Let’s House Hawaii!

The 2020 US Census counts 70,000+ Vacant Homes in Hawaii; 34,253 are on Oahu.

How can this be?? We have the worst housing crisis in the nation.

Our tax policies create this tragic result.  Hawaii has become a tax haven.  We have the lowest property taxes in the nation, combined with a beautiful island. 

People buy our property as vacation houses, snow bird houses, short term rental houses, and investments simply to hold vacant for speculation.  Sadly, none of these 70,000+ vacant homes are a “home” for anyone. 

Our tax policy fails to incentivize renting or selling to local residents who need a home.

Our local residents are Priced out of Paradise.  They can’t compete against rich investors from around the world who buy our housing for their profit and play. 

We can help all this with one simple tax change:  impose an Empty Homes tax to discourage use of Hawaii’s housing for purposes other than homes for Hawaii’s residents.

The Empty Homes Tax would exempt dwellings used as a home (principal residence) for Hawaii residents at least 6 months a year, including renters and owners. This Empty Homes Tax sends a clear message that empty homes hurt Hawaii, and that Hawaii’s residents should be our first priority for housing.

The Empty Homes Tax can help our housing crisis in so many ways:

·      Quickly convert thousands of empty homes to homes for Hawaii’s residents

·      Greatly increase housing supply with no government subsidies, no permit and construction delays, no taking rural lands, and no NIMBY opposition.

·      Raise millions of dollars annually for affordable housing & homelessness solutions

·      Reduce competition for local residents seeking to rent or buy, so the increased supply of housing can help reduce rent and sale prices

·      Focus our building industry on housing needs for local residents instead of luxury properties for offshore investors

It’s time for an Empty Homes Tax for Honolulu. 

Please ask your Councilmember and the Mayor to support the Empty Homes Tax. 

For Neighbor Islanders, ask your Council and Mayor to introduce an Empty Homes Tax for your island.

Ellen Godbey Carson