STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3907

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1752

H.D. 3

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1752, H.D. 3, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Housing Choice Voucher Landlord Incentive Program;

(2) Require the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to adopt rules to establish incentives for landlords who participate in the Tenant-Based Assistance Housing Choice Voucher Program pursuant to Section 8 of the Housing Act of 1937;

(3) Require that the Hawaii Public Housing Authority adopt rules to establish a maximum of fifteen days for inspection of a dwelling unit following a landlord or owner's inspection request; and

(4) Appropriate funds.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Hawai‘i Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice, Hawai‘i Association of Realtors, League of Women Voters of Hawaii, Hawaii Children's Action Network Speaks!, and two individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance, Hawaii Public Housing Authority, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, Hawaii Habitat for Humanity Association, and Partners in Care.

Your Committees find that the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program is an important part of the State's efforts in addressing the affordable housing needs of the State's low-income families. However, there are many landlords who are reluctant to lease their units to Section 8 voucher holders, leaving many families with no choice but to return the voucher that they waited many years to receive. This measure will improve the lives of the State's low-income families by establishing incentives and protections for landlords who participate in the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an effective date of July 30, 2075, 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 Judiciary and Ways and Means that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1752, H.D. 3, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1752, H.D. 3, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means,

________________________________ DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair

________________________________ KARL RHOADS, Chair