HONOLULU — Affordable housing advocates have erected a small home on the grounds of the Hawaii state Capitol.
The 400-square-foot studio was built there to showcase the growing interest in units that can be built alongside existing homes.
Supporters see the units as a way to increase Hawaii’s affordable housing. But opponents worry the units could over-burden crowded neighborhoods.
Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell said so-called “accessory dwelling units” can help elderly homeowners on a fixed income or first-time homebuyers earn rental income.
“Renting this unit allows them to gain income to help pay the mortgage,” Caldwell said. “It could work both ways and help keep people on their properties both when they’re young or when they’re old.”
The city is waiving about $10,000 in sewer and permitting fees to encourage homeowners to apply, and about 120,000 lots on Oahu could accommodate an extra unit, Caldwell said. To date, the city has approved about 150 out of nearly 1,400 applications. Nearly 250 were denied, mainly because the properties couldn’t support additional sewer needs, he said.
“It’s a way to build affordable housing without a government subsidy, and that’s pretty much un-heard of,” said Gavin Thornton, co-executive director of the nonprofit Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice. “It’s not going to solve the affordable housing crisis by any means, but it is a piece of the puzzle.”
Thornton’s group partnered with Habitat for Humanity Hawaii to build the home on the Capitol lawn, relying on volunteer builders and donations of lumber and supplies from local companies.
Accessory dwelling units typically cost $60,000 to $80,000 to build, Caldwell said.
The display home at the Capitol has a small kitchen area, a bathroom with a shower and tub and a washing machine and clothes dryer. Solar panels are installed on the roof, and there are porches on two sides of the building.
