I. PERMIT PROCESS
The Maui Chamber of Commerce supports the continuing efforts to improve the Maui County permit process.

Supporting Statement
Maui County has a permit process that is complex, cumbersome and costly. The costs of delays in the permit process are ultimately borne by the home owners.
1. Specifically in the single family housing permit process, when plans are stamped by an architect or engineer licensed to do business in the State of Hawaii, the plans should be exempt from the County review process.
2. The issuance of the building permit should be the inclusive issuance of all other permits.
3. Any residential permit not acted upon within 30 days should automatically be approved.

II. HOUSING
A. Entry Level Housing
The Maui Chamber of Commerce encourages the County of Maui to take a creative, aggressive approach to develop incentives for increasing the total number of entry level housing units in Maui County.
B. Affordable Rentals
The Maui Chamber of Commerce encourages the County to take an aggressive posture in terms of encouraging incentives for development of an continuous adequate affordable rental housing in Maui County.

Supporting Statement
Immediate and constant meaningful action is needed to increase the inventory of available and affordable rental and for sale housing. This is a county wide crisis. County government should assume significant leadership in developing new and realistic solutions.
1. Simplify the review process relative to single and multifamily housing.
2. Provide incentives for private developers of affordable rental and for sale housing.
3. Rezone nonproductive agricultural land to residential use in accordance with community plans.
4. Understand “time is of the essence” in all aspects of the permitting, inspection and construction process.
5. Permit smaller lot sizes where possible for single family residences.

C. Owner-Builder and Self Help Housing
The Maui Chamber of Commerce supports a 10-percent (10%) allocation of units in both county and state-sponsored housing projects to be provided as developed lots available to owner-builders or self-help housing projects for those in the income category of 80 percent (80%) of median income or less.

Supporting Statement
In, general, both county and state-sponsored home ownership opportunities are planned only for those in the 80-140 percent of median income category, while only rentals are envisioned for those in the less than 80 percent category. (In 1989, 80 percent median income was $29,280). Self-help housing or owner-builder housing can provide a “sweat equity” equal to half the actual home construction cost, thus reducing the total cost by 25% or more. This can make home ownership available to those who cannot afford even the least expensive or state built single-family home.

III. LAND USE PERMITTING
The Maui Chamber of Commerce supports the streamlining of agency review and comment procedure.

Supporting Statement
These procedures should be more efficient and less time consuming by limiting the review and comment process to pertinent agencies with specific interests in the proposed project.