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Committee closes file on quarterly affordable housing report after brief update; auditor asked to reverify six credits tied to Kona Country Club
Summary
The Hawaii County Communication Reports & Council Oversight Committee voted to close file on Communication 35.4 (quarterly affordable housing report) after a short presentation noting 10 new senior rentals in Honokaa; Councilmember Inaba asked the auditor and corporation counsel to reverify six housing credits listed for Kona Country Club.
The Communication Reports & Council Oversight Committee of Hawaii County met in Hilo and voted to close the file on Communication 35.4, a quarterly affordable housing report covering July 1 through Sept. 30, 2025. The voice vote was eight in favor with Councilmember Rebecca Villegas excused.
Housing administrator Hal Costa presented the required quarterly update and said there were "no significant changes" to the list of housing credits since the last report. He called out one change: "the addition of 10 additional rental units, developed by Hope Services in Honokaa at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church for senior rentals." The report transmitted with the communication is dated Oct. 2, 2025 and is listed in the packet as authored by "housing administrator Kehaulani m Costa." The presenter identified himself in the meeting as Hal Costa; the record shows both names in different places in the packet and proceedings.
During discussion, Councilmember Tim Inaba (referred to in the record as Councilmember Inaba) raised a concern about credits listed for Kona Country Club. Inaba said the project appears to have "received excess credits" that are listed in the report and noted a 2012 correspondence from the Office of Housing that verified a transfer from a Suffolk development. He asked the county auditor and corporation counsel to reverify "that those 6 credits are in fact valid" before Kona Country Club comes before the council with a rezoning extension request.
The committee adopted a motion to close the file on Communication 35.4. The motion was moved by Councilmember Inaba and seconded by Councilmember Hughes; the chair called the vote and announced eight in favor with Councilmember Villegas excused. The meeting ended with the chair thanking the housing administrator and noting the Finance Committee would begin at 11 a.m.
The committee did not take additional action on the Kona Country Club credits during this session; Inaba's request for verification was entered into the record as a follow-up item.
