Star Advertiser: Architect Questor Lau, whose company specializes in residences and alterations, noticed the trend several years ago: a surge in demand for rec rooms and dens across Honolulu... There is a legal process, known as ohana zoning, for homeowners in certain Oahu neighborhoods to build additions to their homes for rental to relatives, but that wasnt what was happening. Instead, people were building rumpus rooms, dens and workshops that had separate entrances and often a bathroom and wet bar. Such structures are perfectly legal and readily permitted. But using them as secondary dwelling is not. In fact, permit applicants for structures that could easily be converted into a secondary residence are required by the city to sign an affidavit or restrictive covenant not to use them as a separate dwelling unit. Lau decided to examine the trend in his doctoral thesis, focusing on these potentially illegal accessory dwellings. Through painstaking review of the citys permit data, the architect has documented for the first time the extent of the rec room phenomenon on Oahu, compared to the tiny number of people building legal ohana units for family members. Honolulus desperate need for affordable rentals and the results of Laus research, completed in May, have helped propel a move to legalize and regulate accessory dwelling units on Oahu that could be rented to non-relatives, as is already done on Maui. A proposal to allow homeowners to add secondary dwellings to their properties has moved forward at the City Council and is part of Mayor Kirk Caldwells draft plan for affordable housing. Lau examined the database of building permits for new single- and two-family homes, additions and alterations from 2005 to 2012. He found that legal ohana units accounted for just 102, or far less than 1 percent of the 15,508 such permits issued in Honolulu in that period of time. Instead, property owners were creating spaces that could easily convert to illegal rentals after passing inspection. Altogether, 37 percent, or 5,680 permits over the eight years, were such suspicious additions or alterations. Their layouts had triggered a red flag with the city, which required homeowners to sign an affidavit or restrictive covenant pledging not to convert them into illegal rentals. The number of suspicious permits shot up to 46 percent of the total in 2008, which was during the recession and when Lau had first noticed the phenomenon. The flow of ohana permit requests had dropped to a trickle after the Honolulu City Council restricted the rental of such units to only relatives in 1992 and because of concerns about sewer capacity. When first permitted in 1982, ohana units could be rented to anyone and accounted for a quarter of single-family construction... Lau mapped the data and found the potentially illegal accessory dwelling units, also known as ADUs, were spread across the city, including high-end neighborhoods such as Kahala... Renting a rec room as an illegal dwelling is problematic on various levels, he noted. The renter has a precarious existence and could be ejected at any time, and the structure may lack basic safety features. The homeowner cant claim the full value of his property. And the city loses tax income as well as the ability to ensure appropriate neighborhood development... In April, the Appleseed Center published a report, Accessory Dwelling Units: Expanding Affordable Housing Options in Hawaii, that incorporated some of Laus findings. In September, Councilman Ron Menor introduced Resolution 14-200, which would urge the city to open up ohana units to nonrelatives, noting that other Hawaii counties do not restrict secondary dwellings to family members. It was approved unanimously Nov. 19. Advocates argue that secondary dwellings on single-family lots engage the private sector in building affordable rentals at minimal cost to the state or counties. ADUs are an efficient yet controlled way to promote infill without altering the character of the community, the Appleseed report said. The Caldwell administration also favors allowing such accessory units on standard residential lots where infrastructure is adequate. It would likely limit their size to keep them affordable and require long-term leases. Ohana units may be built on lots as small as 5,000 square feet and must be attached to the main house. In 2006, authorities lifted a restriction on the size of the units, but it didnt spur more applicants. Ohana units must pay sewer hook-up fees and provide two parking spaces, which is pricey where land is at a premium. A small secondary unit might need just one parking stall. Two-family dwellings are currently allowed on 7,500-square-foot lots in R-5 zoned areas of Oahu. A 10,000-square-foot lot may have two single-family dwellings. Accessory dwelling units appear to be a popular option on Maui. They account for about 16 percent of new residences, and cost $63,000, compared to $250,000 for new single-family homes, according to a 2010 report Lau published on his website. Maui County keeps such structures small, 500 square feet on lots starting at 7,500 square feet, according to Rod Antone, communications director for Maui County. They may be attached or detached from the main house, with no internal connections, he said, and require just one parking stall... Kauai allows property owners to add a second home to any lot where one single-family home is permitted, according to the Appleseed report. They must meet all county requirements for setback, parking, floor area and infrastructure, just like the main dwelling. Other communities on the mainland, with high demand and high housing costs, have encouraged ADUs, also known as granny flats or carriage houses.
Posted on: Sun, 30 Nov 2014 20:35:40 +0000
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