Hawaii legislation · 2026 Regular Session
Hawaii SB2544: Relating to Housing.
Status: Signed into law, July 9, 2026
Establishes a 5-year Hawaii Builds Pilot Program within the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation. Authorizes the Corporation to deploy moneys from the dwelling unit revolving fund for predevelopment activities or as active construction equity. Requires 50% of housing units made available under pilot program projects for households having incomes between 60% and 140% of the area median income. Mandates interagency coordination and expedited review for projects to facilitate timely delivery of projects. Requires annual reports to the Legislature. Sunsets 6/30/2031.
What the bill says
A bill for an act relating to housing.
From the enrolled text:
A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING. SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the State continues to experience a severe shortage of housing that is affordable for households earning between sixty per cent and one hundred forty per cent of the area median income, a portion of the housing market commonly referred to as "missing middle" housing. The legislature further finds that successful housing programs in other jurisdictions, such as the BC Builds program implemented in British Columbia, Canada, demonstrate that a housing agency must act as a public developer by proactively acquiring land, securing entitlements, and prepackaging shovel ready projects to cut delivery times. The legislature finds that the BC Builds program is structured according to a "rocket fuel" project timeline strategy, which has contributed substantially to the program's success. BC Build's rocket fuel strategy replaces the standard thirty-six to sixty-month timeline typical of most construction projects with a much shorter twelve to eighteen-month project 2026-2352 SB2544 CDl SMA-l.docx Page 2 S.B. NO. C.D. timeline. BC Builds accomplishes this significant reduction in project timelines by streamlining development processes and working collaboratively with landowners, municipalities, and residential developers to work through and remove any barriers. BC Builds also leverages underused public lands to create more viable rental projects, along with grant money to keep rents more affordable and get …
Sponsors
- Troy Hashimoto (D, 5) · primary sponsor
- Stanley Chang (D, 9)
- Kurt Fevella (R, 20)
Latest actions
- : Act 216, on 07/08/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1318).
- : Act 216, 07/08/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1318).
- : Enrolled to Governor.
- : Received notice of passage on Final Reading in House (Hse. Com. No. 888).
- : Received notice of Final Reading (Sen. Com. No. 816).
- : Passed Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with Representative(s) Amato voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Cochran, Iwamoto voting no (2) and none excused (0).
- : Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1). Ayes, 25; Aye(s) with reservations: none . 0 No(es): none. 0 Excused: none.
- : Forty-eight (48) hours notice Wednesday, 05-06-26.
- : Reported from Conference Committee (Conf Com. Rep. No. 42-26) as amended in (CD 1).
- : 48 Hrs. Notice (as amended CD 1) 05-06-26.
Votes
- Passed Final Reading, as amended (CD 1) (May 6, 2026): 25 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Final Reading as amended in CD 1 with Representative(s) Amato voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Cochran, Iwamoto voting no (2) and none excused (0) (May 6, 2026): 49 yea, 2 nay, passed
- none. (April 29, 2026): 2 yea, 1 nay, passed
- Conference Committee Vote (April 29, 2026): 3 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Third Reading with none voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Iwamoto voting no (1) and Representative(s) Cochran excused (1) (April 9, 2026): 49 yea, 1 nay, passed
- FIN: recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED (April 7, 2026): 16 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: Report, Exemption, Housing, HHFDC, Counties, Study, DOH, Exemptions
Common questions
- What is SB2544?
- SB2544 is a bill in the Hawaii Legislature (2026 Regular Session): Relating to Housing.
- What does SB2544 do?
- In its own words: A bill for an act relating to housing.
- What is the status of SB2544?
- Signed into law as of July 9, 2026. Latest action: Act 216, on 07/08/2026 (Gov. Msg. No. 1318). (July 9, 2026).
- Who sponsored SB2544?
- Troy Hashimoto (D, 5), with 2 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for SB2544?
- On the Hawaii Legislature website: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=2544&year=2026
Source: official Hawaii record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.