After months of battling red tape, Ohana Hope Village has opened its doors and can house about 500 people.

Controlling demand and formulating housing prices based on local wages is how some locals say Hawaii can move forward.

The county manager said the "visioning process" for the new department was put on hold when response and recovery efforts for the Aug. 8 fires took priority.

Randy Dadez says the agency moved his family into a house that Maui County's map clearly shows lacks clean water.

Proposals to transform Hawaii's current zoning laws would not even guarantee cheaper housing.

The measure would expand the power of Hawaii's "insurers of last resort."

Bissen laid out his plans to address the housing crisis seven months after the Aug. 8 fires killed at least 101 people and destroyed much of Lahaina and parts of Kula.

The agency needs to rapidly pick up the pace, but it must figure out how to overcome hurdles with inspections, pets, background checks and location.

The more than $200 million development would be located in a culturally and environmentally sensitive area.

Support for the two affordable housing projects was approved unanimously after several heated meetings about the selection committee's process.