(BIVN) – A series of bills that lawmakers say will benefit condominium owners, associations, and residents in Hawaiʻi were signed into law on Thursday. 

Governor Josh Green and state legislators say the measures take a “significant step toward addressing the housing challenges in Hawai‘i”, by streamlining processes, enhancing management practices, and increasing accessibility to clean energy programs for condominium communities. 

“Earlier this week, we took decisive action to address housing issues across our state,” said Governor Green, in reference to the newly signed bills concerning affordable housing development. “Today, we continue that momentum by signing legislation that directly supports our condominium owners and residents. These bills will modernize condominium management, provide greater access to clean energy, and ensure that our state can adopt best practices from across the nation,” Green said.

Signed legislation includes:

• SB2600 – Deliveries of Certain Documents by Email: This bill allows the use of emails for certain condominium-related documents, reducing the burdensome paperwork processes involved in purchasing condos.
• SB2726 – Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB) Study and Reports: This legislation mandates the LRB to study how other states handle condominium-related issues, including the potential establishment of an ombudsman, licensing for management, alternative dispute resolution methods, governmental regulation, owner education, and access to documents. The findings will help Hawai‘i adopt the best practices from around the country.
• HB2315 – Condos: Meeting and Voting: This bill simplifies and modernizes the procedures for condominium meetings and voting processes.
• HB2685 – Solar Hui Program: This innovative bill establishes the Solar Hui Program, allowing multi-family residential property owners to invest in a fund providing loans to low- and moderate-income households for installing solar energy systems. This program expands access to clean energy for condominium owners who do not own their roofs, enabling them to benefit from sustainable energy solutions.
• HB2801 – Commercial Property Assessed Financing (C-PACER): This bill transitions the administration of the C-PACER program from counties to the Hawaiʻi Green Infrastructure Authority (HGIA), allowing condominium associations to be eligible for commercial property assessed financing. This program will leverage private capital to achieve the state’s clean energy and water goals, harden commercial buildings for resilience, and facilitate affordable housing.

“The Solar Hui Investment Fund and the expansion of C-PACER to condominium associations are critical tools in enabling more of our residents to participate in Hawai‘i’s clean energy future,” Governor Green said. “By breaking down financial barriers, we are helping families reduce energy costs and move toward energy independence. These legislative actions represent a significant milestone in our efforts to build a more sustainable and resilient Hawai‘i.”