Green: Hawaii awarded new federal grant aimed at removing obstacles to housing production
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Gov. Josh Green and U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz announced $6.6 million in federal funds for Hawaii as part of an effort to build and preserve more affordable housing.
The money is from a new competitive grant — and officials said more money could be available.
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The funding is from the Pathways to Removing Obstacles program, which is aimed at removing “barriers to affordable housing production.” The program also works to lower housing costs.
State housing policymakers said the Hawaii grant can be used for infrastructure funding and investments in specific housing projects.
“We’re tired of losing people to Las Vegas,” Green said, at a news conference.
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Schatz, D-Hawaii, added the grant program is about streamlining housing construction and preservation. “We are the sixth most expensive place to try to afford to live on the globe. This is not about partisanship. This is not about factions in the Legislature,” he said.
“It is so hard to afford to live in Hawaii ... but the biggest cost driver for everybody is either your rent or your mortgage. This is not a problem that is unsolvable.”
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