STAND. COM. REP. NO. 223

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1357

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1357 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Make permanent Act 141, Session Laws of Hawaii 2009, which requires the counties to issue affordable housing credits to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands upon request; and

(2) Make permanent Act 98, Session Laws of Hawaii 2012, which requires the counties to issue affordable housing credits for each residential unit developed by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Governor; Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; and Dowling Company, Inc. Your Committee received comments on this measure from NAIOP Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that affordable housing credits have been utilized by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to provide affordable housing opportunities for its beneficiaries at no cost to the State. This program allows for the purchase of additional land in a location that beneficiaries are interested in but where the Department has no available land in the area, and results in a reduction in the price of housing units offered by homebuilders on Hawaiian home lands. Therefore, this measure makes permanent the affordable housing credit program for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1357, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1357, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Hawaiian Affairs,

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MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair