HI HB227

Amends Section 46-15.1 of Hawaii Revised Statutes to require mutual consent between counties and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) before issuing affordable housing credits, removing the previous mandatory issuance requirement.

Removes vacant lots from the types of development eligible for affordable housing credits, limiting credits to single-family residences, multi-family units, and other residential units only.

Eliminates the provision that prevented county-wide or project-specific requirements from restricting the application of affordable housing credits in full satisfaction of all county affordable housing obligations.

Takes effect July 1, 2013, and is repealed June 30, 2015, with prior statutory language automatically restored unless reenacted.

Addresses concerns that previous affordable housing credit laws violated home-rule principles and may have created racially discriminatory effects by allowing counties greater control over affordable housing resource allocation.