Hawaiʻi will need nearly 60,000 additional housing units by 2050 to meet future demand, with much of that need driven by an aging population and rising housing costs, according to a new analysis prepared for AARP Hawaiʻi.
The study, prepared by ECOnorthwest through AARP’s Livable Communities Technical Advisors Program, finds that rising housing costs and limited supply are making it harder for residents to remain in their communities as they age and are also driving workingage residents and young families out of the state.
“As the report notes, housing affordability isn’t just a housing issue. It’s a family issue, a workforce issue and a health issue,” said Keali’i Lopez, AARP Hawai’i State Director. “It’s not just about kupuna needing affordable housing. When a lack of affordable housing forces young working families to leave Hawai‘i, the impacts are felt across generations. The question becomes not only where our children and grandchildren will live, but who will care for our aging parents and grandparents if families can no longer afford to stay.”…