STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3458

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1837

H.D. 1

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 Housing and Government Operations, to which was referred H.B. No. 1837, H.D. 1, 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) 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 review of the counties' reports to the Legislature and their respective boards.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Public Housing Authority, Maui Chamber of Commerce, and Hawai‘i Association of REALTORS. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu, and Grassroots Institute of Hawaii.

Your Committees find that, despite efforts to address the housing shortage in Hawaii, the State will need approximately thirty-six thousand new housing units between 2020 and 2030. However, many state and county regulations, ordinances, and other administrative rules inhibit the development of new housing. Greater flexibility in county zoning and regulation would allow for increased housing development and move the State closer to its goal of increasing affordable housing availability. This measure requires each county to submit biennial reports to the Legislature on the steps it has taken to reduce regulatory barriers to new housing development. The measure also requires the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation and Hawaii Public Housing Authority to review and submit biennial reports to the Legislature based on their review of each county's reports.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting an appropriation of $130,000 for one full-time (1.0 FTE) position for the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to manage reports and information from each county and prepare reports to the Legislature; 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 Housing and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1837, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1837, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Housing and Government Operations,

________________________________ SHARON MORIWAKI, Chair

________________________________ STANLEY CHANG, Chair