Hawaiʻi Island is giving county residents preference for affordable housing.
Mayor Mitch Roth signed Bill 72 on Monday to amend the county’s Affordable Housing Policy.
The changes give housing priority to residents, workers who earn most of their income near an affordable housing project and returning residents who left the island for school.
The county of Hawaiʻi law did not previously have definitions for those residents. The bill creates those definitions and gives them housing preferences.
The measure was spearheaded by Hawaiʻi County Council Chair Heather Kimball and Vice Chair Holeka Goro Inaba.
“The passage of this ordinance signifies the county's commitment to addressing the affordable housing crisis and ensuring that its residents have the opportunity to secure suitable housing," Kimball said in a statement.
"These amendments seek to create a more inclusive and flexible framework to meet the diverse needs of Hawai'i County residents seeking affordable housing options," she said.
The County of Hawaiʻi in a news release said it now has a comprehensive framework for determining eligibility for affordable housing.
Bill 72 also expands income limits that the county said could allow more residents to apply for affordable housing.
It was passed unanimously in two council hearings before reaching the mayor for signing.
