Ordinance 15-41, Bill 20, CD-1: Bill to Expand Rentals on Small Properties

Honolulu County now has a new bill, introduced by City Councilmember Ron Menor, allowing residential owners to make a bit of income on their properties and provide the homeless with an affordable rent to pay. On September 2nd, the Honolulu City Council approved Ordinance 15-41, Bill 20, CD-1,  a bill  authorizing  homeowners to build and rent an additional dwelling unit on their property creating in effect small property developers. The Council hopes this will create more rentals and thus more affordable housing for the County's nearly 5,000 homeless.

These units called Accessory Dwelling Units, or ADUs, may be rented on lots of 3,500 square feet or over. The Bill allows owners of lots of 5,000 square feet to rent an ADU that measures 400 square feet. For lots of 5,000 square feet or larger, the maximum floor area of the ADU is 800 square feet. The bill would not supercede existing homeowner covenants.

The lot sizes have been purposefully left small in an attempt by the City Council to provide improved living conditions for Oahu's homeless individuals and families. That will remain to be seen since there is no rental regulation in the Bill, and the ADUs will likely rent at market value.  Councilmember Menor said "This bill represents one of the most significant pieces of housing legislation this Council and will pass in years."