A silver bullet for affordable housing is like a three-legged stool where each leg is the same length, sturdy and connected to each other. The three legs (components) are developable land, reduced regulatory barriers and money. Each component is individually important but requires the others to succeed.

While developable land is available within the urban growth boundaries, there is far more land outside of these boundaries available for housing. Making this land useful requires zoning approvals and utility infrastructure.

The cost of utilities takes money as well as the acquisition of land. Developable land is valuable and a portion can be sold to offset the cost to build affordable housing.

Regulatory barriers make housing development difficult and are full of risks. These challenges need to be minimized to aid in more housing development.

Hawaii is the most overburdened state in the country, with regulations that have accumulated over the past 40 to 50 years. Many regulations protect special interests and prevent housing development.

To reduce these barriers, an overarching new law needs to be passed that supersedes the bulk of the regulations that have been previously passed. Several states have Housing Elements — government blueprints — that require the responsibility of providing affordable housing be shared by cities and counties.

Changing the zoning of properties within the urban growth boundary and adding new land will be very controversial among NIMBY people and special interest groups who pressure elected officials to not add land for housing. Last year a small vocal group stopped the development of an affordable housing project in Kailua because local politics, city council must acknowledge and challenge these interests to solve the housing crisis.

Everyone has to give a little to help solve this problem. There is enough underutilized land that, if we add utilities, we could build ten thousand units.

Money can be generated from a special levy and closing loopholes in the tax code. The sales proceeds as described above follow the Singapore housing model to create affordable housing, this same model is commonly used at resorts throughout the U.S. to meet employee housing needs.

The governor and mayors need to make this a priority.

This is not a new strategy and is one of the most effective methods of creating an equitable society.

The cost of affordable housing is partially offset by social safety net savings. Housing First, a supportive form of homeless housing, has been documented to save money and produce remarkable success. Mixed-income housing has shown similar success.

A stable, affordable home is the foundation for individuals and families to grow and succeed. The state and counties need to work on all three legs at the same time to alleviate our housing crisis.

The governor and mayors need to make this a priority and bring all their departments together to coordinate efforts to identity land and utilities that could be developed.

All the data is available and expertise to undertake this task through county planning departments, assessor’s offices, the state Office of Planning and Sustainable Development and the Hawaii Interagency Council for Transit-Oriented Development.

Generally, government lags when it comes to developments. It should partner with the private sector but retain a financial interest that is superior.

When the state or counties provide the land, utilities and money they get to call the shots. Developers get a fee for service and the risk.

The silver bullet, as I described it, is complex and takes a lot of work and coordination. The good news is affordable housing is now a priority of the governor who can allocate the resources and he has appointed a chief housing officer.

I just hope the Legislature and counties support his efforts, are transparent and stop giving into special interest groups.