April 8, 2005 - More affordable housing

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Aloha.

This week I helped dedicate Kinau Vista, a 62-unit affordable apartment building for seniors on O`ahu.  Next door, I joined housing officials in breaking ground for the new 47-unit Pi`ikoi Vista affordable apartment complex.

Building more rental units is one part of my comprehensive approach to find solutions to our affordable housing shortage.

We are also focused on repairing and maintaining thousands of public housing units across the state.  Many of these buildings were built decades ago, and have not been adequately maintained.

The state is now aggressively renovating hundreds of vacant units.

Our goal is to make more affordable housing units available to residents, while ensuring the dwellings are safe, clean and comfortable.

As part of our plan, I have proposed $10 million per year in new funding to continue the repair of existing public housing.  Please ask your legislator to approve this important funding.

After all, the shortage of affordable housing affects everyone in our state.

Mahalo.  This is Governor Linda Lingle.