The growing network of community land trusts seek to provide permanently affordable homes for Hawai‘i’s people—and redefine the narrative on housing in paradise to emphasize collective, rather than individual, wellbeing.

While congregations have long provided shelter and support to those in need, these churches are taking those efforts a step further by building affordable homes on their underutilized properties. They join a growing number of religious organizations addressing their communities’ deepening housing needs.

This new approach would help buffer Hawai‘i homes from speculation and encourage more locals to actively contribute to addressing the Islands’ housing challenges.

A group of Kaua‘i renters is joining a growing number of Americans looking at co-ops to help combat skyrocketing housing prices.