STAND. COM. REP. NO. 612-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 1837

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 Consumer Protection & Commerce, to which was referred H.B. No. 1837, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Require each county to submit biennial reports to the Legislature on its efforts to reduce zoning and regulatory barriers to housing development; and

(2) Require the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation and Hawaii Public Housing Authority to submit biennial reports, based on their individual review of the counties' reports, to the Legislature on streamlining affordable housing development.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Association of REALTORS.

Your Committee finds that the State is in need of at least forty-six thousand housing units to meet housing demand by 2030. However, there are many procedural and regulatory barriers at the county level to building housing, such as permitting, planning, and zoning. Your Committee further finds that regulatory costs account for a quarter of the final price of a single-family home and a third of the cost of a multifamily home. Your Committee believes that having the counties identify ways to reduce these procedural and regulatory barriers will help address the State's housing needs.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1837, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce,

____________________________

AARON LING JOHANSON, Chair