Aloha Chair Kama, Vice-Chair Uʻu-Hodgins, and Members of the Committee,
My name is Jen Mather. I am currently a resident of Wailuku. I acknowledge Bill 40's intent to strengthen Maui County’s Residential Workforce Housing Policy and appreciate the Council’s commitment to addressing the need for affordable homes for local residents. The proposed extensions to deed restrictions and efforts to streamline County acquisition are positive steps. However, there are key areas where this bill could be further refined to ensure that workforce housing remains a long-term, community-driven solution rather than a temporary intervention.
As many of you know, having been in attendance at the Nā Hale o Maui ceremony where I received the keys to my community land trust (CLT) home, I am a huge proponent of the CLT model and how they ensure affordability in perpetuity. Although Bill 40 increases deed restriction periods, most workforce housing units will still transition to market-rate homes after a set number of years, limiting their impact on future generations. While County-owned land will have 99-year affordability, privately developed workforce housing will still be lost to speculation over time. We have seen this pattern create the very housing crisis that we are witnessing today.
I believe this legislation could be strengthened with some amendments:
1. Apply 99-year deed restrictions to all workforce housing units, not just county-owned properties.
2. Establish a shared-equity model, where a portion of appreciation is reinvested into affordable housing to sustain affordability for future buyers.
3. Expand County buy-back rights to ensure workforce homes are resold to income-qualified local families rather than investors.
4. Transition away from developer credits and move toward direct housing production by removing the extension of the credit system until 2050. This does not have to be completed immediately, you can phase out workforce housing credits over the next five years to give developers time to adjust to producing the housing promised.
I appreciate the Council’s work on this important issue and encourage amendments to ensure affordability in perpetuity and to phase out developer credits. These refinements will make Bill 40 a more effective, long-term solution to Maui County’s housing crisis.
Please see attached.
Aloha Chair Kama, Vice-Chair Uʻu-Hodgins, and Members of the Committee,
My name is Jen Mather. I am currently a resident of Wailuku. I acknowledge Bill 40's intent to strengthen Maui County’s Residential Workforce Housing Policy and appreciate the Council’s commitment to addressing the need for affordable homes for local residents. The proposed extensions to deed restrictions and efforts to streamline County acquisition are positive steps. However, there are key areas where this bill could be further refined to ensure that workforce housing remains a long-term, community-driven solution rather than a temporary intervention.
As many of you know, having been in attendance at the Nā Hale o Maui ceremony where I received the keys to my community land trust (CLT) home, I am a huge proponent of the CLT model and how they ensure affordability in perpetuity. Although Bill 40 increases deed restriction periods, most workforce housing units will still transition to market-rate homes after a set number of years, limiting their impact on future generations. While County-owned land will have 99-year affordability, privately developed workforce housing will still be lost to speculation over time. We have seen this pattern create the very housing crisis that we are witnessing today.
I believe this legislation could be strengthened with some amendments:
1. Apply 99-year deed restrictions to all workforce housing units, not just county-owned properties.
2. Establish a shared-equity model, where a portion of appreciation is reinvested into affordable housing to sustain affordability for future buyers.
3. Expand County buy-back rights to ensure workforce homes are resold to income-qualified local families rather than investors.
4. Transition away from developer credits and move toward direct housing production by removing the extension of the credit system until 2050. This does not have to be completed immediately, you can phase out workforce housing credits over the next five years to give developers time to adjust to producing the housing promised.
I appreciate the Council’s work on this important issue and encourage amendments to ensure affordability in perpetuity and to phase out developer credits. These refinements will make Bill 40 a more effective, long-term solution to Maui County’s housing crisis.
Mahalo for your time and consideration.
Me ka ʻoiaʻiʻo,
Jen Mather