In January 2022, the West Hawai‘i Association of REALTORS® (WHAR) learned that a critical building permit expiration date was looming on the Island of Hawai‘i, threatening to force costly property upgrades and potential delays in sales transactions for the island’s homeowners. The Department of Public Works had posted notices on Instagram, where it had roughly 400 followers, and in the local newspaper – behind a paywall. MLS data told the REALTORS® that about 37K properties were at risk. Realizing they had to alert property-owners island-wide, and fast, they contacted the REALTOR® Party for a Consumer Advocacy Outreach Grant, and got to work getting the word out.
According to Association Executive Taylor Rodamer, all building permits issued prior to March 27, 2012, that had not been closed-out, were going to be considered null-and-void as of March 2022. “Many property owners were unaware of these open permits,” she says. “Our members often encounter this during the course of a sale and have to work to get the permit closed-out; this can take time, which can delay or jeopardize a sale. Or, if a homeowner wanted to pull a new permit, they could be required to bring the entire property up to code, regardless of the nature of the current project. For example, if you wanted to remodel your kitchen, but a previous permit had been voided, you might find yourself having to install dual-paned windows in order to move forward!” She points out that this unexpected hardship and expense to homeowners would only add to the housing crisis the island is experiencing.
Rodamer and her team advocated for the Department of Public Works to extend the deadline, not once, but twice, as they launched an urgent consumer education campaign. “The REALTOR® Party was incredibly responsive, which was great, because once the grant was approved, we didn’t have long to get our mailers into mailboxes.” Because some property owners live off-island, the notices were sent to tax bill addresses, rather than to the property, itself. The mailers featured a QR code linking property owners to a colorful web page that clearly spell out the time-sensitive situation, how to find out if they are affected, and what to do about it. Lance Owens, 2022 WHAR President and 2025 Hawai‘i REALTORS® President, created a video for the landing page, walking viewers through the process of finding and fixing a property’s open permit. As Rodamer explains, “REALTORS® are in the electronic permitting system all the time, but the average homeowner wouldn’t know where to begin.”
The digital effort resulted in upwards of 40K impressions and extended the reach of the message considerably. What’s more, the campaign established a road map for stronger relationships with the Mayor and County Council members, notes Rodamer. Working in support of the Department of Public Works also gave the REALTORS® the opportunity to make suggestions for the new permitting system and positions them favorably for future advocacy.
“Members of the public actually called to thank us, which was really gratifying,” says Rodamer. In addition to the positive feedback from the broader community, she reports, there was also acclaim from the Chamber of Commerce, specifically, its Economic Development Committee and the Housing & Permitting Task Force. “That was really high praise. The whole effort generated a public awareness that we are not just about serving REALTORS® needs, but we are looking out for the whole community.”
To learn more about how the REALTORS® are working to protect homeowners on the Island of Hawai‘i, contact Taylor Rodamer, Association Executive of the West Hawai‘i Association of REALTORS®, at taylor@westhawaiirealtors.com or 808.329.4874. To see the landing page the organization created to reach and help consumers, visit: https://campaignprogram.com/Hawai‘i-county-permits.
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