STAND. COM. REP. NO. 312-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 1826

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 1826 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Long-Term Rental Assistance Pilot Program for Kupuna to provide long-term rental assistance to individuals who are over sixty-two years of age and are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless; and

(2) Appropriate funds for the Long-Term Rental Assistance Pilot Program, including two full-time equivalent public housing specialist positions within the Hawaii Public Housing Authority.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Public Housing Authority, Partners In Care, AARP Hawai‘i, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, Department of Budget and Finance, and Executive Office on Aging.

Your Committee finds that homelessness among Hawaii's kupuna is a central part of the affordable housing needs in the State. The high cost of living in the State, the fixed income and complex health needs of older adults, rapidly rising rents, and the declining availability of affordable housing necessitate rental assistance for older adults.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Amending the age criteria to qualify for participation in the Long-Term Rental Assistance Pilot Program for Kupuna to individuals who are sixty-two years of age or older;

(2) Making it voluntary for participants under the pilot program to participate in the Continuum of Care Coordinated Entry System for homeless services;

(3) Specifying that the two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) public housing specialist positions are temporary positions;

(4) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

(5) 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 H.B. No. 1826, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1826, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

NADINE K. NAKAMURA, Chair