STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1031

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: S.B. No. 804

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 804, S.D. 1, entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Authorize the Hawaii Public Housing Authority and Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to provide affordable rental housing for teachers employed by the Department of Education and public charter schools;

(2) Authorize the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to contract or sponsor with any state or county department or agency for public school teachers' affordable housing;

(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 private entity leasing land from the Department of Education to lease to other eligible tenants under certain circumstances;

(5) Appropriate funds to the Hawaii Public Housing Authority for the provision of rental housing for public school teachers and public charter school teachers; and

(6) Appropriate funds into and out of the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund for the development of rental housing for teachers.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Education; Stanford Carr Development, LLC; Hawaii State Teachers Association; Hawai‘i Association of REALTORS; and one individual. Your Committee received testimony in support of the intent of this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO.

Your Committee finds that there are several factors that have led to the teacher shortage in Hawaii, including the high cost of living, teacher salaries, and access to affordable housing. Your Committee further finds that providing affordable housing to teachers can aid in the recruitment and retention of public school teachers in Hawaii. This measure provides a means of addressing the shortage of teachers in the State by providing financial incentives such as affordable housing for teachers.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the amounts appropriated in this measure to unspecified amounts;

(2) Changing its effective date to July 1, 2051; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 804, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 804, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Housing.

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

____________________________

JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair