H.B. 1837 Summary

• Establishes the "Yes In My Backyard Act" to create a statewide working group on affordable housing that meets annually to discuss reducing zoning, regulatory, and statutory barriers to housing development.

• Working group comprises executive directors from Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation and Hawaii Public Housing Authority (as co-chairs), legislative committee chairs, land use commission, office of planning and sustainable development, Hawaii community development authority, county zoning representatives, and relevant stakeholders.

• Working group shall examine feasibility of multi-family housing in commercial zones, converting office space to apartments, promoting diverse housing types in single-family zones, reducing minimum lot sizes, streamlining permitting processes, establishing density bonuses, utilizing vacant county land, and improving financing programs.

• Requires annual reports to the legislature no later than 20 days before each regular session beginning in 2023, including findings, recommendations, and proposed legislation.

• Appropriates $100,000 for fiscal year 2022-2023 to support the working group including one full-time equivalent position, to be expended by the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation; effective July 1, 2022.