STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3952

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1837

H.D. 1

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1837, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to increase affordable housing in the State by reducing administrative barriers and encouraging the adoption of more flexible zoning and regulatory policies.

More specifically, the measure:

(1) Requires each county to submit a biennial report to the Legislature on the county's efforts to reduce zoning and regulatory barriers to housing development; and

(2) Requires the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation and Hawaii Public Housing Authority to review the biennial county reports and to submit biennial reports to the Legislature and the respective state agency boards on the State's efforts to streamline affordable housing development.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Public Housing Authority, Hawaii Realtors, and one individual.

Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from the Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu and Maui Chamber of Commerce.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance and Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that reducing administrative and statutory barriers and encouraging the adoption of more flexible zoning will assist in the development of affordable housing that is needed in the State. Your Committee believes that encouraging increased inter-agency coordination and public awareness of ongoing efforts to expand the supply of affordable housing is necessary to achieve these goals. Accordingly, your Committee further finds that the creation of a working group will more effectively support these efforts by identifying opportunities to reduce zoning, regulatory, and statutory barriers to developing affordable housing.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Replacing the measure's content with content establishing a working group on affordable housing; and

(2) Making conforming amendments to the measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1837, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1837, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair