Bill > SB534

This bill addresses residential development in the Kakaako Makai area of Honolulu, specifically focusing on parcels owned by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA). The bill clarifies the process for approving residential developments, raising building height limits to 400 feet and maximum floor area ratio to 10.0 for certain parcels. It requires that at least 50% plus one residential unit must be allocated to households earning up to 140% of the area median income, with priority given to essential workers in industries like healthcare, hospitality, education, law enforcement, civil service, and construction. The bill limits residential unit sales to owner-occupants only and establishes a Kakaako Makai association fee to be collected from residents and deposited into a special OHA account to fund various services and projects in the area. Additionally, the bill mandates environmental impact assessments, nuisance mitigation plans, and sea level rise adaptation strategies for proposed developments. The legislation also establishes a working group to plan the eventual transfer of the Kakaako Community Development District's functions from the Hawaii Community Development Authority to the City and County of Honolulu, with a five-year transition period beginning July 1, 2025.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Justice

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=534&year=2026