STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2219

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: S.C.R. No. 54

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.C.R. No. 54 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE HAWAII HOUSING FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO PROMOTE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IN THE STATE'S LOW-INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROGRAM,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to promote supportive housing in the State's Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation.

Your Committee finds that supportive housing combines affordable housing with access to services to help the special needs community live more stable and productive lives. Supportive housing has been demonstrated to decrease high use of emergency services and public systems, ultimately generating significant cost savings to taxpayers.

Your Committee further finds that the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program is a major financing tool for the construction or rehabilitation of low-income rental units. The Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation is the administrator for the State of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program and developed a Qualified Allocation Plan that sets forth criteria to evaluate and allocate the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit to certain projects. Your Committee believes it is in the best interest of the State to promote the development of supportive housing under the State's Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program through an amendment to the Qualified Allocation Plan.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 54 and recommends its adoption.

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

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TROY N. HASHIMOTO, Chair