The Senate is expected to take up a measure that has raised safety concerns but could help with the housing crisis.

The separate FEMA and state projects will be built on one undeveloped property that had been slated for decades as a residential development.

Council approval is needed for the mayor to complete agreements with the state before the closing can occur on the $38 million property with 175 furnished guest rooms.

The debate is similar to what’s happening in other parts of the country that are also struggling to build affordable housing.

The controversial project was nearing completion when it burned down over the weekend.

The Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp. is taking over for the Build Beyond Barriers Working Group

Organizers had hoped to have the rent-free housing ready to go within weeks of the fire. They’re still waiting.

But a measure in the Legislature would allow Honolulu to phase out short-term rentals over time.

The City Council is considering a bill that would expand the number of mixed-use districts in Honolulu amid a worsening housing crisis.

Lawmakers are considering making it easier for counties to do away with short-term rentals altogether.