Regulations and permitting process are major deterrents to constructing affordable housing

During this recession, with layoffs and reduced income for many Maui residents, the need for affordable housing will continue to grow. And concurrently, the state and county budgets are shrinking.

As depressing as this sounds, we can remember that "necessity is the mother of invention" and that the "silver lining" of this cloud is that, if we can resist the temptation to lapse into fear-based thinking, we can rethink many long-held assumptions. One area of government policy that could definitely use scrutiny is zoning.

Historically, Maui has been a collection of small villages and plantation camps. During the 1960s and 1970s a segregated, automobile-based zoning system was imported from the Mainland. This was like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole and has contributed to many of the economic and housing issues that we now face.

In recognition of this problem on a statewide level, Gov. Linda Lingle established the Affordable Housing Regulatory Barriers Task Force in 2007. This is part of an ongoing effort to find solutions for the affordable housing shortage in the state. The task force will identify regulatory barriers that significantly increase the time and cost of construction, which include development fees, complicated permitting and approval processes, obsolete or duplicative building codes, outdated building methods and poor use of the latest technology.

Gov. Lingle has committed Hawaii to be an active participant in the U.S. Housing and Urban Development's nationwide effort to promote regulatory reform. The governor's task force has submitted six bills to the Legislature this session.

They include measures to streamline and coordinate with the counties the state Land Use Commission's approval process, allow state and county agencies to hire third-party reviewers to facilitate the processing and issuance of building permits, expedite project reviews for mixed-use housing and related infrastructure projects, set a 45-day time limit for state and county approvals of affordable housing permits and, finally, provide fee waivers and other incentives for building affordable housing. Working for state Rep. Rida Cabanilla, who chairs the House Housing Committee, I am witnessing firsthand the need for the state to cut back on all but crucial spending. Many nonprofits will have their disbursements either cut back or eliminated. Since significantly less money in the form of taxes will be coming in, the budgets will accordingly be that much smaller.

Now couldn't be a better time for introducing concrete, inexpensive solutions to our affordable housing crisis. We can tackle it at its roots. In real estate and construction, time is money. A streamlined approval process will save time and money, encouraging developers to build affordable housing and pass the savings on to the future homeowner or renter.

Much of Maui's affordable housing problem could be solved by removing regulatory barriers at the county level. During a housing/human services hearing on homelessness in Hawaii in January, a homeless services provider proposed allowing residents to board other residents as an additional housing option. This would give the homeowner/renter added income and an affordable alternative for single people not needing a house. Maui County code defines a "family" as "no more than five unrelated persons living together as a single housekeeping unit." I would favor expanding our definition of family so as to not leave some of our ohana out in the cold.

In order to efficiently change over to a better zoning plan, there exists a complete system known as "Smart Codes" that Maui can adopt. The system is more flexible and responsive to residents' needs, and can allow Maui County's communities to conform to the needs of our individual and collective ohana, while preserving our environment and building affordable housing.

Netra Halperin is legislative aide for state Rep. Rida Cabanilla, Waipahu-Honouliuli-West Loch-Ewa. Halperin was a candidate for the Maui County Council in 2008.