STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1416-24

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2024

 

RE:   H.R. No. 120

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.R. No. 120 entitled:

 

"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE STATE BUILDING CODE COUNCIL TO ADOPT, AMEND, OR UPDATE THE STATE BUILDING CODE TO AUTHORIZE POINT ACCESS BLOCK CONSTRUCTION FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS UP TO SIX STORIES IN THE STATE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to request the State Building Code Council to adopt, amend, or update the State Building Code to authorize point access block construction for residential buildings up to six stories.

 

     Your Committee did not receive any written testimony on this measure.

 

     Your Committee finds that existing building code requirements effectively mandate a double-loaded corridor building, where two stairways access a corridor in the middle of the building with units on each side.  This can result in the dwelling units in these buildings having daylight come only from one single exterior wall with little to no cross ventilation.  Your Committee further finds that buildings with point access blocks are compact single stair buildings with dwellings that are centered around a stairway and elevator core and have a single point of access.  Dwelling units in buildings with point access blocks tend to be very flexible, with a higher proportion of units ranging from two- to four-bedrooms.  Your Committee believes that the State would benefit from allowing the residential buildings to be constructed to allow for point access blocks, which could alleviate the State's severe lack of housing by reducing construction costs.

 

     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 H.R. No. 120 and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

LUKE A. EVSLIN, Chair