STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2405

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2647

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 2647 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to encourage land owners to accept more tenants who participate in housing voucher programs by establishing the landlord incentive program special fund; which reimburses land owners who participate in the section 8 housing choice voucher program for repair costs of tenant-caused property damage when the repair costs exceed the tenant's security deposits.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Public Housing Authority, one member of the County Council of Maui, and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee finds that Act 215, Session Laws of Hawaii 2019, created the Hawaii Public Housing Authority's landlord incentive program. Your Committee further finds that the Hawaii Public Housing Authority has drafted the necessary Hawaii Administrative Rules, consulted with Hawaii Public Housing Authority's resident advisory board, and held a public hearing to incorporate the program into Hawaii Public Housing Authority's amended annual plan for the fiscal year 2019-2020.

Your Committee additionally finds that there are many landlords who are reluctant to lease their units to section 8 voucher holders, leaving many families who hold valid vouchers no choice but to return it unused. Your Committee further finds that the landlord incentive program special fund will assist these voucher holders to find suitable permanent housing.

Your Committee has amended this measure by appropriating funds directly to the landlord incentive program special fund rather than amending Act 215, Session Laws of Hawaii 2019 to achieve the same goal.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2647, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2647, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Housing,

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STANLEY CHANG, Chair