STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1451

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: S.B. No. 1020

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness, to which was referred S.B. No. 1020, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RENTAL ASSISTANCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Department of Human Services (DHS) to establish and develop a Housing Homeless Children Rental Assistance Pilot Program to assist families with minor children experiencing, or at imminent risk of, homelessness due to domestic violence, so that those families may obtain and maintain permanent housing;

(2) Require participating family members receiving rental assistance to obtain financial management and budget counseling services;

(3) Require DHS to participate in the Continuum of Care's Coordinated Entry System for homeless services;

(4) Require DHS and housing counseling agencies to input data collected into the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development's Homeless Management Information System; and

(5) Appropriate funds for the Program.

The State Procurement Office, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, Partners in Care, United Church of Christ Transition House, PHOCUSED, Hawaii Kai Homeless Task Force, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Family Promise of Hawai‘i, and several individuals supported this measure. The Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness and DHS provided comments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting its substantive contents and inserting an appropriation to the Hawaii Public Housing Authority for its Rent Supplement Program to be used to assist families at imminent risk of homelessness due to domestic violence with obtaining and maintaining permanent housing;

(2) Changing its effective date to January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1020, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1020, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services & Homelessness,

______________________________

JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair