STAND. COM. REP. NO. 109-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1734

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 1734 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ZONING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Prohibit the counties from imposing certain lot requirements and dwelling specifications for parcels of land located within the urban district for purposes of subdivision, development, or the issuance of a building permit, with certain exemptions; and

(2) Allow the counties to establish a petition process for neighborhoods, subdivisions, or other geographically contiguous areas to establish or retain certain requirements or specifications.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaiʻi YIMBY; Housing Hawaiʻi's Future; Grassroot Institute of Hawaii; Hawaiʻi Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice; and Maui Chamber of Commerce. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General and Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu.

Your Committee finds that existing minimum lot sizes, setbacks, parking mandates, and other specifications in the urban district restrict the number and diversity of homes that can be built, worsening the State's housing shortage and driving up development costs. Your Committee further finds that these restrictions have led landowners to use the condominium property regime process to create de facto small lots, resulting in shared‑ownership arrangements that increase long‑term financial risk for homeowners and can complicate maintenance, insurance, and mortgage financing. This measure enables more efficient land use and restores a pathway to fee‑simple starter homes.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Specifying that the lot requirement and dwelling specification prohibitions are for parcels of lands zoned for residential uses within the urban district;

(2) Specifying that the requirements of this measure shall not be construed to prohibit the counties from imposing wildfire mitigation measures;

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1734, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1734, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Water & Land.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Housing,

____________________________

LUKE A. EVSLIN, Chair