When good bills go bad

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

As the 2026 legislative session enters its final weeks, I am happy to report that several of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii’s priority measures are still in play and positioned to be finalized in various House-Senate conference committees. Some just need a little more work than others.

One, HB1710, was introduced to streamline historic preservation reviews. The other, HB1737, aims to make it easier for farmers and ranchers to build more on-site housing for their workers.

Both of these bills could help reduce permitting delays and get more housing built for local families. But in order for that to happen, lawmakers need to reverse some amendments they picked up along the way that would reduce their effectiveness.

For instance, the original version of the historic review bill specified review deadlines for the State Historic Preservation Division — a reform that was recommended by the state’s task force on permitting.

However, those deadlines have been removed from the bill. Perhaps worse, the bill was also amended to include language that would narrow the existing historic review exemption for certain homes, which could wind up increasing delays and costs.

Grassroot research shows that 90% of projects reviewed by SHPD from 2021 to 2024 were found to have no effect on historic resources. Additionally, SHPD’s own report to the Legislature in 2022 admitted that reviews in its archaeology branch often take between six months and one year.

Requiring SHPD to review certain projects within a defined time period would add certainty to the construction process for state infrastructure and much-needed housing projects, so I hope that language is restored in the final version of the bill.

Similarly, the bill that would allow farmers and ranchers to build accessory dwelling units on their land for workers has picked up an amendment that could thwart its intended purpose. 

In general, the bill would establish a statewide standard for such housing that could help farmers and ranchers bypass complicated county rules. However, the current version also proposes changes to the state’s existing definition of “farm dwelling” that could make it more difficult for some farmers and ranchers to live on their land. 

This measure isn’t just about housing — it is also about making it easier for farms and ranches to succeed in our state. That’s why I hope lawmakers use their upcoming conference committee discussions as an opportunity to restore the bill’s original intent.

I’m glad these two bills made it to this stage, especially considering many other good housing reforms unfortunately did not. Let’s hope they keep their momentum and that legislators make sure the final versions will really make a dent in Hawaii’s housing crisis.

E hana kākou! (Lets work together!)