STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 1380
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2021
RE: S.B. No. 804
S.D. 1
H.D. 2
Honorable Scott K. Saiki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2021
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 804, S.D. 1, H.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) Appropriate funds to the Hawaii Public Housing Authority for the provision of rental housing for public school teachers and public charter school teachers;
(3) Authorize the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to contract or sponsor with any state or county department or agency for affordable housing for public school teachers;
(4) Appropriate funds into and out of the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund for the development of rental housing for teachers;
(5) Require the Department of Education to lease land and contract with private entities for the development, management, maintenance, or revitalization of teacher housing; and
(6) Permit the private entity leasing land from the Department of Education to lease to other eligible tenants under certain circumstances.
Your Committee finds that there continues to be a significant
shortage of qualified teachers in public school classrooms throughout the State. The State's high cost of living and lack of
affordable housing are two factors contributing to teachers leaving the
profession or leaving the State. Your
Committee further finds that a January 2020 compensation study contracted by
the Department of Education indicated that seventy‑eight percent of survey
respondents indicated that the lack of housing availability negatively impacted
teacher retention in Hawaii.
Furthermore, a December 2020 comparison report developed for the
Department of Education on teacher recruitment revealed that similarly situated
school districts in other states provide greater opportunities for low- to
no-cost teacher housing for full-time employees. Providing rental housing projects for public
school and charter school teachers as provided in this measure is critical to teacher
recruitment and retention in Hawaii.
Your Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Changing the effective date to December 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and
(2) 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 Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 804, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 804, S.D. 1, H.D. 2.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Housing,
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____________________________ NADINE K. NAKAMURA, Chair |
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