Everyday we hear about the housing crisis that communities are experiencing locally, statewide and across the nation: record median prices for homes, limited housing inventory available for purchase or rent, a steady widening of the gap between home prices and household income levels, island residents leaving the state because of out of reach housing costs, and a growing number of individuals and families that are at-risk or currently experiencing homelessness.
In the poem “Shoulders,” Shane Koyczan writes, “The most alarming part of the statement ‘we are facing crisis’ isn’t the word ‘crisis’, it’s the word ‘we’ because those two letters take the responsibility away from one and rest it squarely on the shoulders of everybody.”
Recognizing the need for a multisector approach to address the complex challenges that contribute to the crisis, the Hawaii Island Housing Coalition brings together stakeholders representing business, philanthropy, social services, government, and community to implement strategies that are informed by disaggregated county-level data to address a broad spectrum of housing needs in our community.
The vision of the coalition is to reduce the shelter burden for Hawaii Island residents by providing a spectrum of housing options. Over 30% of Hawaii County residents are shelter-burdened, paying more than 30% of their income toward shelter costs.
Consider this: The current median sales price of a single-family home on Hawaii Island tops $550,000. A 20% down payment and 30-year mortgage financing would result in a monthly mortgage payment of approximately $2,221. With the addition of a modest $400 for utilities, the total monthly “shelter” cost for the homeowner is $2,621. To remain below the shelter burden threshold of 30% of the household income, the homeowner would need to have an annual income of $104,840.
Understanding that the housing crisis is fueled by supply and demand, Core Teams of the Housing Coalition aim to increase home production, preservation and workforce housing, support land use policy that promotes equity and affordability, support the development of vacant parcels tied to infrastructure, and establish a revolving fund for housing options.
Stakeholders meet monthly to share data, provide Core Team updates, monitor current housing initiatives to support through public testimony, and hear from subject matter experts locally and nationally who are implementing innovative solutions to address housing shortfalls.
Although we are experiencing and witnessing the myriad of personal challenges and difficulties with housing, all is not doom and gloom. Political will is shifting, and more attention is being given to this issue. Local proof and evidence is the recent passage of Bill 111 by the Hawaii County Council that will establish a fund to support programs and development aimed at addressing homelessness and housing. The source of the funds will come from real property tax collected on tier-two properties or those valued at $2 million or more. The passage of such legislation is an example of the type of solutions that can be implemented and the need to identify more.
Over the past two years, Vibrant Hawaii, a nonprofit dedicated to multisector collaboration and partnership has formed and supported multisector working groups focused on community-led solutions to address complex issues affecting our community: economy, education, health and well-being, resilience hubs and housing.
Vibrant Hawaii’s mission is to empower the Hawaii community by increasing equitable opportunities, shifting deficit narratives and systems, and implementing strategies that are developed and resourced by the community and reflect native intelligence. To learn more, visit www.vibranthawaii.org.
Darryl Oliveira is the co-chair of Vibrant Hawaii’s Hawaii Island Housing Coalition.
Through this series, the Hawaii Island Housing Coalition aims to raise awareness about the growing challenges and collective efforts to meet the housing needs in our community and address the wide range of barriers contributing to the crisis.