AFFORDABLE HOUSING
25/08/08 10:32 Filed in: General Issues
Utilize growth management strategies to better align growth with community development plans and the General Plan.
Greatly expand affordable housing opportunities. Increase funding for this effort by increasing property taxes on resorts, timeshares and second-homes. Bring stakeholders together to explore and implement options to expand affordable housing for rent and for purchase. Increase support for the Development Division of the Kauai County Housing Agency so they can spearhead this effort. Build capacity to monitor real estate and socio-economic trends so the County can formulate more responsive strategies.
Establish funding programs for affordable housing that rely on taxes (property taxes on tourism businesses resorts, vacation rentals, timeshares, luxury 2nd home developments) and impact fees (on developers). Funding programs should be designed so that affordable housing costs are borne primarily by tourists and second-home owners, not buy local residents. Keep requiring developers of large projects to build affordable housing units or employee housing units as a permit condition (units that are restricted to habitation by fulltime residents only). If developers do not include sufficient resident-restricted housing units in their projects, require them to pay an impact fee to be used for the public development of these units.
Encourage innovative programs and test projects to add affordable housing units.
Find effective methods to respond to the impact of increased second-home demand on the availability of affordable housing for residents ñ intervene proactively. Adopt a warm bed policy to limit the second-home use of housing units in designated areas (where there is a concentration of affordable units).
Create a land bank to reserve land for affordable housing projects. Offer incentives to commercial and real estate developers to set aside land for affordable housing within their developments (or nearby). Create a mix of affordable housing programs, including public development of affordable housing units, and providing incentives for private developers to create such units, and incentives for community residents to build affordable units (helping self-help programs like Habitat for Humanity). Focus on including affordable housing in new commercial and residential developments, on infill development (Infill housing is the insertion of additional housing units into an already approved subdivision or neighborhood. These can be in the form of additional units built on the same lot, by dividing existing homes into multiple units, or by creating new residential lots by further subdivision or lot line adjustments. Units may also be used by building on lots that were previously vacant.). Supply a mix of units in multiple sizes, and a mix of ownership and rental units. Housing interventions have to constantly evolve to keep pace with changes in the market.
Use of deed restrictions and sale price caps to control the resale of affordable housing ownership units - to keep them affordable.
Possible mitigation program : require private developers and second home owners to replace any resident housing that is lost through renovation, conversion, and new development.
Supprt continued intervention in the housing market to take advantage of lower costs during non-peak periods to add inventory of affordable housing units and land for future projects.
While rental housing and rental subsidies remain important, the housing agencies are focused on providing homeownership opportunities for low-wage working families. This means building very low-cost housing. To leverage government funding and expand programs, they work closely with landowners, banks, major businesses, and for-profit and non-profit housing developers.
Aging of a communityís population is a factor in achieving housing goals. As existing residents age and leave the workforce, many are likely to remain in their existing housing. Additional affordable housing is required for new workers who replace those who have retired. Building more assisted-living projects for seniors could help free up some of these affordable units. Review and revise the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance as necessary to facilitate the development of assisted living units and continuing care
communities serving the elderly.
Establish funding programs for affordable housing that rely on taxes (property taxes on tourism businesses resorts, vacation rentals, timeshares, luxury 2nd home developments) and impact fees (on developers). Funding programs should be designed so that affordable housing costs are borne primarily by tourists and second-home owners, not buy local residents. Keep requiring developers of large projects to build affordable housing units or employee housing units as a permit condition (units that are restricted to habitation by fulltime residents only). If developers do not include sufficient resident-restricted housing units in their projects, require them to pay an impact fee to be used for the public development of these units.
Encourage innovative programs and test projects to add affordable housing units.
Find effective methods to respond to the impact of increased second-home demand on the availability of affordable housing for residents ñ intervene proactively. Adopt a warm bed policy to limit the second-home use of housing units in designated areas (where there is a concentration of affordable units).
Create a land bank to reserve land for affordable housing projects. Offer incentives to commercial and real estate developers to set aside land for affordable housing within their developments (or nearby). Create a mix of affordable housing programs, including public development of affordable housing units, and providing incentives for private developers to create such units, and incentives for community residents to build affordable units (helping self-help programs like Habitat for Humanity). Focus on including affordable housing in new commercial and residential developments, on infill development (Infill housing is the insertion of additional housing units into an already approved subdivision or neighborhood. These can be in the form of additional units built on the same lot, by dividing existing homes into multiple units, or by creating new residential lots by further subdivision or lot line adjustments. Units may also be used by building on lots that were previously vacant.). Supply a mix of units in multiple sizes, and a mix of ownership and rental units. Housing interventions have to constantly evolve to keep pace with changes in the market.
Use of deed restrictions and sale price caps to control the resale of affordable housing ownership units - to keep them affordable.
Possible mitigation program : require private developers and second home owners to replace any resident housing that is lost through renovation, conversion, and new development.
Supprt continued intervention in the housing market to take advantage of lower costs during non-peak periods to add inventory of affordable housing units and land for future projects.
While rental housing and rental subsidies remain important, the housing agencies are focused on providing homeownership opportunities for low-wage working families. This means building very low-cost housing. To leverage government funding and expand programs, they work closely with landowners, banks, major businesses, and for-profit and non-profit housing developers.
Aging of a communityís population is a factor in achieving housing goals. As existing residents age and leave the workforce, many are likely to remain in their existing housing. Additional affordable housing is required for new workers who replace those who have retired. Building more assisted-living projects for seniors could help free up some of these affordable units. Review and revise the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance as necessary to facilitate the development of assisted living units and continuing care
communities serving the elderly.
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