Posted on: Monday, January 24, 2005

Big Isle gives initial OK to affordable-housing bill

By Kevin Dayton
Advertiser Big Island Bureau

HILO, Hawai'i — A housing policy that would require Big Island developers to build more affordable homes or instead pay higher new fees has won preliminary approval from the Big Island County Council.

The policy, approved in a 9-0 vote Friday, would require developers to earn credits equal to 20 percent of the number of market-priced units they build, or pay higher fees to the county in lieu of developing affordable units.

Developers would also be allowed to provide land or pay for improvements such as water lines or roads in lieu of paying the fees.

The county currently requires developers to make 10 percent of their units affordable or to pay a fee instead. County officials said that policy is too lax and has not led to development of affordable housing.

The more strict affordable- housing policy was proposed by Mayor Harry Kim's administration. Kim told the council Friday that the lower fees "gave a nice escape clause" to developers to avoid building affordable units.