CRCOC Meeting: January 6, 2026 – Quarterly Affordable Housing Report
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Communications, Reports, and Council Oversight Committee Meeting – January 6, 2026
The Communications, Reports, and Council Oversight Committee (CRCOC) of the Hawai‘i County Council met on January 6, 2026, at 10:49 a.m. (the agenda had listed 10:30 a.m.) in the Hilo Council Chambers. The meeting was chaired by Michelle M. Galimba. The only agenda item was Communication 35.4, the Quarterly Affordable Housing Report for the period July 1 through September 30, 2025, submitted by Housing Administrator Kehaulani M. Costa. The report was presented, discussed, and the committee voted to close the file.
Discussion Items
Quarterly Affordable Housing Report (Comm. 35.4)
- Housing Administrator Kehaulani M. Costa presented the quarterly report, noting no significant changes since the previous reporting period. The only addition was 10 new rental units developed by Hope Services in Honoka‘a at Our Lady of Lords Catholic Church, designated for senior rentals.
- Councilmember Inaba raised a question regarding the Kona Country Club project, which has excess housing credits listed in the report. Inaba noted that this may be the first project to use excess credits and requested that the Housing Office and Corporation Counsel verify the validity of six credits transferred from Suffolk (another Kona development) via a 2012 Office of Housing correspondence.
- The report was transmitted pursuant to Section 11-19 of the Hawai‘i County Code. There was a discrepancy in the date of the report: the agenda stated it was dated December 2, 2025, while the transcript referred to October 2, 2025.
Key Outcomes
- Councilmember Inaba moved to close the file on Communication 35.4, seconded by Councilmember Hustace (the transcript recorded the name as "Hughes," likely a transcription error).
- The motion passed unanimously with 8 ayes; Councilmember Villegas was excused.
- No public testimony was offered, either in person, via Zoom, or at courtesy sites.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned following the vote, with the Finance Committee meeting scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m.
Meeting Transcript
Aloha, happy new year. Welcome to the 15th session of the Communication Reports and Council Oversight Committee here at the Hawaii County Building in Hilo. It is 10. Oh, what time is it? 10 49 a.m. Um. And present in chambers here in Hilo are Councilmembers Kagiwada, Hustis Kirkowitz, Oneshi, Inaba, Connie Lee Kleinfelder, and myself chair of this committee. Um I believe that council members uh Kimball and oh gosh, Rebecca V, I guess will be joining us shortly. Okay. Having gotten through the most difficult part of this task. I will pass it over to our clerk for testimony. Thank you, Chair. Uh I don't see anyone in the chamber. Um Scott, please holler if there's anyone in Kona or anyone in Zoom who would like to testify for our committee today. Please speak up now. Hearing and seeing none. Uh communication 35.4. Quarterly affordable housing report, July 1 through September 30, 2025 from Housing Administrator Ke Holani M. Costa, dated October 2, 2025, transmitting the above report pursuant to section 11-19 of the Hawaii County Code. Okay. Motion to close file on communication 35.4. Moved by Councilmember Inaba and seconded by Councilmember Hughes to close file on communication 35.4. Um administrator Costa, could you please come forward to present this report? Thank you. Good morning, Kehau Costa Housing Administrator. Here we are again, quarterly report required by ordinance. There are no significant changes since our last reporting to the list of housing credits. Only one change on this report, which is the addition of 10 additional rental units developed by Hope Services in Honokaa at Our Lady of Lords Catholic Church for senior rentals. Councilmember Inaba. Thank you. I did put an inquiry out to our auditor yesterday regarding Kona Country Club. I believe they're coming forth uh with a rezoning extension request to the council shortly. Uh and their plan, they had uh received excess credits and they are listed here. I think this might be the first project that is gonna be using excess credits. So I've asked the auditor and I want to state now if your office and the corporation council can re-verify that those six credits are in fact valid. I believe a correspondence from Office of Housing back in 2012 verified the transfer from Suffolk, which is another Kona development. Um but I just want to make sure that prior to them coming here, we know the six credits are thank you. Yes. Seeing no other lights. I just wanted to uh commend hope services for the 10 rental units. Any movement on that front is very welcome. Hopefully we can see more and more as we go along. Um all those in favor closing file on communication 35.4, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Hearing none, there'll be eight in favor with council member Viegas excused, and that brings us to the end of our agenda. Thank you so much, Administrator Costa. And uh finance will start at 11.
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