Rep. Ing Introduces Rent Control Bill

Kaniela Ing. File image.

A measure introduced by State Representative Kaniela Ing of Maui for a “rent control” pilot project will be heard in the House Committee on Housing, tomorrow, Feb. 9 at 9 a.m. at the Hawaiʻi State Capitol in room 423.

“Simply put, the rent is too damn high,” said Rep. Ing (D-South Maui).  “Local people are struggling to make ends meet. They are being squeezed out. Rent control is proven to allow young folks to save up to buy homes, and prevent kupuna on fixed income from becoming homeless.”

Ing says that mainland jurisdictions with similar costs of living to Hawai’i have already enacted rent control, and that HB1267 encompasses the best practices of modern rent control developed through compromises between renters and landlords over the course of decades.

According to Ing, the intent of the measure is to supplement measures that tackle Hawaiʻi’s homelessness and affordable housing problems like “Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion” and “Housing First.”

While rent control measures are typically adopted by County and City governments, Rep. Ing says someone has to intervene.

“Why aren’t we already having this conversation? Someone has to lead. Homelessness, our high cost of living, and affordable housing, our state’s greatest problems, can all be solved when our leaders take bold action,” said Ing.