Bill > HB1013

This bill establishes a new incentive program for developing "farm cluster housing" on important agricultural lands in Hawaii, designed to address the lack of affordable housing for farmers and farm employees. The bill allows landowners or lessees of designated important agricultural lands to apply for permits to develop housing clusters, with specific conditions: housing must be at least ten acres, units can only be leased to active farmers or farm employees, and the housing area cannot exceed five percent of the total lot or ten acres. Counties are required to create ordinances that facilitate this housing, including priority permit processing and exemptions from typical subdivision rules. The housing units must meet building codes, cannot be used for short-term vacation rentals, and are restricted to agricultural workers. The bill repeals previous restrictions on farm dwellings and employee housing, replacing them with this more flexible cluster housing approach. The goal is to support agricultural viability by making it easier for farmers and agricultural workers to live near their workplace while minimizing the conversion of agricultural land to residential use.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance, Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=1013&year=2026