Hunting for a new place in renters purgatory

Arjuna Heim, director of housing policy for the Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, says Hawaiʻi isn’t building enough housing—and that leads to high rental prices. She says all the studies point to that explanation.

Coules has a place to live but she’s not happy with it. However, all of the alternatives she’s found since moving in would be “like a lateral move for me,” she says. “Why move out of my place to go live somewhere just as crappy or crappier?”

With no imminent pressure to move and a flexible remote work schedule, she can look at homes during the day – an option not available to all home hunters. Listings will often include details about open houses on specific days, saying, “Come if you can.” She says, “I feel like it’s so rare you find a dream apartment here, though.”