STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1476

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 80

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.C.R. No. 80 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS TO IDENTIFY RESOURCES NEEDED TO EXECUTE A PLAN TO REPAIR HOMES FOR SAFE HABITATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to identify resources needed to execute a plan to repair homes for safe habitation.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

Your Committee finds that despite the efforts of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to provide housing to beneficiaries on its waitlist, the Department is constrained by its limited inventory of housing-ready units and the practical reality that it can take months or even years to plan, design, and construct new housing projects. Notwithstanding, your Committee finds that certain Hawaiian Home Lands units in already-developed communities have remained unoccupied. Your Committee finds that this can occur due to a variety of reasons, such as the anticipation of a pending transfer or the need for repairs to restore a unit to habitability. Your Committee finds that the Department's ability to expediently fill tenant-unoccupied or vacant units is in the interest of beneficiaries. Therefore, this measure requests the Department to develop a plan to quickly and efficiently identify properties that are unoccupied or in need of repairs, assist lessees in assessing repairs and finding financing, expedite pending lease transfers, and conduct contested hearings in a timely manner.

Lastly, your Committee has heard the testimony of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, expressing concerns that additional personnel and expertise may be necessary to develop and implement a proposed plan in conformance with the aspirations of this measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 80 and recommends its adoption.

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

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MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair