Rec Rooms located_East of Oahu_low res notes

Distribution of RED shows where these Rec Rooms or
Accessory Units are being built. It might also be called
an architecture of resistance, as multiple generations of a
family struggle to make ends meet and seniors strive to
supplement their retirement incomes. You might say,
this map provides some insights into Accessory Dwell-
ings and Aging-in-Place.
The map also shows the distribution of potential illegal
rental units relative to the Ohana Zones. While these
results are very preliminary (small sample size), it shows
that many Rec Rooms are within the Ohana Zone. So
one question for policy makers is: Why aren't these
homeowners building Ohana Units instead? Are the
Ohana Unit requirements too restrictive (2 add'l park-
ing, min lot size, sewer connection fee), while Rec
Rooms require no sewer connection fee, no additional
parking above what is req'd for total oor area and can
be installed on lots of any size and all Residential, Coun-
try, and Ag zoned lots?
Further research might look at trends over time -- distri-
bution of Rec Room permits in past years. Were there
more Rec Rooms created during economic downturns?
Where are the majority of these units being created?
Distribution of Rec Room Units
East Oahu
While the City already collects additional monthly
(Jan to Jun 2011)
sewer fees for Rec Room spaces, property taxes do not
re ect the capacity for these properties to host an addi-
GREEN = Ohana Zone
tional dwelling unit. Moreover, in a cashout re nance or
RED = Properties issued a building permit for
reverse mortgage situation, homeowners do not get
a residential (R-3 occ) structure, btwn
credit for the added equity in their property, since these
Jan-Jun 2011, that also required a
spaces are not appraised as 2nd dwelling units. In other
restrictive covenant or a davit. These
words, a change in the wording of the LUO to allow
are typically Rec Room permits that
Accessory Dwelling Units would go a long way to
are highly suspicious for illegal rental
increasing homeowner equity and legitimize the
units.
common practice of using Rec Rooms as rental units.

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