STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2548

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2642

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water and Land and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 2642 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING DENSITY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize the Land Use Commission to govern housing density increases; and

(2) Authorize homeowners located in a block to vote to increase the housing density for their respective block. Upon receiving an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the homeowners in a block, requires the Land Use Commission to increase the housing density for the block.

Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Office of Planning.

Your Committees find that not only is there a lack of available, affordable housing in Hawaii, but there is also a limited amount of space that housing can be developed on the islands. Your Committees further find that enabling greater housing density in rural districts is in the best interests of the State and the State's housing crisis.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of December 31, 2033, to encourage further discussion; 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 Water and Land and Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2642, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2642, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Water and Land and Housing,

________________________________ STANLEY CHANG, Chair

________________________________ KAIALI'I KAHELE, Chair