STAND. COM. REP. NO. 182

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                   

 

RE:     S.B. No. 864

        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 Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 864 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds for the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation and Hawaii Public Housing Authority's programs to develop affordable rental and for sale housing in the State.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, Hawaii Public Housing Authority, Hawaii Association of REALTORS, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Hawaii YIMBY, Hawaii Health & Harm Reduction Center, Partners in Care, and one individual.

 

     Your Committee finds that the State does not have a sufficient supply of affordable housing and rental units to accommodate the residents of the State.  The Hawaii Public Housing Authority manages federal and state public housing programs, while the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation oversees affordable housing finance and development in the State.  Both agencies are crucial to increase the supply and development of affordable housing and rentals in Hawaii.  The appropriations authorized by this measure will help the State significantly address its affordable housing needs.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Inserting an appropriation amount of:

 

          (A)  $500,000,000 to the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation; and

 

          (B)  $1,000,000,000 to the Hawaii Public Housing Authority;

 

     (2)  Clarifying that the purposes of the appropriations are to finance programs to develop housing that is exclusively for residents of the State who are owner- or renter-occupants and own no other real property; and

 

     (3)  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 Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 864, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 864, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

STANLEY CHANG, Chair