The UHERO Housing Policy Group provides rigorous analyses to inform debates regarding housing in Hawaiʻi, with a focus on the high housing cost burdens experienced by the State’s residents. This problem is multiscalar in its origins and thus requires a bundle of analyses ranging from longitudinal portraits of the State’s housing market, to estimates of the impact of housing costs on diverse communities, to objective evaluations of proposed policy solutions.
Maui Short-Term Rentals, the Minatoya List, and Housing SupplyJune 25, 2024By Justin Tyndall and Emi Kim Recent state legislation has given counties new powers to regulate Transient Vacation Rental (TVR) properties. A proposal on Maui would significantly reduce the number of TVRs by withdrawing permission to operate for over 7,000 properties. Below, we briefly summarize the policy proposal and discuss the characteristics of the units… Read More
The Hawaii Housing Factbook 2024May 20, 2024The past year has brought significant shocks to the housing market in Hawai‘i. In 2023, only one in five local households could afford a mortgage on the median-priced single-family home in the state. High interest rates make it difficult to finance a home purchase, difficult for developers to finance new construction, and disrupts the filtering… Read More
Wealth by Association? How Social Networks Drive Inequality in HawaiiApril 25, 2024Studies show that economic connectedness, a poor individual’s share of wealthy friends, significantly impacts economic mobility. Hawaii ranks highly in this metric compared to other states, but disparities exist in local schools. Private high schools have much higher economic connectedness than public schools, driven mainly by students' exposure to wealthy peers. To improve connectedness, policymakers… Read More
Delinquencies have spiked in the aftermath of the Maui wildfiresMarch 21, 2024By Daniela Bond-Smith The devastating Maui wildfires destroyed most of Lahaina and displaced thousands of residents. But many Lahaina homeowners still have mortgages on their properties despite not having a home to go back to. As of the 2020 Census, almost three-quarters (74%; 1309 out of 1773) of Lahaina homeowners did not own their home free… Read More
Why are Condominiums so Expensive in Hawai‘i?March 4, 2024The median sale price of a new two-bedroom condominium in Hawai‘i is about $670,000, more than double the price in the average state. In this report, we try to determine why new condominiums are so expensive in Hawai‘i. We break down the costs involved in producing condominiums to better understand the causes of high prices.… Read More
The effect of bus rapid transit on local home pricesDecember 1, 2023Abstract: Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems have become increasingly common in US cities. BRT stations provide a local amenity by improving transportation options for local residents, but may also represent a local nuisance due to noise or displacement of other road users. We estimate whether BRT is priced into local real estate by studying a… Read More
Homeowner politics and housing supplyNovember 1, 2023Abstract: This paper examines whether homeowner opposition to nearby housing development affects local councillors’ votes on housing bills. Homeowners benefit financially from restricted housing supply through increased housing prices. City councillors, who approve housing development applications, cater to the needs of homeowners who are often long-term resident voters with a financial stake in neighbourhood amenity… Read More
The Hawaii Housing DashboardSeptember 26, 2023The high cost of housing in Hawaiʻi imposes significant financial and emotional burdens on residents, making it a pressing concern across the islands. Comprehensive data and analysis serve as critical tools to inform discussions and policy decisions. In response to this need, UHERO launched the Hawaiʻi Housing Factbook project. The first edition of the Factbook,… Read More
Sea level rise risk interactions with coastal property values: a case study of O‘ahu, Hawai‘iSeptember 14, 2023Abstract: Climate change-induced sea level rise (SLR) will affect a range of coastal assets and prompt difficult decisions about coastal land use across the world. Several recent studies find that current and projected SLR is associated with relatively lower property values. We contribute to this growing body of research with a case study of O‘ahu,… Read More
After the Maui wildfires: The road ahead.August 31, 2023By Steven Bond-Smith, Daniela Bond-Smith, Carl Bonham, Leah Bremer, Kim Burnett, Makena Coffman, Peter Fuleky, Byron Gangnes, Rachel Inafuku, Ruben Juarez, Sumner La Croix, Colin Moore, Dylan Moore, Nori Tarui, Justin Tyndall, and Chris Wada The immediate recovery efforts from the devastating Maui wildfires continue, and at UHERO we share our community’s anguish over the… Read More
The Hawai‘i Housing FactbookJune 28, 2023Residents of Hawai‘i face the highest housing costs in the nation. High housing costs lower the standard of living for residents and hinder the State’s ability to attract workers. Some households are forced to live in crowded conditions, some leave the state to find housing elsewhere, and some are forced to survive without housing at… Read More
Short-term Vacation Rentals and Housing Costs in HawaiʻiApril 18, 2023By Rachel Inafuku and Justin Tyndall Of the state’s 565,000 total housing units, 30,000 are listed as Short-term Vacation Rentals (STRs), meaning roughly 5% of local housing units operate as tourist accommodations. In a tight housing market with high prices and barriers to creating new supply, removing supply from the long-term housing market could harm… Read More
UHERO to collaborate with Honolulu in development of housing databaseFebruary 21, 2023We are excited to announce a new partnership between UHERO and the City and County of Honolulu to develop and maintain an Oʻahu housing database. Dr. Philip Garboden, HCRC Distinguished Professor in Affordable Housing/Economics, will take lead on the project for UHERO. The database will list all of the island's subsidized and price-restricted housing units… Read More