Purpose
Empower Kaua’i to learn and be a part of current opportunities for gap housing and sustainability initiatives that provide a healthier quality of living and balance of resources.

Gap housing and sustainability are important issues that need immediate attention. These efforts directly reflect the diminishing needs of Kaua’i.

Closing the Gap

  • Encouraging a balanced economic, social, community, and environmental priorities; 
  • ​Encouraging planning that respects and promotes living within the natural resources and limits of the State; 
  • Promoting a diversified and dynamic economy; 
  • Encouraging respect for the host culture; 
  • Promoting decisions based on meeting the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations; 
  • Considering the principles of the ahupua'a system; and 
  • Emphasizing that everyone, including individuals, families, communities, businesses and government, has the responsibility for achieving a sustainable Hawaiʻi.

Besides Hawaiʻi's Sustainability Priority Guidelines and Principles, the State of Hawaiʻi also published the Hawaiʻi 2050 Sustainability Plan through Act 8, Special Session Laws of Hawaiʻi 2005, as amended by Act 210, Session Laws of Hawaiʻi 2006. Hawaiʻi's 2050 Sustainability laws directed the review of Hawaiʻi's State Planning Act and other fundamental concepts of community planning, specifically, many quality-of-life issues, including water quality, air quality, land use, energy, and ocean resources that are important to the people of Hawaiʻi and should be the focus for planning Hawaiʻi's future. 
The State of Hawaiʻi has also enacted many other sustainability laws and goals, which this program will organize to ensure coordination and awareness across state agencies. 

• High costs of living and housing have led to net migration losses, though international immigration from Asia and the Pacific Islands helps offset some of these declines. 

• Tourism remains a key economic driver, contributing $17 billion in 2023, but rising housing prices and workforce shortages challenge affordability and growth. 

•Delayed healthcare access affects 58% of residents, especially in rural areas, with workforce shortages further straining the system.

•Population is expected to stabilize and grow slightly to 1.56 million by 2050, with strategic economic and policy efforts needed to sustain growth and quality of life. 

This new program will implement the sustainability priority guidelines and principles enacted through Act 181, Session Laws of Hawaiʻi 2011. The development of this sustainability planning and coordination program began in June 2017, to liaise among state and other government agencies, as well as private or non-profit organizations, on various sustainability initiatives being performed statewide. This program is responsible for establishing broad work plans for state initiatives that promote sustainability, including developing programmatic priorities and budgets, conducting program analyses, making sustainable policy recommendations, and preparing sustainability or initiative reports. Hawaiʻi's Sustainability Priority Guidelines and Principles are set to promote sustainability through the Hawaiʻi State Planning Act, they include: 
Problem Statement: Gap Housing and Sustainability 
The growing housing affordability crisis has left many individuals and families ineligible for traditional low-income housing yet unable to afford market-rate homes, creating a critical "gap" in housing accessibility. This gap disproportionately affects middle income earners, young professionals, and essential workers, leading to housing instability and economic strain. Additionally, many existing housing solutions do not prioritize sustainability, resulting in increased energy consumption, environmental degradation, and long-term financial burdens for residents.  

  • There is an urgent need for innovative, sustainable gap housing solutions that balance affordability, environmental responsibility, and long-term viability. By integrating energy- efficient designs, eco-friendly materials, and inclusive urban planning, we can bridge the housing divide while promoting sustainability, reducing carbon footprints, and fostering resilient communities. Addressing this challenge requires collaboration among policymakers, developers, and community stakeholders to create housing models that support both people and the planet.  
  • The people that are leaving Hawaiʻi are the people that can afford to leave their workforce and the people our engine," said Micah Kane, president and CEO of Hawaiʻi Community Foundation. "If this continues, we're going to have this hollow community where our engine is just not there, and you're gonna have very, very poor people, and we're gonna have very, very wealthy."  
  • Suzanne Skjold, COO of Aloha United Way, said, "180,000 people right now are considering leaving the state of Hawaiʻi, from our workforce, from our younger families, our Hawaiian families, and that is something that we are deeply concerned about at Aloha United Way and of course, Bank of Hawaii and Hawaii Community Foundation." These working poor make too much to qualify for government aid and live paycheck to paycheck. Many are on the brink of financial crisis. 
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 Key Takeaways 
Hawaiʻi's population is estimated at 1.44 million in 2025, showing a 0.30% decline since 2022 due to outmigration and economic challenges. Hawaiʻi features a diverse racial composition, with a median age of 39.6 years and a balanced sex ratio (50.37% males, 49.63% females).

Resources for Gap Housing and Sustainability