PART I. GENERAL PROVISIONS
§206E-1 Findings and purpose. The legislature finds that many areas of the State are substantially undeveloped, blighted, or economically depressed, and are or are potentially in need of renewal, renovation, or improvement to alleviate such conditions as dilapidation, deterioration, age, and other such factors or conditions that make the areas an economic or social liability.
The legislature further finds that there exists within the State vast, unmet community development needs. These include, but are not limited to, a lack of suitable affordable housing; insufficient commercial and industrial facilities for rent; residential areas that do not have facilities necessary for basic liveability, such as parks and open space; areas that are planned for extensive land allocation to one, rather than mixed uses; a lack of infrastructure necessary to facilitate community development; and insufficient culturally appropriate agriculture, education, and natural-resource restoration and management.
It is further determined that the lack of planning and coordination in such areas has given rise to these community development needs and that existing laws and public and private mechanisms have either proven incapable or inadequate to facilitate timely redevelopment and renewal, or restoration and management, as the case may be.
The legislature finds that a new and comprehensive authority for community development must be created to join the strengths of private enterprise, public development, and regulation into a new form capable of long-range planning and implementation of improved community development. The purpose of this chapter is to establish such a mechanism in the Hawaii community development authority, which is a public entity that shall determine community development programs and projects and cooperate with private enterprise and the various components of federal, state, and county governments in bringing plans and projects to fruition. The legislature believes that the planning and implementation expertise of the Hawaii community development authority will result in communities that serve the highest needs and aspirations of Hawaii's people.
The legislature finds that the creation of the Hawaii community development authority, the establishment of community development districts and program areas, the issuance of bonds pursuant to this chapter to finance public facilities, and the ability of the Hawaii community development authority to cooperate with or assist public and private sector entities to engage in projects that improve the State, serve the public interest and are matters of statewide concern.
The legislature also finds that there are many areas of the State, outside of the Hawaii community development authority's community development districts, where this comprehensive planning, and redevelopment agency should use its powers to facilitate timely redevelopment, renewal, community building, and economic development. [L 1976, c 153, pt of §1; am L 1985, c 38, §1; am L 1993, c 311, §3; am L 2025, c 252, §3]