The Hawaiʻi County Council narrowly passed a bill allowing for more accessory dwelling units on residential properties.
Bill 123 would allow property owners to build up to three ADUs, each of which can serve as residential housing units. If the lot has more than one primary dwelling, an ADU would be allowed for each of them.
The dwelling units would be allowed on properties zoned for residential and agricultural uses.
The bill says ADUs "can be detached from or attached to an existing residence, to be used for single-family occupancy and containing one kitchen.”
Supporters say ADUs could increase the local and affordable housing supply. They would also be built in neighborhoods that already have the infrastructure to accommodate residents.
“We need that affordable housing. What we're missing is that middle housing — families that want to provide an opportunity for their kids to build a house and live next door on the same property,” Council Chair Heather Kimball said at a Tuesday council meeting.
“Middle-income housing — that is for our teachers, our nurses, our doctors, our county workers, our police officers, our firefighters," she continued.
The measure would only allow one of the ADUs to be used as a short-term vacation rental.
The bill passed its final reading on Tuesday, but narrowly so, in a 5-3 vote.
Councilmember Cynthia Evans motioned to postpone the bill hearing until a council meeting in October. She wanted to give the public more time to weigh in on the bill, but her motion failed.
Evans, Council Vice Chair Holeka Inaba and Councilmember Rebecca Villegas voted against Bill 123.
“We already have so much pressure on our infrastructure. To add density and open Pandora's box for adding on to that without having our infrastructure in place, I don't think is a wise move forward,” Villegas said.
All the counties in Hawaiʻi have to implement rules to expand ADUs, following the passage of an urban development bill that went through the state Legislature this year. The counties have to pass those laws by the end of 2026, and Evans had questioned the need to rush the county measure.
The state bill was one of the most controversial measures during this year’s legislative session. Oʻahu lawmakers were concerned about the construction of monster houses and increased neighborhood densities that couldn’t be supported by existing infrastructure.
The Hawaiʻi Island lawmakers are also worried that additional population density from ADUs would change the nature of rural neighborhoods.
There is a statewide shortage of affordable housing for residents. A state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism report said that the state needs about 41,000 additional housing units by 2035 to keep up with demand.
Bill 123 still needs to be signed by Mayor Mitch Roth to become law.
