STAND. COM. REP. NO. 156

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 814

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 H.B. No. 814 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the counties to adopt ordinances by July 1, 2024, to allow religious institutions, educational institutions, and medical institutions to build housing units on land that the institutions own for purchase in fee simple or use by the institutions, their employees, or their contractors, regardless of zoning restrictions.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one member of the Maui County Council and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that zoning plays an important role in increasing the housing supply of the State. Your Committee believes that creative solutions are needed so that the State can streamline building permit approvals for new housing. This measure attempts to address the housing shortage by providing the counties flexibility to consider creative solutions by allowing certain institutions to develop housing units on their lands for purchase in fee simple or use by the institutions.

Your Committee notes that it is the intent of this measure to address the lack of affordable housing by allowing certain institutions to build on housing units by right on land they may own; however, your Committee does not intend to allow these institutions to utilize this measure as a means for profit. Your Committee believes that it would benefit the State more if these institutions were required to retain any property developed under this measure to increase the availability of affordable housing in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Providing that an institution that develops a housing unit pursuant to this measure shall retain that housing unit for thirty years prior to offering the housing unit for sale;

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

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

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 H.B. No. 814, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 814, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Water & Land.

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

____________________________

TROY N. HASHIMOTO, Chair