Study: Housing aid costs more, but serves few additional families

A housing program in Hawaii is getting more expensive, but not necessarily helping more people.

A new study from the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization found that the program is facing growing financial pressure as rising rents make it increasingly expensive to help families.

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According to the report, federal spending on Hawaii's tenant-based vouchers more than tripled from about $55 million in 2003 to approximately $170 million in 2024, while the number of households receiving assistance grew only modestly.

Nationally, the Housing Choice Voucher program helps more than 2 million low-income households afford housing, but only about one in four eligible households receives rental assistance.

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Researchers say rising rents are making it increasingly difficult to maintain existing assistance while expanding the program to help more families.

Researchers say the findings underscore the growing challenge of making affordable housing available in an increasingly expensive rental market.