Grassroot views on housing reform going mainstream

by Keli'i Akina, Ph.D., President / CEO, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii

A U.S. senator recently made the following statement about the housing shortages across America. Can you guess who it was?

“Ask anyone who has tried to build anything — a shed, a patio, or an accessory dwelling unit for their in-laws. They will tell you that the moment you try to do something, there are endless procedural hurdles and regulatory barriers that immediately get in the way. … But the good news is this: If the government got us into this mess in the first place, it can help to get us out. And mainly, that means getting out of our own way and not preventing the very things that we say we like.”

Sounds like something I might have said, right? Actually, it was U.S. Senator Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii.

As president of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, I’ve been sharing similar thoughts for years, and it’s music to my ears to hear our senior senator voice such views. You can see his speech in which he said that here, or you can read a transcription of his remarks here.

Sen. Schatz actually said similar things a year ago at Gov. Josh Green’s signing of a housing reform bill heavily supported by Grassroot. Highly contentious at the time, SB3202 mandated that Hawaii’s four counties make it easier for homeowners to add accessory dwelling units to their properties, and its implementation has been going well.

Schatz hasn’t been all talk, either. Last week, he introduced several bipartisan bills aimed at inducing more homebuilding, including his proposed YIMBY Act (Yes In My Backyard Act).

His recent statements and actions are proof that housing reform is truly a nonpartisan issue. Whether you’re a Democrat, Republican, Libertarian or whatever, there is clearly a consensus that regulations stifle homebuilding.

Gov. Green demonstrated that as well at the very beginning of his term when he issued his first housing emergency proclamation, which suspended many of Hawaii’s regulations identified as impediments to homebuilding.

Hawaii’s Legislature and the counties have also been coming around, adopting important housing reforms over the past two years.

But there is still much that needs to be done.

Fortunately, it appears we mostly all agree that short-sighted government policies have caused the state’s housing crisis. So now is a perfect opportunity to come together to dismantle those misguided policies.

Let’s don’t waste it.

E hana kākou! (Let's work together!)