STAND. COM. REP. NO. 22

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 387

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Housing and Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 387 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TEACHER RENTAL HOUSING,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to assist the Department of Education in developing teacher housing projects;

(2) Authorize the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to, in addition, contract or sponsor with any state department or agency;

(3) Require the Department of Education to lease land and contract with private entities for the development, management, maintenance, or revitalization of teacher housing;

(4) Permit the Department of Education to lease teacher housing to other eligible tenants if occupancy of teacher housing falls below ninety-five percent; and

(5) Authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriate funds into and out of the dwelling unit revolving fund.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education, Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, Special Education Advisory Council, Democratic Party of Hawai‘i Education Caucus, and seven individuals.

Your Committees find that Hawaii is facing two major issues: a shortage of qualified teachers and a lack of affordable housing. These two issues are not dissimilar in that the lack of affordable housing exacerbates the shortage of qualified teachers as many are leaving the State or the teaching profession in search of better pay. Your Committees further find that financial incentives are a key strategy for the recruitment and retention of teachers and that the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation currently has the necessary development tools and expertise to collaborate with other state agencies to develop affordable housing. Your Committees believe that providing assistance in the form of housing will not only make the teaching profession more attractive, but also help to lessen the financial burden of teachers currently living in Hawaii.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Authorizing the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to assist in planning facilities and rental housing projects for teachers employed by public charter schools, in addition to teachers employed by the Department of Education; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Housing and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 387, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 387, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Housing and Education,

________________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair

________________________________ STANLEY CHANG, Chair