Report cites regulations as a hurdle for Maui housing growth

(The Center Square) — A new report suggests that outdated policies for water fixtures are hindering housing growth in Maui.

Costly plumbing regulations have emerged as an "obscure" obstacle to housing growth in Maui County, said Grassroot President and CEO Keli'I Akina.

Researchers with the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, a nonprofit policy research organization, found that Maui County's water-fixture-unit requirements and fees related to household appliances like kitchen sinks, toilets, showers and washing machines are the highest in the state.

Due to the "outdated" requirements, water fixture unit assignments are often not aligned with water meters' physical capacities, the report said.

"The situation has become so severe that some homeowners resort to removing laundry room sinks or exterior hose faucets in order to allocate water fixtures elsewhere in their homes," said Akina. "Maui County's outdated water-fixture regulations are especially worrisome in light of how they might be hindering the rebuilding and recovery of Lahaina and other areas affected by the devastating August 2023 wildfires."

The Lahaina fires destroyed approximately 3,000 homes, according to the report.

However, Maui County's housing crisis started before the Lahaina fires, said Akina, and is also exacerbated by zoning, permitting, taxes and fees. Still, removing limits for water fixtures could be a key to eliminating barriers, the report said.

Currently, Maui County levies a fee of $389 for each additional water fixture unit for 5/8 inch meters. If a homebuilder bought the maximum allowable extra units, which is 11, it would cost around $4,200 on top of an additional $12,060 for the initial water meter, the report found.

"Ironically, county incentives such as the ʻOhana Assistance Program have been enacted to encourage homeowners to build housing in existing urban areas with access to adequate infrastructure, but fees for water-fixture units run counter to that goal," the researchers wrote.

In addition to removing or adjusting Maui's water fixture limits, the report recommends reducing the fees for additional water fixture units and allowing homeowners to own and manage their water meters.

"If the Department of Water Supply no longer had to foot the maintenance bill for water meters, it would no longer need to be concerned with how many water appliances a homeowner might have," the report said. "If homeowners had more water fixtures than could be supplied from their water meters, they would be incentivized to reduce their water-fixture usage so as not to damage their water meters or render their appliances inoperable, or else buy a new water meter."

The Maui County mayor's office did not immediately return a message from The Center Square seeking comment.