HILO, Hawaii — Residents can now find affordable housing projects on Hawaii Island thanks to a new online tool launched by the county.
The user-friendly County of Hawaii Affordable Housing Dashboard allows individuals to view details of a project such as location and income limits, as well as check status updates for the over 8,100 units in the affordable housing pipeline and thousands of existing rental units.
The county said the information is critical for residents interested in the availability and accessibility of housing options in their communities.
"Our commitment to enhancing housing opportunities for all residents of Hawaii Island is unwavering,” Housing Administrator Susan Kunz said in a county news release. “This new online tool reflects our dedication to transparency and accountability, ensuring that residents have the information they need to participate in the dialogue about housing development in our county.”
The two-page Affordable Housing Dashboard provides an overview of existing affordable housing units and projects planned for future development. Drop-down menus allow users to select the data they want to see for each property. The second page incorporates graphics to present project metrics in a clear manner.
Built in-house by Department of Information Technology and Office of Housing and Community Development staff, the dashboard utilizes Information from various county and state agencies and nonprofit and for-profit developers.
Future phases of the dashboard will offer opportunities for conversations with the community about affordable housing to support residents and the building of sustainable, thriving communities.
"Our team has worked tirelessly to fulfill our promise of creating affordable housing opportunities for local families," said Mayor Mitch Roth. "This dashboard showcases our progress, increasing the housing pipeline from just over 1,200 homes to over 8,100. We hope residents use this technology to track our projects, learn about nearby opportunities, and, most importantly, hold us accountable for ensuring that our keiki can thrive and succeed for generations to come."
According to the 2019 Hawaii Housing Planning Study, Hawaii County needed to add 10,796 affordable housing units by 2025 to meet the community’s needs.
By the end of 2024, the Roth administration will have overseen the completion of over 500 affordable housing units for local families, according to the release.
Sarah Yamanaka covers news and events for Spectrum News Hawaii. She can be reached at sarah.yamanaka@charter.com.