May 13, 2026, 10 a.m.
Honolulu Hale
To: Honolulu City Council
Tommy Waters, Chair
Andria Tupola, Vice Chair
From: Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
Ted Kefalas, Director of Strategic Campaigns
RE: Resolution 26-39 — PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 21, REVISED ORDINANCES OF HONOLULU 2021 (THE LAND USE ORDINANCE), RELATING TO DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS
Aloha Chair Waters, Vice Chair Tupola and other Council Members,
The Grassroot Institute of Hawaii supports Resolution 26-39, CD1, which would request the Honolulu Planning Commission to review a bill that would increase the floor-area ratio of the Central Business Mixed Use zone.
Specifically, the draft bill would allow for a floor-area ratio of 7.0 in the BMX-4 zone — up from the current 4.0 limit. The maximum FAR would be 10.0 for projects that use the current open space bonus system. These changes would essentially allow denser buildings in BMX-4 zones so more housing units could be built.
The draft bill would also allow Interim Planned Development-Transit projects up to 12.0 FAR. The current limit for IPDT projects is 7.5.
Grassroot believes this measure could help increase business and housing opportunities in and around downtown Honolulu, where all of the city’s BMX-4 zones are.
The need for new housing is significant. A 2024 update to the Hawaii housing planning study estimated that Honolulu needed 27,710 new units built between 2023 and 2027 to keep up with demand.[1]
It will be nearly impossible for the city to meet that goal without changing zoning rules to allow more housing.
The bill also aligns with the city’s 2025-2028 Strategic Housing Plan goal to “identify opportunities for maximizing urban land use through adjustments to density standards in the Land Use Ordinance.”[2]
Figure 1 below shows where the current BMX-4 district is in Honolulu.
Figure 1. BMX-4 zones
This area of Honolulu already accommodates tall, high-density buildings. Allowing more of these structures to be built would enhance the area’s walkability, resulting in more foot traffic for downtown businesses.
In short, this legislation could be a meaningful step toward revitalizing downtown.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
Ted Kefalas
Director of Strategic Campaigns
Grassroot Institute of Hawaii
1050 Bishop St. #508 | Honolulu, HI 96813 | 808-864-1776 | info@grassrootinstitute.org
[1] “Hawaii Housing Planning Study 2024,” prepared by SMS Research and Marketing Services, Inc., FSR Consulting LLC and Ward Research, Inc. for the Hawai’i Housing Finance and Development Corporation, Table 39A, p. 124.
[2] “Strategic Housing Plan 2025-2028,” Prepared by the Mayor’s Office of Housing with CommunityScale, January 2025, p. 70.
