STAND. COM. REP. NO.  669

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 1196

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Housing and Human Services, to which was referred H.B. No. 1196 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to help families and individuals who are homeless in the State by appropriating funds for:

(1)  Housing First Programs that assist chronically homeless individuals in the State; and

(2)  The Rapid Re-Housing Program and the State Rent Supplement Program that assist in securing and maintaining housing for working individuals, seniors, disabled individuals, and families who are homeless.

Catholic Charities Hawaii, CHOW Project, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Partners in Care, Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice, and three individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, Department of Human Services (DHS), and Hawaii Public Housing Authority (HPHA) provided comments on this measure.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1)  Deleting language in the purpose section that refers to the cap on the rental subsidy under the State Rent Supplement Program;

(2)  Amending the appropriations to unspecified amounts;

(3)  Changing its effective date to take effect upon a date to be determined; and

(4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

Should the Committee on Finance deliberate this measure further, your Committees respectfully request that it consider appropriating for each year of the 2017-2019 fiscal biennium:

(1)  $3,000,000 to DHS to continue to administer Housing First Programs for chronically homeless individuals in the State;

(2)  $2,500,000 to DHS for the Rapid Re-Housing Program; and

(3)  $7,000,000 to HPHA for the State Rent Supplement Program.

In addition, your Committees request consideration of HPHA's testimony that recommends the best way of appropriating and allocating the moneys for optimal and efficient use of the funds to establish, hire, and train staff to implement the housing assistance program.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Housing and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1196, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1196, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Housing and Human Services,

____________________________ DEE MORIKAWA, Chair

____________________________ TOM BROWER, Chair