The Housing Data Gap Nobody Is Talking About

When elected officials talk about Hawaii's housing crisis, the conversation almost always centers on supply. We hear questions about how many units we need, how many homes are being built, and how many people are leaving because they cannot find housing they can afford. Those are all important questions, and they deserve attention. But there is another question that rarely gets asked, and it may be just as important: do we actually know enough about the rental housing we already have?

The honest answer is probably no.

Over the past several years, lawmakers at every level of government have introduced new regulations, new taxes, new incentives, and new housing programs. Some of these efforts have been well intentioned, while others have sparked significant debate. Nearly all of them have been framed as necessary responses to Hawaii's housing challenges. Yet many of these discussions take place without a complete understanding of the state's long term rental housing inventory.

We have a fairly detailed picture of owner-occupied housing. We know where homes are located, how much they are worth, how they are classified for tax purposes, and when they change hands. We also have extensive information about short term rentals, with entire government departments and enforcement programs dedicated to tracking and regulating that sector.

Long term rentals, however, are a different story. No one can say with certainty how many long term rental units exist across Hawaii. We do not have a clear understanding of how many are owned by local families, retirees, or small independent housing providers. We do not know how many units are rented below market rates because the owner prioritizes stability over maximizing income. We also do not know how many units may be at risk of leaving the rental market due to rising costs, increasing regulations, or shifting economic conditions.

That lack of information should concern everyone. Housing policy is only as effective as the data used to create it. Trying to make decisions without reliable information is like attempting to manage a household budget without knowing your income or expenses, or running a business without understanding your customer base. When policymakers move forward without a clear picture of the rental market, they are essentially making decisions in the dark.

This issue is especially important when it comes to small rental housing providers. The common perception of a landlord often involves large companies with extensive portfolios and professional management teams. In reality, Hawaii's rental housing landscape looks very different. Many rental units are owned by local residents who have one or two properties, or perhaps a small apartment building that has been in the family for generations.

These providers play a vital role in the state's housing ecosystem. They offer homes for working families, seniors, and young people just starting out. They provide housing in neighborhoods where large developers may never build. Despite their importance, they are often overlooked in policy discussions because there is so little data available about who they are and what challenges they face.

When accurate information is missing, assumptions tend to fill the gap, and those assumptions are not always correct. The result can be policies that fail to achieve their intended goals, create unintended consequences, or make it more difficult for housing providers to continue offering rental housing in the communities that need it most.

If Hawaii is serious about addressing its housing challenges, it needs to start with a straightforward principle: good decisions require good information. Before debating new solutions, we should take the time to understand the housing resources that already exist. Before making assumptions about who provides rental housing, we should identify the people who are actually doing the work. And before implementing policies designed to shape the rental market, we should make sure we understand the market we are trying to influence.

That conversation begins with better data. If we cannot accurately measure our long term rental housing inventory, it becomes very difficult to manage it effectively. That is a question worth asking, and one that deserves far more attention than it currently receives.