STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1877

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 66

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Public Safety and Military Affairs and Housing, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 66 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE STATE BUILDING CODE COUNCIL TO ADOPT, AMEND, OR UPDATE THE STATE BUILDING CODE TO AUTHORIZE POINT ACCESS BLOCK CONSTRUCTION FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS UP TO SIX STORIES IN THE STATE,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the State Building Code Council to adopt, amend, or update the State Building Code to authorize point access block construction for residential buildings up to six stories in the State.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from Housing Hawaiʻi's Future and Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committees find that compact residential buildings with dwelling units centered around a single stairway and elevator core, also known as buildings with point access blocks, economically maximize available housing in the State. Point access blocks provide floor-plan efficiency and a wider variety of unit sizes for multifamily housing and are a popular construction method in several European nations. However, the current State Building Code provides that most residential buildings in the State must use double-loaded corridors, or a layout involving two stairways, which may waste space in an island setting where available land is extremely limited. Accordingly, this measure requests the State Building Code Council to allow for point access block construction up to six stories for residential buildings in the State as a means to increase the State's housing supply.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety and Military Affairs and Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 66, and recommend its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety and Military Affairs and Housing,

________________________________ STANLEY CHANG, Chair

________________________________ BRANDON J.C. ELEFANTE, Chair