(BIVN) – An environmental review of the future renovation project on Rainbow Drive in Hilo has been published in the latest issue of The Environmental Notice.

The 34 Rainbow Drive Draft Environmental Assessment / Anticipated Finding of No Significant Impact details the plans to renovate the existing Old Hilo Memorial Hospital building next to the Wailuku River, as well as the proposal to develop affordable rental housing units and supportive services on the remaining 24.947-acre property. 

Conceptual Site Plan from the 34 Rainbow Drive Draft Environmental Assessment / Anticipated Finding of No Significant Impact

“Other areas of the property will be reserved for open space and a walking path connecting Hilo Memorial Hospital to Gilbert Carvalho Park,” a document summary states.

The project objectives were described in the first pages of the 600-page document:

Responding to the magnitude of the growing homelessness problems across the State of Hawai‘i, on January 26, 2023, Governor Josh Green, M.D. issued a Proclamation Relating to Homelessness, which was subsequently extended. The Proclamation suspended several laws for the purpose of creating more affordable housing, permanent supportive housing, and transitional housing, all of which are considered necessary to promote the health, safety, and welfare of the general public.

The County of Hawai‘i’s goal is to reach the point described as “functional zero” homelessness. Reaching functional zero does not mean that there will be zero homelessness but indicates that the County will have: an adequate supply of shelter and housing units; appropriate types of interventions in place; and the ability to rapidly respond to any person who is experiencing homelessness, regardless of their level of need.

Homelessness continues to be at a crisis level in Hawai‘i County, and one of the root causes is the lack of housing affordable to people earning the lowest incomes. The issue of homelessness is persistent. According to the 2022 Point in Time count of homeless individuals and families there were 837 homeless individuals in Hawai‘i County. There was no count in 2021 due to COVID, however the homeless count was 797 in 2020, 690 in 2019, and 869 in 2018. Subpopulations represented in the counts include adults, children, vets, those with HIV/AIDs, those with serious mental illness, those who are chronic substance abusers, and those fleeing domestic violence.

The State of Hawaiʻi and County of Hawaiʻi are also currently experiencing a housing crisis resulting from a severe shortage of affordable rental housing units and rising housing costs. As housing costs in Hawai‘i continue to increase, the number of affordable units that are available continues to decline. On June 29, 2016, Act 127 was signed into law to address the affordable rental housing crisis by establishing an affordable rental housing goal and establishing a Special Action Team on affordable rental housing. The primary goal of the Act is to develop or vest the development of at least 22,500 affordable rental housing units, ready for occupancy, between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2026.

More recently, on July 17, 2023, Governor Josh Green, M.D. issued an Emergency Proclamation Relating to Housing, which was superseded by subsequent Proclamations on September 15, 2023, and October 24, 2023. These proclamations sought to remove obstacles to housing construction by suspending several laws and establishing a Build Beyond Barriers Working Group tasked with reviewing Certification Applications for housing projects.

According to the Draft EA, the the objectives of the proposed Project are:

• Provide a welcoming community where individuals experiencing homelessness and/or mental health challenges feel safe, nurtured, and respected. A space where those who face great challenges realize their value and self-worth.
• Provide a space for a multi-organization/multi-agency approach to help reduce the number of individuals experiencing homelessness and/or mental health challenges in the Hilo and greater East Hawai‘i region.
• Provide social services and programs to help transition emergency shelter individuals to permanent supportive housing and/or affordable housing programs to meet State and County homeless housing goals.
• Increase the affordable housing supply in the Hilo and greater East Hawai‘i region so that more families have access to homes that are affordable and conveniently located near transit, jobs, and services.
• Provide onsite open space and recreational amenities to promote a healthy lifestyle for residents, patients, and community members.

The 30-day public review period is now underway, with comments due by April 8, 2024.