Affordable Housing in District 26: A Bold, People-First Priority

For too long, residents of District 26, especially in communities like Makiki, Punchbowl, and Pauoa, have shouldered the burden of skyrocketing rents, stagnant wages, and a lack of legislative urgency around keeping housing affordable. Despite countless studies, task forces, and community outcry, the State Legislature has failed to enact bold and lasting reforms that protect renters, prioritize truly affordable development, and ensure local families can stay in the neighborhoods they’ve built for generations.

The Cost of Delay: A Decade Without Housing Solutions

Over the past 10 years, critical housing legislation has repeatedly stalled:

Rent stabilization proposals for vulnerable communities have either died in committee or never advanced (e.g., SB 36, 2019).
A comprehensive Tenants’ Bill of Rights has been introduced and forgotten (SB2561, 2016).
Proposals for just-cause eviction protections and mandatory relocation assistance failed to pass (HB 1338/SB 1463, 2023).
No legislation has meaningfully scaled up community land trusts or incentivized the adaptive reuse of vacant state buildings for affordable rentals.

**2025 UH Economic Research Report on Housing 14 May 2025

The Courage to Act: Real Solutions for Housing Stability

What’s been missing isn’t just funding, it’s political courage. For too long, bold action on housing has been sidelined by special interests and short-term thinking. Meanwhile, our families, kūpuna, and keiki face rising rents, unstable leases, and fewer places to call home.

As your representative, I will champion the Renters’ Rights and Stability Act from day one, because our people deserve more than promises.

This legislation will:

Require a 120-day advance notice for rent hikes and evictions, so families aren’t blindsided.
Guarantee just-cause eviction protections statewide to prevent unfair removals.
Cap security deposits and provide clear, multilingual tenant education to empower renters.
Secure recurring state funding for emergency rental assistance to prevent displacement.
Repurpose vacant state buildings into affordable homes for working families.
Expand community land trusts to keep housing locally owned and permanently affordable.

This isn’t radical. It’s reasonable, achievable, and overdue. Our residents aren’t asking for handouts; they’re demanding dignity, fairness, and a stable future. In District 26, we will lead with courage and legislate as if housing is a human right, because it is.