Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 31, Number 6, 1 June 2014 — Hawaiian renters wait longer for Section 8 housing, a joint OHA-counties study says [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hawaiian renters wait longer for Section 8 housing, a joint OHA-counties study says

By Harold Nedd Anew study of Native Hawaiian renters across the state has found that their families are among the hardest hit by the loeal housing market. The study, based on surveys of 1,940 renters who are receiving Section 8 housing vouchers or are on the wait list for assistance, is part of a larger effort to help shape housing policies that would address the needs of low-ineome Native Hawaiian renters. "Our hope is that the findings will bring new attention, needed resources and a strong poliīieal voice to critical housing issues," said Lisa Watkins-Victorino,

director of OHA's Research Line of Business, whieh will release the study this month. Among the key findings of the study is that Native Hawaiian renters are more likely than non-Ha-waiians to be waiting longer for Section 8 housing, a federally funded program that provides rental subsidies for families at

or helow 50 percent of the median ineome limits. In Honolulu, limits are $33,550 for a one-person household or $47,900 for a ^

tamily ot tour. Among the target groups are families, the elderly, disabled and displaced. According to the study, 51 percent of Native Hawaiian

renters on the wait list for Section 8 housing report waiting four or more years. By comparison, 38 percent of nonHawaiians report waiting that period of time.

The study suggests that the difference is largely due to the bigger households of Native Hawaiians. The study, whieh was conducted jointly by

OHA and county housing directors / statewide, also reveals that 48 percent — " of the members of Native Hawaiian m W households are under age 18. By eomparison, 28 percent of the members of non-Hawaiian households are under age 18. At the same time, 9 percent of the members of Native Hawaiian households are over age 55, versus 31 percent for non-Hawaiian households. In addition, Native Hawaiian renters require at least three-bedroomunits andprefer such areas as the Leeward side of O'ahu and Puna on Hawai'i Island, according to the study. By comparison, non-Hawaiians are likely to be a single-occupant adult over age 55 and need either a studio or one-bedroom unit, preferably in such areas as Kona, Honolulu and Llhu'e, according to the study. The study also reveals that 74 percent of Native Hawaiians who are receiving Section 8 housing vouchers prefer to own a home compared to 46 percent of their counterparts who are non-Hawaiian.

Similarly, 7 1 percent of Native Hawaiians on the wait list prefers homeownership, versus 48 percent of non-Hawaiians. The study also pegs the monthly-average housing cost for Native Hawaiian renters receiving Section 8 vouchers at $719, versus $470 for nonHawaiians. For Native Hawaiian renters on the wait list, the average housing cost comes to $855, compared to $817 for non-Hawaiians. The study comes at a time when homelessness among Native Hawaiians remains a nagging problem across the state. The problem has been steadily increasing on O'ahu after peaking on Maui in 2011, and on Kaua'i

and Hawai'i Island in 2012, according to OHA' s latest available figures from 2013. Behind the numbers are Native Hawaiians like Allan "Tony" Ameho, his wife, Ashlen, and their two daughters, who have been on the wait list for Section 8 housing more than five years. "We live in the backyard in the tent at my in-law's house

in 'Ewa Beach," said Ameho, a 62-year-old unemployed security guard. "I'm very frustrated, but | thankful to in-laws for helping B us out."

In May, more than 14,000 people applied for Honolulu's Section 8 aid when it opened for a week for the first time since 2005. the Honoluhi

itar-Advertiser reported. For more information about the study, visit www.oha.org. ["

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EC0N0MIG SELFSUFFICIENCY

Key statistics from the study SECTI0N 8 WAIT LIST ■='— SL ■

Time on Wait List - - 70% => 52% => 3 years 3 years Average household size 3.9 1.8 3.6 2.2 'Average number of needed bedrooms 3.1 1.8 2.8 2.0 % of households satisfied w/current unit 81% 81% 41% 46% % of households who prefer to own home 74% 46% 71% 48% Source: Hawai'i Renters Study 2013: Understanding the Housing Heeds ofNative Hawaiian and Non-Hawaiian Section 8 Households