director of Strategic Campaigns
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
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[1] David Callies, “Land Use: Herein of Vested Rights, Plans, and the Relationship of Planning and Controls,” University of Hawai’i Law Review, 1979, pp. 171-172.
[2] See Bill 10 (2022), CD1, p. 21; Revised Ordinances of Honolulu, § 21-5.250 Farm dwellings., accessed Jan. 20, 2024.
