Stress In Hawaii Over Affordable Housing Shortage

The homeless population increases in Oahu, and the entire state of Hawaii struggles with a shortage of affordable housing. To deal with the problem, state officials have said that 30,000 housing units will be needed in the next two years.

1 minute read

November 22, 2006, 1:00 PM PST

By Nate Berg

"The lack of affordable housing has become one of the state's most critical issues. High home prices and rents have put a home out of reach for thousands of Hawaii's residents and contributed to the state's homeless problem."

"The Legislature dedicated almost $50 million to affordable housing and homeless initiatives in the last session. Meanwhile, in response to a homelessness crisis on the Leeward Coast, Gov. Linda Lingle has moved to provide emergency shelters."

Officials are expecting that public-privte partnerships will be essential to solving the shortage.

"'You definitely need a public-private partnership because it doesn't underwrite to do affordable or even transitional housing. There isn't enough income coming in to support the amount of debt that a project would have to support,' said Gary Furuta, project manager for the nonprofit Hawaii Housing Development Corp."

"Furuta said the 'biggest problem' with public-private partnerships is the financial gap that developers have to fill when building low-income housing."

FULL STORY: Honolulu struggles to provide low-cost housing

Sunday, November 19, 2006 in The Chicago Tribune

Housing Hawaii

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