Without the infrastructure to support it, a home is reduced quite simply to a series of walls and a roof that fails to support the everyday needs of individuals and families, namely water, a sewer system, electricity, and roads. No one would dare attempt to live in such a place as life would quickly become untenable and burdensome.

So, when examining the need to build more homes for Hawaii’s people, infrastructure is paramount. However, asking homebuilders to fund this infrastructure comes at an enormous price. For example, a 2016 study by the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp. estimated the cost of infrastructure can increase the price of a home by 15-25%, which for a median-priced house means an additional $135,000 to $225,000 that is borne directly by the homebuyer. As the st

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