If we want to solve Hawaii’s housing shortage, we need to embrace change.
My prime example at the moment is the importance of defending Act 39. State lawmakers enacted this landmark housing reform measure last year with the intent of expanding the use of accessory dwelling units as a way to help ease Hawaii’s housing crisis.
But a new resolution under consideration by the Honolulu City Council calls for its repeal, similar to how the Council officially opposed initial passage of the law in 2024. This is another sign of how hard it can be sometimes to enact historic legislation and make it stick.
More specifically, Act 39 gives Hawaii’s counties until the end of next year to let residents build two accessory dwelling units on their properties — a proven way to create more housing options without state funds or new development…