Experts Warn of Hawaiian Housing Shortage

The Aloha State is in danger of saying “aloha” to housing unless a new wave of units comes to the market.

According to an Associated Press report, Hawaiian housing experts are warning that their state will need between 65,000 to 80,000 new units by 2025 in order to keep up with the current demand for new housing. This is especially acute for affordable housing, as single-family homes cost a median of $750,000

“We’ll continue to see increasing median household prices which will continue to essentially squeeze out individual—especially local residents—from being able to afford a home,” said Luis Salaveria, director of the state Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism.

Ramping up home construction would also benefit the Hawaiian economy, according to Carl Bonham, executive director of the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization.

“If we actually built enough houses to satisfy growth in population and existing shortfall, it would add one percent to our total jobs, one percent to our total income over the whole time period, so every year we’d have one percent more jobs than we would otherwise,” said Bonham. “It’s by no means a small issue.”