Aloha Friend,

Last week Governor Josh Green signed several important bills into law, including more effective regulation of short-term rentals, emergency appropriations to support Maui’s recovery, and new measures to help ensure transparency and accountability in government.

Senate Bill 2919 clarifies the counties' authority to control the time, place, manner, and duration of land uses, particularly transient accommodations including short-term rentals.

The new law will empower the counties to return thousands of housing units to the local market, increasing supply and bringing down prices.

“We have too many short-term rentals owned by too many individuals who live on the mainland,” Governor Green said, “and this new law will help address that.”

Short-term rentals make on average four times what they would if the property were rented long-term to a local family — and 52% of all short-term rentals in Hawaii are owned by non-state residents, with 27% owning 20 units or more.

Currently, an estimated 75,000 of the 89,000 units in Hawaii's short-term rental market are ‘not legal’ according to our existing laws.

During the signing, Governor Green provided an overview of the administration's recent efforts on affordable housing.

“We are on track to build more than 13,000 housing units by 2026, and we have more than 60,000 units in the pipeline across more than 235 projects,” Governor Green said. “We are committed to creating more affordable housing statewide.”

Governor Green went on to detail further progress in the first quarter of 2024, including the completion of three housing projects, a major groundbreaking for the School Street affordable housing project, and expedited procurement to rehabilitate more than 100 vacant units.

The governor also signed Senate Bill 582 into law, allocating $362 million in emergency appropriations to support recovery efforts on Maui.

“This investment represents our commitment to the people of Maui," Governor Green said. "We have already moved 78% of displaced families into long-term housing, and we will keep working to make sure every survivor has a safe and stable place to call home.”

Of the total amount, $297 million has been designated to help those who may not qualify for federal assistance but have been impacted by the fires on Maui.

In addition, $65 million will go to the One ʻOhana Fund, intended to help aid the recovery of families who lost a loved one or suffered severe injury in the disaster.

“Our recovery plan for Maui is not just about building homes," Governor Green said, “it's about making sure we meet the needs of our communities.”

Josh also signed six good governance bills into law, strengthening Hawaii's commitment to accountability, transparency, and citizen participation in governance.

House Bills 1598, 1599, and 1600 strengthen Hawaii's open meetings law, encouraging greater public input by ensuring timely distribution of written testimony to board members, allowing audio and video participation in remote meetings, and setting clear time standards between board meetings.

House Bill 1879 addresses the equitable release of digital voter information guides, preventing selective access before public release, and House Bill 1881 updates administrative fine amounts for violations of conduct and lobbying laws, aiming to deter unethical behavior.

Finally, House Bill 2072 promotes transparency in disaster relief fund solicitations by requiring disclosures, safeguarding donors, and fostering confidence in relief efforts.

We will continue to keep you updated on these and other important issues in the coming weeks and months.

If you support Josh’s efforts to address our biggest challenges, please consider chipping in a donation today.

Mahalo,

Team Green