THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	1020
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

Relating to Rental Assistance.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that homelessness and affordable housing are two of the most pressing problems facing Hawaii, especially for families with minor children. According to the 2018 Oahu Homeless Point-In-Time Count, there were four hundred seven sheltered and unsheltered homeless families on the island of Oahu, including eight hundred ninety-nine homeless minor children on Oahu as of January 22, 2018.

The legislature further finds that rental subsidies are critical to address one of the root causes of homelessness: the lack of affordable rentals. By increasing the State's investment in long-term, shallow rent subsidies, Hawaii can help vulnerable families out of homelessness and ensure that these families have greater housing stability. The Hawaii public housing authority is well-suited to administer a housing homeless children rental assistance pilot program to provide ongoing, shallow rental subsidies, which would move homeless families with children into stable housing. A requirement that recipients of the rental assistance subsidies pursue evidence-based financial management and budget counseling services for the whole family, including children, will help these families achieve critical economic and housing stability now and in the future.

The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to the Hawaii public housing authority for the state rent supplement program to provide assistance through the establishment of a housing homeless children rental assistance pilot program that requires recipients of subsidies from the pilot program to obtain financial management and budget counseling services.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $800,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2019-2020 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2020-2021 for the state rent supplement program to:

(1) Assist homeless families with minor children experiencing, or at imminent risk of, homelessness due to domestic violence to obtain and maintain permanent housing by establishing a housing homeless children rental assistance pilot program; and

(2) Pay for administrative and personnel costs to operate the program.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the Hawaii public housing authority for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. The Hawaii public housing authority shall develop and establish a housing homeless children rental assistance pilot program within the state rent supplement program to assist homeless families with minor children experiencing, or at imminent risk of, homelessness due to domestic violence with obtaining and maintaining permanent housing; provided that rental assistance shall be time-limited; provided further that each member of families receiving rental assistance, other than persons       years of age or younger, shall be required to obtain financial management and budget counseling services from a United States Department of Housing and Urban Development approved housing counseling agency.

The Hawaii public housing authority shall adopt interim rules without regard to chapter 91, Hawaii Revised Statutes, for the purposes of this section.

SECTION 4. The Hawaii public housing authority may procure financial management and budget counseling services without regard to chapters 103D and 103F, Hawaii Revised Statutes, from a United States Department of Housing and Urban Development approved housing counseling agency to assist families receiving rental assistance from the housing homeless children rental assistance pilot program in meeting the financial counseling requirement under section 3 of this Act.

SECTION 5. The Hawaii public housing authority shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2022.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2019.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Keiki Caucus; Housing Homeless Children Rental Assistance Pilot Program; Homelessness; Domestic Violence; Appropriation

Description:

Requires the Hawaii public housing authority to establish 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. Requires each family member to obtain financial management and counseling services. Appropriates funds for the pilot program. Requires report to the legislature.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.