[Apologies for my pre-caffeine version of this post that attributed this story to a different publication. Thank goodness for the post-coffee edit!]
Thanks to the Civil Beat’s Natanya Friedheim for an excellent story this morning describing a developer’s proposal to tap into special permissive zoning rules by claiming to provide transit oriented development. If approved, the building, located in the prime Keeaumoku Street corridor near Ala Moana Center, would be taller than any of the surrounding buildings and be allowed to build to a higher density than generally permitted in the area. In exchange, 20% of the buildings 429 units would be designed as rental units for those making 80% or less of Honolulu’s median income (for a single person, $58,600, and for a family of four, $83,680).
According to Friedheim, the building would be allowed “to exceed the neighborhood’s height limit by 150 feet and nearly quadruple the allowed density, among other zoning exemptions.”
See: “‘Poor Door’: Separate Tower Entrance Planned For Lower-Income Residents“.
Friedheim describes the zinger in the deal–the developer proposes a separate entrance for those renting the “affordable” apartments. Instant segregation!
Check out her story if you have a chance. It’s poses some difficult questions.
From the story:
The accommodations afforded each group of residents vary as widely as the income gap between them. Renters won’t have access to certain amenities, including a dog park, a pool, cabanas and a barbecue area.
“The renters won’t have to face the burden of maintaining all those amenities because they will be separated,” Simonich said.
He added that the entrance and lobby to the affordable units would be well designed. ProsPac Tower would include two separate elevators dedicated to accessing affordable units, which Simonich said will be more convenient for the tenants than having them share elevators with the condo owners.
He also said the neighborhood itself should be considered an amenity for all the residents.
Whoa. It’s not like an apartment “dog park” with its patch of artificial turf or a couple of BBQs and a seating area would be a high-cost add-on.
And it’s not as if this group of potential renters–those making up to 80% of the median–are the real impoverished in town. These might be the sons and daughters of those who will be buying market priced condos in the building.
If I were going to permit quadruple density and a 60% increase in allowable building height, I would want all of those 429 units to be designated affordable. You just know that this is going to set a precedent and become a floor for future proposals.
