06-02-2025
Honolulu's Strategic Housing Plan pinpoints six key initiatives
HONOLULU (KHON2) — 'Affordable housing is a top priority for our administration.' The City released its 2025-2028 Strategic Housing Plan, which looks to tackle affordable housing for all income levels across plan looks to expand development on public land and reorganize how it governs building initiatives.
Officials said partnering with developers, maximizing building near transit, tapping into new financing and streamlining oversight into one department are all on the table.
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'We owe it to our teachers, police officers, flight attendants, and other working professionals to ensure that Honolulu remains a place where they can live, work and thrive,' said Mayor Rick Blangiardi. 'This plan is a crucial step in addressing the rising cost of living and we are committed to building housing where it's most needed.'
The City looks to build 'high-density, mixed-use communities' along the 20-mile-long Skyline to reduce commute times, lower transportation costs and support Honolulu's sustainability goals.
'Concentrating growth in the Primary Urban Center, TOD corridors helps preserve rural areas while integrating housing, offices, retail, education and government services.
Officials believe the Kūwili Station area presents an 'opportunity for an underserved community' and would be built off of the Downtown Neighborhood TOD Plan.
This plan would bring 'thousands of housing units' and would be backed by $2.7 million in federal and state funding.
'The City is leveraging underutilized public lands and streamlining procurement processes to expedite partnerships with local developers.'
The initiative was inspired by the success of Parkway Village at Kapolei, which features 401 housing units and two on-site preschools.
Due to the limited availability of funding sources for affordable housing, the City would venture out and explore new financing strategies to 'expand resources and create additional opportunities for housing development.'
Officials look to group all housing programs under the proposed Department of Housing and Land Management.
Centralizing all housing projects would improve efficiency, accelerate project delivery and enhance the coordination of housing initiatives.
All housing programs and policies will undergo a comprehensive review to narrow in on which strategies are working and which ones are not.
City officials will partner with the University of Hawaii's Economic Research Organization to determine the best ways to optimize land use, increase homeownership opportunities and enhance predictability.
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'This plan is all about making City lands available, breaking down barriers, and getting much-needed housing built quickly and efficiently. By prioritizing implementation and collaboration, we're ensuring that Honolulu's working families have access to the homes they need and deserve,' explained Kevin D. Auger, Executive Director of the Office of Housing.
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