Ban on ‘monster houses’ is favored

Oahu voters overwhelmingly support a ban on so-called monster houses, according to the latest Hawaii Poll.

The Honolulu City Council has been wrestling with the issue of large-scale houses — some with 20-plus bedrooms and double-digit bathrooms — since last summer.

Their proliferation, especially in older urban Honolulu residential communities like Palolo and Kalihi, has created an uproar from neighbors who argue they are unsightly, overburden roads, parking and other infrastructure and have been often linked to short-term rentals or other illegal businesses. Opponents of monster houses also argue that by manipulating current laws and lax enforcement, unscrupulous owners are gaming the system to the detriment of others, who cannot compete when trying to purchase a house or lot.

There’s been a small backlash to that movement, however, from real estate interests and others who argue that any kind of restriction on large houses will exacerbate the island’s housing crunch and make it more difficult for families who want to pool expenses to live together under one roof.

Of the 535 Oahu voters polled, 55 percent said they favor a ban on monster houses. However, a combined 32 percent said they don’t favor a ban because they think the houses will provide affordable housing or because they believe property owners should be allowed to build what they wish so long as they conform to city building and zoning codes.

The poll was conducted March 13-18 by Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy of Washington, D.C., using cellphones and landlines. The margin of error for Oahu questions was plus or minus 4.3 percentage points.

What exactly a ban would entail has yet to be determined. Among the key issues Council members have been grappling with include how to define a large house and what kind of requirements they must have if they are to be built.

Earlier this month Mayor Kirk Caldwell signed Bill 110 (2017) imposing an immediate, temporary moratorium on building permits for residential structures, on lots zoned for single-family residential use, that have a floor area that’s more than 75 percent of the total lot size.

The new ordinance does allow the city Department of Planning and Permitting to consider exceptions for larger dwellings if they meet a specific set of requirements. They include at least two off-street parking stalls for a dwelling up to 2,500 square feet in size and more stalls based on size; no more than 2-1/2 bathrooms for lots up to 4,000 square feet and more depending on lot size; greater side and rear setback requirements; and no more than two wet bars and one laundry room per dwelling.

The moratorium will be in place for a maximum of two years or until another bill can become law with more permanent regulations. Caldwell’s Department of Planning and Permitting is crafting a bill, and city officials have estimated they will be able to forward a bill by the end of the year.

Among those polled, those identifying themselves as Filipino were least likely to favor a ban. Only 45 percent supported the idea, the only ethnic group where less than a majority support a ban.

Hawaiians were most likely to favor a ban (67 percent), while those identifying as Japanese were second highest (59 percent). More women, 59 percent, support a ban than men, 51 percent.

Those describing themselves as Democrats and independents were much more likely to support a ban (60 percent). A majority of Republicans (46 percent) said monster houses provide affordable housing or should otherwise be allowed so long as they follow city codes, while only 40 percent support a ban.

The Hawaii Poll – March 2018: Montster Homes by Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Scribd