2026-09-10 · Hawaii · Legislation · Did not pass

Hawaii’s long-running argument about using condominium property regimes to divide agricultural land produced three bills in 2026. All three died — and one narrow restriction became law anyway, inside a bill about farm housing.¹

The three

HB 1571 / SB 2324 — for registering a condominium project in an agricultural district, lower the threshold from projects with five units to projects with two units for which a signed county statement is required, and require a signed statement from the neighborhood board where applicable. HB 1571 passed second reading February 18 and was then deferred by House Consumer Protection on February 26, 2026. SB 2324 was referred January 26 and never heard.

SB 3231 — require condominium maps for agricultural-district land to include a letter signed by a county official or agency certifying that the regime will conform to county zoning, and authorise counties to require county approval of the subdivision of parcels larger than ten acres before the regime takes effect. It cleared Senate Agriculture 3–0, Economic Development 3–0 and Consumer Protection 5–0, and passed third reading 25–0 on March 10, 2026. Referred in the House to Water and Land on March 12. Never heard.

What did pass

Act 34 (2026), an agriculture bill, defines and permits farm employee housing in the state agricultural district — and includes a proviso that “no fee owner of the farm dwelling shall submit any portion thereof to a condominium property regime to separate the ownership of the farm employee housing units from the farm dwelling pursuant to chapter 514B.”

So the Legislature declined to tighten agricultural condominium registration generally, and simultaneously barred the regime outright for one newly created category of housing.

1. SB 3231 (2026), Hawaii State Legislature status feed — county zoning certification for agricultural condominium maps ↩
2. HB 1571 (2026), status feed — deferred by House Consumer Protection, February 26, 2026 ↩
3. HB 1737, C.D. 1 (enrolled) — Act 34, Session Laws of Hawaii 2026 ↩