Questions of density, and how to add it to single-family neighborhoods, abound in this article focusing on Honolulu and other communities on Oahu.

Stewart Yerton reports for Honolulu Civil Beat on the growing controversies surrounding large homes, built as multi-family dwellings, in traditionally single-family neighborhoods in Oahu.
The article commences with the controversy created by a proposed development for a nine-bedroom house designed to house workers in the Pacific Heights area of Honolulu, home to historic houses and affluent neighbors. Yerton explains the zoning conundrum presented by the home:
The problem is the house was going to be in a quiet residential neighborhood of historic homes. And even if the structure technically met the density criteria allowed by Honolulu’s land-use ordinance, its apparent intended use – as essentially an apartment building or dormitory – simply wouldn’t be allowed in a place zoned for single-family homes.
The development proposal caught the attention of Patrick Smith, president of the Nuuanu/Punchbowl Neighborhood Board, which has an oversight role for the project as part of Oahu’s Neighborhood Board System, established in 1973. "We don’t want our neighborhood having apartment buildings," Smith is quoted as saying in the article.
The neighborhood board succeeded in killing the project, reports Yerton, but the example is far from the only residential development controversy on the island. Residents and policymakers across Oahu are rejecting multi-room houses, "known as 'monster homes,'" amidst a surge in housing costs. The question of how to add density on the island is unanswered, according to the article.
Previous efforts include Bill 7, adopted by the Hawaii State Legislature in 2019. According to Yerton, the bill's incentives for density in the form of redeveloped small homes and under-used, walk-up apartment buildings applies to 7,000 properties in the state but has produced zero new projects. More on Bill 7 is available from an article by Noelle Fujii-Oride for Hawaii Business, published earlier in February 2022.
The source article, linked below, goes into feature depth on the housing development and zoning specifics in Hawaii and Oahu, as well as one architect who recently managed to navigate the Bill 7 "gauntlet."
FULL STORY: More Housing In Honolulu Means More Density. Are Monster Homes The Only Way?

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Half of Post-Fire Altadena Home Sales Were to Corporations
Large investors are quietly buying up dozens of properties in Altadena, California, where a devastating wildfire destroyed more than 6,000 homes in January.

Opinion: What San Francisco’s Proposed ‘Family Zoning’ Could Really Mean
Mayor Lurie is using ‘family zoning’ to encourage denser development and upzoning — but could the concept actually foster community and more human-scale public spaces?

Jacksonville Launches First Autonomous Transit Shuttle in US
A fleet of 14 fully autonomous vehicles will serve a 3.5-mile downtown Jacksonville route with 12 stops.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont