The following testimony was submitted by the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii for consideration by the House Committee on Housing on March 21, 2025.
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March 21, 2025, 9 a.m.
Hawaii State Capitol
Conference Room 430 and Videoconference
To: House Committee on Housing
Rep. Luke Evslin, Chair
Rep. Tyson Miyake, Vice-Chair
From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns
RE: HR60/HCR66 — REQUESTING THE STATE BUILDING CODE COUNCIL TO ADOPT, AMEND, OR UPDATE THE STATE BUILDING CODE TO AUTHORIZE POINT ACCESS BLOCK CONSTRUCTION FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS UP TO SIX STORIES IN THE STATE.
Aloha Chair Evslin, Vice-Chair Miyake and other members of the Committee,
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii supports HR60/HCR66, which would request that the State Building Code Council allow “point access block” construction for residences up to six stories. “Point access block” refers to buildings with only one means of egress — in other words, one staircase. Honolulu County authorized such buildings in 2020.[1]
Stephen Smith, executive director of the Center for Building in North America, has documented that allowing single-stair apartment buildings could slash land costs for homebuilders[2] — one of the most significant cost components of construction in Hawaii.
In addition to Honolulu, New York City and Seattle permit single-stair apartment buildings, as do numerous Asian and European countries. Hawaii should join their lead and take this proposed small step toward solving its housing crisis.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
Ted Kefalas
Director of Strategic Campaigns,
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
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[1] Alex Horowitz, “Small Single-Stairway Apartment Buildings Have Strong Safety Record,” Pew Charitable Trusts, Feb. 27, 2025.
[2] “Staircase proposal could be small step toward more housing,” Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, Aug. 8, 2023.
