Oʻahu voters will start opening their ballots on Oct. 16 and find a host of candidates, two constitutional amendments and 20 proposed amendments to the Honolulu City Charter.

Housing will dominate this ballot, and voters need to be ready. 

The charter amendments, in particular, constitute the most sweeping review of the cityʻs governing document in a decade. It’s a lot to read, and many voters will be tempted to stop once they’ve picked individual candidates. 

But this is not the time to give in to that inclination. A few extra minutes of review are worth our while. 

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Five of the charter questions (7, 8, 9, 10 and 12) deal directly with how the city plans, funds and protects housing for residents. While none of them will build a home tomorrow, they change the rules the city plays by for years to come. 

They come together to form a decisive housing package for the City and County of Honolulu’s housing agenda. If they are approved by the voters, they will generate a sizable mandate for real housing reform on O‘ahu over the next decade. 

Let’s start with the money. 

Question 8 clarifies that the city’s Affordable Housing Fund is a revolving fund. That means that loan repayments, interest and other proceeds the fund earns go back into it rather than drifting elsewhere. That sounds technical, but a fund that retains its earnings can grow every cycle (instead of starting from scratch after the money leaves the fund). More capital can be dedicated to future affordable rental projects, including affordable units in the mixed-income developments where much of Oʻahu’s near-term growth is happening.

Question 8 grows that pool from the outside. It lets the Affordable Housing Fund, along with the city’s other charter special funds, accept federal, state and philanthropic dollars on top of their dedicated revenue. That’s new money for housing without a new local tax or fee. Outside money can come with outside priorities, and the council should watch how it’s used. That’s a reasonable trade for a fund this important.

Next, there is the matter of accountability. 

Question 10 requires the city to prepare and carry out a 10-year Housing Functional Plan, updated at least every five years and consistent with the General Plan. Today, nothing in the charter requires Honolulu to put in writing how it intends to meet its housing needs. A plan is not production, but a city without a plan can’t be held to one. This gives residents, advocates and the council a public benchmark to measure every administration against, regardless of who is in office.

Removing arbitrary, cost-intensive requirements from the mix of city real-property transactions currently requires a second public hearing. This is true even for routine utility or public-access easements that draw few if any attendees but still cost staff hours and advertising dollars. Question 9 drops this redundancy while keeping the public’s opportunity to weigh in. Every hour spent re-noticing an empty hearing is an hour not spent moving housing forward.

Lastly, there is the matter of principle. 

Question 7 puts a principle on the record. It declares that Honolulu lacks enough housing for long-term residents, that families leaving because they can’t find a home is a serious threat to our community, and that keeping existing housing available to residents is a compelling governmental interest. 

It’s a declaration, not a program, and some will say it falls short of stronger proposals that didn’t make the ballot. But charters set direction; ordinances fill in the details. A charter that names the problem gives future housing laws, budgets and legal arguments firmer footing.

We know how easy it is to skip down-ballot questions. But a blank answer isn’t a “no.” It simply doesn’t count. In August, two Hawaiʻi races ended in literal ties. Every vote will matter.

Finish your ballot, vote for housing, and don’t forget questions 7, 8, 9, 10, and 12.