Residents were recently sent an e-mail message from the City & County of Honolulu's Department of Planning and Permitting entitled, "We Want to Hear from You!"

The message reads: "In response to the City Council's desire to better address the island's diverse housing needs, the Mayor's Office of Housing and the Department of Planning and Permitting have begun work on an Affordable Housing Strategy for Oahu. A short, online survey is one way that Oahu's residents can help document local housing needs. Please click on the following link to complete this survey and have your voice be heard! https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Honolulu_Housing

"Ultimately, we expect the Affordable Housing Strategy to prioritize city resources in the construction and maintenance of affordable housing. It will be used to revise land use regulations, financial policies, and programs. Our partners in this effort include the State, housing advocates and developers - but we're also looking for input from individuals such as yourself. Mahalo!"

We strongly encourage everyone to participate in the City's survey. In scientific surveys conducted in 2009, 2010 and 2013, Ko'olau Loa residents indicated that the lack of affordable housing is among the most important problems facing area residents.

Taking the City survey and commenting on the need for more affordable housing in Ko'olau Loa is a great way to ensure that decision makers know what's most important to our community. To take the short, online survey, click here.

Remember, your opinion matters and every voice counts!

Envision Laie Info Center Being Relocated

After nearly four years in the same location, the Envision Laie Information Center was temporarily closed last Friday. It will be relocated from its previous location in the Laie Shopping Center, inbetween Ohana Care Chiropractic / Alia Lani Day Spa and U.S. Nails. Some elements of the information center will soon be moved to the Hawaii Reserves, Inc., office space.

Although originally planned to be opened for just a few months, since its opening in July 2010 thousands of residents have visited the center to learn more about our community's rich history, public opinion and input regarding the potential of the Ko'olau Loa region, proposed community improvements, and current projects in Laie. The sixty-two land use planning maps on display, produced by approximately 600 area residents as part of public community planning workshops, were an info center highlight.

The movement of the information center comes in preparation for relocating some shopping center tenants in coming months. That reconfiguration will include a new lessee for the previous info center space, and improved services and amenities for Laie Shopping Center patrons.