STAND. COM. REP. NO. 527-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 2512

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness and Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 2512 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO OHANA ZONES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Extend the sunset date for the Ohana Zones Pilot Program to June 30, 2026; and

(2) Appropriate funds for the Ohana Zones Pilot Program.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness; Department of Human Services; County of Hawai‘i Office of Housing and Community Development; Department of Housing and Human Concerns of the County of Maui; Office of Housing of the City and County of Honolulu; Kaua‘i County Housing Agency; Partners in Care; Habitat for Humanity Hawaii Island, Inc.; Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice; Community Alliance Partners; Catholic Charites Hawai‘i; Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center; Hope Services Hawai‘i; and Women in Need.

Your Committees find that the Ohana Zones Pilot Program provides flexible funding for the State and counties to develop innovative programs reflecting the local needs of specific communities, including rural areas of Hawaii Island and Oahu. Your Committees further find that, as of November 30, 2021, the Ohana Zones Pilot Program has aided 5,510 homeless individuals statewide, including 1,368 individuals placed into permanent housing. Extending the Ohana Zones Pilot Program will provide additional resources to address increasing levels of homelessness and housing instability statewide.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Expanding the regulatory exemptions for Ohana Zones Pilot Program contracts, similar to those previously included in the Governor's Emergency Homeless Proclamation;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness and Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2512, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2512, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness and Housing,

____________________________ NADINE K. NAKAMURA, Chair

____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair