So much demand, so little supply. That’s the dire bottom line when it comes to truly affordable housing for Hawaii’s families — and unless work on policy changes begins today to address the shortfall, a growing number of keiki o ka aina of this and future generations will be forced out of Hawaii.

This alarm in the local housing crisis was sounded at Saturday’s daylong Housing Summit, focusing on how to produce and retain housing, especially rentals, that local workers can afford. It drew some 220 people with diverse interests, including government officials, politicians, developers and ministers.

A gamut of things must start taking root today — including the political will and leadership to drive harder bargains to produce housing that more closely reflects Hawaii’s working-family realities. Some 24,000 more housing units are needed in the coming years, with three-fourths of that needed for those earning less than 80 percent of area median income (AMI), or about $76,650 for a family of four.

Essential will be creative thinking as well as favorable eyes on new options, such as:

» Easing restrictions on Oahu homeowners on the number and types of accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, allowed on their property.

Now gaining momentum in the City Council and city administration, this idea to help address the affordable rental demand would open the ADUprocess to more neighborhoods, allow for detached-unit ADUs, and make units available to nonrelatives. Under current "ohana zoning" allowed in certain Oahu neighborhoods, an ADU must be attached or part of an existing dwelling, and be occupied by relatives.

More discussion will be needed, of course, on the ramifications of easing ADU rules: How far it should go and what parameters should be set so as not to unduly burden and disrupt residential neighborhoods. But it’s a concept worth pursuing, and the Caldwell administration rightly sees it as a major component of its Islandwide Housing Strategy.

» Increasing the length of time that affordable units must remain affordable, and lowering the definition of "affordable" and "reserved" housing.

Currently, government mostly requires that affordability be retained anywhere between just five to 15 years; that needs to increase to at least 30 to 60 years, as boldly proposed by the city administration. Also, project approvals should be conditioned with a higher percentage of units in the target 80 percent AMI range.

In Kakaako, the "reserved housing" definition is too high: up to 140 percent of AMI. It is here, in fact, that Gov.-elect David Ige has publicly pledged more help for working families.

Kakaako, which is fully under state control, "provides a unique opportunity to generate new affordable housing," Ige says in his affordable housing action plan. "More than 5,000 housing units have been approved in Kakaako recently, but less than

7 percent are affordable to the lower half of our population. I will reverse this trend and generate housing in Kakaako affordable to families earning below the median wage."

Another viable option exists in micro-units, and it’s one that Kakaako’s Hawaii Community Development Authority is considering for a small lot on Cooke Street.

One potential game-changer that must be realized is the building of affordable units around Oahu’s rail project. Such transit-oriented development will require thorough assessment of properties and TOD-zone incentives for public-private projects. The state’s Rental Housing Trust Fund, which partners with private developers to build subsidized housing, stands to play a big role in this.

However, developers and nonprofit housing entities face a frustrating mishmash of subsidy deadlines that hinder efficiency in the review process. Better alignment of application schedules among the federal, state and county levels — as well as expediting brisker review timetables — would go a long way to keep financing afloat and help projects come to fruition.

Look around Oahu, on our streets, and there can be no doubt about the need for housing for working families. The pressure grows for more affordable units: pushing down from middle-class kamaaina on the cusp of leaving Hawaii or in danger of homelessness; and pushing up from those already homeless, desperate for some stability in housing.

We cannot ignore the need for action now.