Housing Hawai‘i’s Future 2026 Housing Survey
News Release from Hawaii's Housing Future, April 15, 2026
For the second year in a row, Housing Hawaiʻi's Future partnered with Anthology Research to ask local residents across all four counties what they actually think about housing. The results are striking — not because they're surprising, but because they're undeniable.
Here's what Hawaiʻi is telling us:
1. THE PROBLEM IS NEARLY UNIVERSAL
91% of residents say the cost of buying a home is a major problem. 83% say the same about renting. 84% say their own community doesn't have enough homes people can afford.
This isn't an O'ahu problem or a renter problem or a young person problem. It cuts across every county, every age group, every income bracket.
2. IT'S GETTING WORSE — AND PEOPLE KNOW IT
Last year, 85% said there weren't enough affordable homes statewide. This year: 91%. Disapproval of how the state is handling housing jumped from 59% to 68% in a single year.
People are paying attention. And they're losing patience.
3. MORE THAN 1 IN 3 ARE THINKING ABOUT LEAVING
37% of residents have seriously considered leaving Hawaiʻi in the past two years. Of those, 78% say housing costs or availability played a moderate or significant role in that decision.
This is no longer just an affordability crisis. It's a retention crisis.
4. RESIDENTS ARE READY FOR SOLUTIONS
89% want lawmakers to make housing a top priority. 71% want a wider range of housing types. 73% support a Constitutional Convention to address housing policy.
And when asked about specific reforms — down payment assistance, updated building codes, removing parking mandates — residents said yes across the board.
The public is ahead of their leaders on this. They're not asking permission. They're giving it.
5. ON WORKFORCE HOUSING, LOCALS WANT LOCALS FIRST
When it comes to deed-restricted workforce housing, residents support residency requirements (91%), income limits (84%), and resale restrictions to local buyers (83%). The one place support drops: equity sharing with the state (38%).
The message is consistent — keep the benefits local, but don't limit the financial upside of homeownership.
This data belongs to Hawaiʻi. We're sharing it so residents can see where their neighbors stand, advocates can build stronger cases, and lawmakers can hear what the public is actually saying.
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