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HRS §53-84

How the county can borrow money for redevelopment

This section lets the county borrow money or issue bonds to pay for redevelopment projects. It explains the different ways the county can get funds and the rules for paying them back. Some bonds are limited to certain revenue sources and cannot use general tax money.

counties

The statute, as written — Incurring of indebtedness by the county

For the purpose of carrying out its powers, duties, and functions under this part, including for the payment of principal and interest upon any advances for moneys and plans for redevelopment projects, the county may: (1) Borrow and apply for and accept advances and loans; provided that unless the obligation of the county to repay such advances or satisfy such loans is limited to the revenues derived by the county from an undertaking as defined in section 53-85, the incurring by the county of any such indebtedness shall be carried out under and pursuant to chapter 47; (2) Issue its bonds under and pursuant to chapter 47, including, without limiting the foregoing, for the refunding of bonds issued by an agency of the county abolished as provided in section 53-81 and the refunding of bonds issued by the county under paragraph (3); and (3) Issue its bonds under and pursuant to section 53-16, all of the provisions of which shall be applicable to such bonds and to the county in the issuance thereof except as follows: (A) Such bonds shall be issued only for the purpose of carrying out the powers, duties, and functions of the county under this part, including, without limiting the foregoing, the refunding of bonds issued by the county under this paragraph or paragraphs (1) and (2) or the refunding of bonds issued by an agency of the county abolished as provided in section 53-81; (B) The principal of and interest on such bonds shall be payable and secured solely as provided in section 53-16(a)(1) and (2), and in no event shall be payable from the general fund of the county or from taxes or from any other funds or properties of the county other than those referred to in such paragraphs (1) and (2), nor shall such bonds be secured by the full faith and credit of the county or the general fund or the taxing power of the county; (C) Neither the council nor any officer or employee of the county nor any person executing the bonds shall be liable personally on the bonds by reason of the issuance thereof; (D) The bonds shall be limited obligations of the county payable and secured solely as provided in subparagraph (B) and shall so state on their face; (E) The words "members" or "officers" where used in section 53-16(e) shall mean members of the council and officers of the county; and (F) The words "rents", "fees", and "revenues" where used in section 53-16(g) shall mean and include only those rents, fees, and revenues derived by the county from its activities under this part; the words "real or personal property" and "property" where used in section 53-16(g) shall mean only the real or personal property held by the county for the purposes of this chapter and shall not include real or personal property held for other public uses and purposes, such as streets, parks, public buildings, publicly-owned utilities, and the like; and the word "bonds" where used in section 53-16(g) shall mean bonds of the county issued under section 53-16(g) as incorporated into this part and the bonds of any agency of the county abolished as provided in section 53-81.
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗as published Jan 6, 2026our copy taken Aug 20, 2026

Sections this one refers to

§53-16 How the agency can borrow money and issue bonds

§53-81 County can run urban renewal itself instead of using an agency

§53-85 What counts as a project and how to pay for it

LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.