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Committee holds Bill 53 after wide public debate over parking, community input and Bill 7 projects
Summary
Bill 53, which would amend Chapter 32 (Bill 7) to add community review and modify development standards including parking requirements, was held for further work after extensive public testimony both for and against the changes.
The Honolulu Committee on Housing, Homelessness and Parks on Aug. 19 held Bill 53 for further work after extended public testimony that sharply divided community groups, developers and housing advocates. What the bill would do: Bill 53 proposes changes to Chapter 32 (the Bill 7 streamlined, by‑right affordable rental housing process) that would restore or add neighborhood input, require additional oversight such as consideration of resident managers, and reintroduce parking minimums and other development standards in some cases. Public testimony divided: Developers and housing advocates including Holomua Collaborative and the Building Industry Association argued the bill would sharply increase construction costs and likely halt many Bill 7 projects. Gina Thielen, a frequent Bill 7 developer, said the program’s margins are “so slim” and that “Bill 53 will kill Bill 7.” Justin Menina and Michael Munekata (Ulupono Initiative) quantified parking construction costs and argued parking mandates can eliminate or reduce affordable units; Munekata cited $22,500 per surface stall and up to $42,000 per structured stall and estimated that added parking could increase rent by roughly $410 a month. Housing advocates and neighborhood residents, including Michelle Luke and Anne Smoak, supported the bill as a needed check that would return neighborhood input and guardrails for community compatibility and safety. Department and staff comments: The Department of Planning and Permitting reported that since the 2019 passage of Bill 7 there are 58 total Bill 7 projects in various stages (30 with applicants, 9 under DPP review, 15 permits issued and 4 projects with certificates of occupancy). DPP recommended creating a working group to study further program improvements and said it would provide technical suggestions. Developers and nonprofits urged the committee to defer rather than adopt sweeping changes that would likely stop projects. Committee action and next steps: After hearing extensive testimony and discussion — including suggestions to preserve neighborhood board presentations, explore resident‑manager requirements, and study transit and parking links — the chair announced an intention to draft a CD reflecting community input and to hold the bill. The committee postponed passage and will continue to work with sponsors, departments and community stakeholders to produce a refined draft for the next hearing.
