City councilmember outlines changes to Bill 7 as Makiki residents press for stronger oversight

Councilmember Tyler, addressing the Makiki Lower Punchbowl-Punahou Neighborhood Board, defended the city’s efforts to speed up housing construction while fielding sustained criticism from residents about who benefits and how projects are regulated. “The reason why we're here to talk about this is, well, let's talk about our housing and the housing challenges we face,” Tyler said, framing the policy discussion as a response to an ongoing housing shortfall.

Why it matters: Bill 7 (Ordinance 19-8) created an alternative development pathway intended to spur affordable rental construction by relaxing some zoning standards in exchange for rent limits. Residents and board members said the program has allowed sizable projects to appear near long-standing neighborhoods without enough community input, parking or clear financial accountability.

What Tyler said: Tyler described three related measures under discussion. One (Bill 72) would grant bonuses to projects within roughly 1,250 feet of a major bus line (defined in the bill by a bus every ~16 minutes) to encourage transit-oriented development. A separate proposal (Bill 53) would require one off-street parking space for every two units and mandate an on-site resident manager for participating projects. Tyler noted the original Bill 7 incentives allowed greater height and density (waivers up to 60 feet and increased FAR) and reduced setbacks, and said the new bills attempt to correct problems while keeping production moving.

Residents push back: Dozens of residents questioned whether the projects labeled “affordable” match local needs. Rich Kaz (resident) asked, “What is affordable?” noting some newly built studio units remain vacant at advertised rents. Michelle Luke, a resident and frequent critic of Bill 7, said developers are already receiving multiple public subsidies — including tax relief and grant programs — and warned that a 15-year tax abatement can leave the public subsidizing construction that might not remain affordable after the exemption period.

Policy tensions and fixes proposed: Speakers from the neighborhood urged clearer definitions of affordability, stronger enforcement mechanisms, parking and stormwater mitigation, and community input. Tyler said he favored incentives (carrots) tied to proximity to transit and design standards and acknowledged the city's permitting backlog and financing realities make purely prescriptive approaches difficult. “If we're not building enough housing and rents go up, the only person profiting is the people that currently own property and are able to rent it out,” he said.

What’s next: Tyler agreed to return for a fuller discussion at the board’s February meeting after board members compile written questions. The board chair said the board will forward members’ questions to the councilmember to inform the next visit.