Originally published in Honolulu Civil Beat on May 21, 2026.
A common objection to new housing developments in Hawai’i is that most working families cannot afford them. If most new construction is market-rate housing that costs more than many locals can afford, how does building more homes improve affordability?
A growing body of research, including a new study conducted in Honolulu, shows that new housing of all kinds improves affordability throughout the housing market, and that the people who benefit most are Hawai’i’s cost-burdened tenants.