Hunting for a new place in renters purgatory
How four O‘ahu residents navigate fees, scams, unanswered calls, intrusive rules and housing options that run from “crappy and crappier.”
UHERO offers ‘uncertainties’ over Council’s proposed empty-homes tax
The University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization offered more insights over the potential ramifications of an implemented empty homes tax on Oʻahu.
Honolulu City Council bill aimed at taxing empty homes advances
The Honolulu City Council Budget committee narrowly advanced a measure that would tax properties left vacant by up to 3 percent.
Honolulu City Council’s empty-homes tax measure advances
The Honolulu City Council’s Budget Committee voted 3–2 to advance Bill 46, which could tax a vacant real property by as much as 3 percent.
The empty homes tax: A promising step on affordable housing—if we get it right
The Honolulu City Council is considering legislation with the potential to bring much-needed assistance to a market out of reach for many.
Honolulu empty homes tax proposal advances
At 3 percent, annual revenue could be about $180 million, according to a recent estimate from Hawaiʻi Appleseed.
Report backs empty-homes tax to address housing crisis on Oʻahu
To address investment-driven purchases and support affordable housing for working families, Appleseed recommended a 3–5 percent tax, which could generate annual revenue ranging from $183 million to $305 million.
Short term rentals, long term issues for Hawaiʻi County
According to an analysis by the Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice, one in 24 homes on Hawaiʻi Island are short term rentals – 52% of which are owned by non-Hawaiʻi residents.
Climate disasters are an affordable housing problem
U.S. policymakers need to think about affordable housing as part of their resiliency strategies. The next Lahaina could be a hurricane in the Gulf Coast, a storm in the Northeast or a massive wildfire in California. Having a healthy stock of protected and affordable housing should be part of our cities’ climate emergency plans.
Caring for the community
Kaiser Permanente has a hand in helping Hawaiʻi in many different ways, from responding to the needs of Maui residents to helping nonprofits care for the land.
An Oʻahu teacher’s futile apartment hunt shows how bad the rental market is
Housing policy advocates say Helen Lau's story is all too common amid Honolulu's housing crisis.
Governor Green enacts historic tax relief for working class
Taxpayers could see higher paychecks starting next year. However, the tax cuts raise concerns about how the state will manage to balance the budget in the years ahead.
The gap between median home prices and household income in Hawaiʻi? It’s ‘scary’
Based on Honolulu’s median home price of $1,085,800 and median family income of $120,100, the index said a mortgage requires 73 percent of the median paycheck.
Lawmakers give final approval to a ‘historic’ income tax cut in long day of voting
The tax bill along with nearly 200 other measures now go to Gov. Josh Green for his consideration.
Leeward Planning panel to consider three STVR bills
The Leeward Planning Commission on Thursday will take up three highly controversial bills initiated by the Hawaiʻi County Council related to short-term vacation rentals.
Housing bill not fully developed
For the sake of community buy-in, and because this will impose changes statewide, it’s best to table the bill until counties have more opportunity to consider its value and collaborate with the state on shaping its requirements, argues the Star-Advertiser.
More housing in less space: Bill moving through legislature aims to increase densities in urban areas
The bill has garnered support from a diverse group: all four county planning directors, the Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice, the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii and AARP of Hawaiʻi.
Rethinking Hawaiʻi’s conveyance tax
Hawaiʻi stands at the critical decision point in investing in our housing needs: The enactment of HB2364 holds the promise of a brighter, more inclusive future for all residents.
As Filipinos grapple with high rent, what is the state planning this legislative session?
Locals and new locals coming together in a limited space have produced the perfect storm for a rental crunch where low supply is lopsided by high demand, and the result is a hefty rental tag.
Proposed short-term rental rules on Big Island met with overwhelming opposition
The county’s first attempt to regulate short-term rentals was in November 2018 with the passage of Bill 108, which included some recommendations from a March 2018 Hawai‘i Appleseed report.