Hawaii is stuck in a trough of dysfunction after decades of being unable to address critical needs in education, housing and food. Forget trying to diversify our economy, enhance natural and cultural resources, and become energy self-sufficient, if we can’t educate, house and feed our community in an affordable and reasonable way. These issues are basic necessities of survival.

Issues such as economic diversification, access to freshwater, preserving open space and becoming energy independent are all important, but we need to prioritize housing Hawaii’s people.

Gov. Josh Green recently signed an Emergency Proclamation Relating to Housing, with the goal of streamlining the development process and empowering developers and stakeholders to create more housing opportunities. The perspectives of some on this measure, while well-intentioned, dramatize the potential negative impacts of the proclamation. For too long, we have placed unnecessary hoops in the way of reasonable growth and affordability for Hawaii’s local families. The facts are clear: Local families are leaving Hawaii, and the ramification on our community is indeed an emergency.

While the emergency proclamation is one of the most aggressive actions taken in recent history, the reality is that the possibility for any type of catastrophic negative impact is extremely slim. The proclamation’s creation involved individuals representing groups with various perspectives before settling on a path forward. This emergency proclamation has the potential to bring about unprecedented success for Hawaii’s people. In the context of our current situation, we must take some risks to fix this system, and this emergency proclamation balances risks and our community’s needs well.

Over the next year of implementing the emergency proclamation, we will learn a lot about the tradeoffs Hawaii can tolerate to create the housing we so desperately need. If we keep our focus on the desired outcome of keeping local families here and bringing them home to Hawaii, it will be easier to recognize issues that have slowed projects in the past, including issues that are fundamental and those that are not.

At the Hawaii Community Foundation, we are working to protect our freshwater resources, restore our nearshore oceans, and reduce our carbon footprint. However, we are cognizant that it can’t be done at the expense of losing more local families to affordable opportunities on the continent.

Three years ago, HCF launched the House Maui Initiative, an effort to increase affordable housing in Maui County and learn lessons that can be applied statewide. We are examining the systems that are supposed to create housing for Maui County residents and addressing roadblocks that prevent that housing from being realized. We are unlocking federal, state and local funding to build necessary infrastructure for housing projects, lowering the price of units when they are complete. And we are preparing our local families to be financially ready to buy affordable and workforce homes as they come to market through our partner Hawaiian Community Assets and the Maui Financial Opportunity Center.

We have learned a lot about our housing system in the past three years, and every day we are getting closer to rewiring a system that works for Maui County. For those who are familiar with building homes, even with the emergency proclamation in place, the process will still be long and laborious. Fixing housing in Hawaii will take years, not months. The execution of the emergency proclamation is one of many necessary next steps to get us there.

The emergency proclamation by the governor is warranted, will provide Hawaii a shot at delivering housing affordability, and will give us insight into the changes we need to make permanent to keep Hawaii, Hawaii.

Micah Kane is CEO/president of the Hawaii Community Foundation.