Hawaii Community Development Authority

Hawaii Community Development Authority

The Hawaii Community Development Authority was created in 1976 to oversee redevelopment and planning in designated urban redevelopment districts of Honolulu, Kaneohe Bay, and other strategic areas. It functions as a state-level redevelopment agency with statutory authority to implement plans, issue leases, and use eminent domain within its designated districts. The Authority interacts with entities such as the Hawaii State Legislature, Governor, City and County of Honolulu, and federal agencies including the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

History

The Authority was established by the Hawaii State Legislature through enabling legislation in response to urban redevelopment challenges experienced in postwar Honolulu growth and the decline of older districts such as Kakaʻako and Downtown Honolulu. Early planning drew on models from the Urban Renewal program and redevelopment agencies in New York City, San Francisco, and Seattle. Over the decades the Authority’s history entwines with major regional developments including the revitalization of Kakaʻako Makai, the creation of mixed-use parcels near Aloha Tower Marketplace, and transfers of military lands under the BRAC process. Key legislative milestones include amendments tied to the Hawaii State Constitution and acts passed by the Thirty-first Hawaii State Legislature and subsequent sessions that refined board composition, land disposition rules, and affordable housing mandates.

Organization and Governance

Governance is vested in a board composed of governor-appointed members confirmed by the Hawaii State Senate. The board’s structure and appointment authorities reference practices seen in authorities such as the Port of Portland and California Coastal Commission. The Executive Director—often recruited from private development firms or municipal planning departments—oversees day-to-day operations and staff drawn from planning, legal, finance, and community outreach disciplines. The Authority coordinates with municipal bodies including the Department of Planning and Permitting (City and County of Honolulu), state agencies such as the Department of Land and Natural Resources (Hawaii), and quasi-public entities like the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation. Its procurement, budgeting, and environmental review processes interface with statutes such as the Hawaii Public Procurement Code and the National Environmental Policy Act when federal funds or approvals are involved.

Jurisdiction and Powers

Statutory jurisdiction covers specific community development districts designated by the Hawaii State Legislature, for example parcels in Kakaʻako, Kalaeloa, and the Haleʻiwa corridor. Within those districts the Authority can approve site plans, issue development permits, negotiate long-term leases, and utilize eminent domain comparable to powers held by metropolitan redevelopment agencies in Chicago and Detroit. Fiscal tools include redevelopment bonds, tax increment-like mechanisms, and the authority to accept conveyance of surplus land from entities like the United States Navy or the Department of Defense (United States). The Authority’s permitting streamlines approvals that would otherwise require separate actions by the City and County of Honolulu Department of Transportation Services or the Hawaii Department of Transportation. Environmental responsibilities intersect with statutes enforced by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and state regulators.

Major Projects and Developments

Major projects have ranged from waterfront revitalization to transit-oriented mixed-use districts. Notable efforts include redevelopment initiatives in Kakaʻako that involved collaborations with private developers such as Kamehameha Schools and investment firms active in Aloha Tower Marketplace revitalization. Projects often align with regional transportation projects like the Honolulu Rail Transit program and housing initiatives pursued by the Hawaii Public Housing Authority. Redevelopment at former military properties echoes conversions executed at sites like Pearl Harbor Naval Base and Fort Shafter, while commercial components mirror projects in Ward Village and the Ala Moana district. The Authority has also facilitated community assets such as parks and cultural centers, coordinating with organizations including the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Hawaiian Airlines when airport-adjacent districts were implicated.

Community Impact and Controversies

The Authority’s actions have produced mixed impacts: proponents credit job creation, increased housing supply, and infrastructure upgrades comparable to redevelopment outcomes in Portland, Oregon and Boston. Critics, including neighborhood associations in Kakaʻako and advocacy groups tied to the Native Hawaiian community, have raised concerns about gentrification, displacement, and the adequacy of affordable housing commitments. Controversies have involved high-profile disputes over land disposition to private developers, challenges under the Hawaii Public Land Trust doctrines, and litigation relating to compliance with state environmental review requirements. Tensions have also arisen around community access to waterfronts—echoing disputes in places like San Diego and Miami Beach—and the balance between cultural preservation promoted by entities such as the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and commercial development interests represented by major real estate firms.

Category:State agencies of Hawaii Category:Urban planning in Hawaii