The following testimony was submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii for consideration by the Honolulu City Council on Sept. 4, 2024.
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Sept. 4, 2024, 10 a.m
Honolulu Hale
To: Honolulu City Council
Tommy Waters, Chair
Esther Kiaʻāina, Vice Chair
From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns
RE: Bill 39 (2024) — RELATING TO BUILDING PERMITS
Aloha Chair Waters, Vice-Chair Kiaʻāina and other members of the Council,
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii supports Bill 39 CD1 (2024), which would remove the affidavit requirements for individuals and businesses applying for building permits.
Current law requires an affidavit that shows ownership of the lot where the building permit would be used, and paperwork that states the owner has no outstanding fines or liens payable to the city.
However, these rules can make it more difficult for some owners, such as businesses or individuals who own multiple lots, to receive building permits. Some applicants might struggle to obtain an affidavit in a timely fashion. For others, an outstanding fine on one property could prevent them from receiving a building permit to do work on another.
Removing this bit of red tape would be a step toward making Honolulu’s building permit process more efficient.
However, Grassroot prefers the previous version of Bill 39 to the current draft. The requirement that names and contact information for every contractor and subcontractor be provided in each building permit application is likely to create further delay or confusion, thereby frustrating the intent of the bill. Wherever possible, we suggest removing some of these extraneous requirements.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
Ted Kefalas
Director of Strategic Campaigns
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
