STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1401

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.B. No. 340

S.D. 2

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 340, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to the Hawaii Public Housing Authority for the rehabilitation, remodeling, renovation, and repair of public housing units.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Public Housing Authority, AARP Hawai‘i, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, Kūpuna Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Partners in Care, and four individuals.

Your Committee finds that the State's current public housing inventory is dated, with multiple properties that were built over fifty years ago, and the Hawaii Public Housing Authority is facing capital improvement needs that backlog to approximately $800,000,000. Your Committee further finds that additional funding is needed to keep these public housing units in safe, suitable, and sanitary condition.

Your Committee notes that the number of units under the Hawaii Public Housing Authority that need to be repaired continues to increase. Currently, there are roughly two hundred sixty-two units that need repairs; however, this number may change at any given time. Your Committee believes specifying a number of units in this measure may inhibit the Hawaii Public Housing Authority's ability to successfully rehabilitate and modernize its supply of public housing units. Your Committee further notes that the cost to rehabilitate, remodel, renovate, or repair public housing units will be approximately $85,000 per unit.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Deleting the reference to the specific number of public housing units that would have been covered by the appropriation; and

(2) Changing the effective date to June 30, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

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 S.B. No. 340, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 340, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

TROY N. HASHIMOTO, Chair