As of May 1, Hawaiʻi real estate transactions must disclose any risk of sea-level rise to the property.
The mandate, enacted by the Legislature in 2021, requires disclosure about sea-level rise up to and including 3.2 feet.
“Recent news of the North Shore home collapse highlights the real risks to oceanfront properties due to climate change,” Suzanne Case of the Hawaiʻi Climate Change Commission said. “Unfortunately, this may happen again, it’s a dangerous situation – and demonstrates the necessity for disclosing this kind of information.”
The disclosure requirement applies to oceanfront and near-oceanfront properties as well as to properties close to streams or areas likely to flood in heavy rainfall events.
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