Affordable Housing Developer Resources

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Affordable Housing Dashboard

The County of Hawaiʻi Affordable Housing Dashboard provides a user-friendly interface where residents can easily view details such as project location and income limits, as well as status updates for the over 8,100 units in the affordable housing pipeline and thousands of existing rental units. Click here to access the Affordable Housing Dashboard

2024 Affordable Housing Guidelines (PDF)

Each year the OHCD Community Development Division releases Affordable Housing Guidelines which presents income limits provided by Hawaiʻi Housing Finance & Development Corporation (HHFDC), using the rates established by the US Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) for various family sizes as seen below.

The Community Development team uses these affordable guidelines and works to increase the development of new affordable housing targeting local residents within those income limits. The Community Development Division also facilitates improvements to existing facilities. Community Development can include the development of County-owned projects, acquisition of new housing sites, promoting infrastructure of other activities that will provide access to affordable housing and public facilities, and facilitating programs that assist private or non-profit developers in building new affordable housing. An overview of these programs is provided below.

201H Application

What is it?
This program is based on HRS §201H-38. It allows for exemptions including but not limited to: zoning, building permit fees, fair share, density restrictions, roadways, and utility installation.

Procedure:
The developer must hold a public meeting to discuss the project. The developer will submit their application to the Office of Housing & Community Development. Applications are available through OHCD who will collaborate with the developer and facilitate the process through Council. The application will be distributed to numerous State and County Departments for review before it submitted to Council for approval.

Affordable Housing Requirement:
All approved 201H applicants are obligated to create Affordable Housing units that equate to a minimum of 50% +1 of the sale or rental units or lots of the exempted project. Construction for 201H projects must comply with prevailing wages.

Additional information:
The project site must meet the purpose and intent of the 201H chapter as well as minimum health and safety requirements. Exemption requests may not contravene any safety standards, tariffs, or rates and fees approved by the public utilities commission for public utilities or of the various boards of water supply.

G-37 General Excise Tax Exemption

What is it?
This is a tax form that allows General Excise Tax to be waived for development of new affordable housing or rehabilitation of eligible affordable housing projects.

Procedure:
The developer must first submit a letter to confirm that the project meets all eligibility requirements. Upon approval, the OHCD will accept G37’s for processing along with supporting documentation.

Affordable Housing Requirement:
Projects must meet income and developer restrictions pursuant to §15-306 HRS.

Additional Information:
The developer will be responsible to collect and submit all documents on behalf of subcontractors. In the case that a project is already built and submitting exemptions for a health and safety rehabilitation project, then the general contractor will take the lead role in submitting any required documentation to OHCD.

Resources:
It is recommended that the developer review the procedures provided as a guide through the submission process. A template letter and tally sheet are also available for use.

Environmental Review Program (ERP) - Formerly Known as the Office of Environmental Quality Control (OEQC)

What is it?
The Environmental Review Program (ERP) facilitates Hawaiʻi’s environmental review process (commonly known as HEPA), pursuant to Chapter 343, Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes. The ERP can allow for a developer to bypass the need for an Environmental Assessment (EA) for certain routine activities and ordinary functions, based on the exemption lists provided by County agencies and pursuant to Hawaiʻi Administrative Rules Chapter 11-200.1.

Procedure:
The developer will review the exemption list on the ERP website and contact OHCD to request that the exemption be made on their behalf. If OHCD concurs with the selection, then a request will be submitted to be reviewed and published by ERP in the Environment Notice after allowing 30 days for public comments.

Affordable Housing Requirement:
OHCD will process exemptions for Affordable Housing only. Each request is subject to approval by ERP.

Additional Information:
OHCD may process requests for an exemption that is listed on another department’s list of activities that are eligible for exemption. See Agency Exemption Lists.

Other Helpful Tools & Programs for Developers

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