STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3883

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.C.R. No. 122

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Government Operations and Housing, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 122 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE COUNTIES TO AMEND OR ADOPT AN ORDINANCE TO ALLOW RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, OR MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS TO DEVELOP RESIDENTIAL UNITS ON PARCELS THAT MEET CERTAIN CONDITIONS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the counties to:

(1) Amend or adopt an ordinance to allow religious, educational, or medical institutions to construct residential units on parcels of lands that are within the state urban land use district and zoned for residential or commercial use that:

(A) Limits any proposed development of residential units to less than fifteen acres and no greater than fifty percent of the parcel area; and

(B) Requires that any residential unit developed on a religious, educational, or medical institution's property be retained by the institution so long as the institution remains in existence; and

(2) Make clear that it is not the intent of the ordinance to provide a process to allow developers to create a religious, educational, or medical institution for the sole purpose of circumventing the normal development process.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation and Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

Your Committees find that creative solutions, such as allowing certain institutions to develop residential units on their property, are necessary to address the housing shortage in the State. This measure seeks to expand development options in the State's housing market, thereby alleviating price pressure on the private market, preventing the displacement of long-standing residents, and ensuring that the State remains accessible across diverse housing prices and forms. Your Committees note that the changes outlined in this resolution have the potential to be helpful in creating kupuna housing near the future West Maui Hospital, as well as Department of Hawaiian Home Lands housing in the same area.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Government Operations and Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 122, and recommend its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Government Operations and Housing,

________________________________ STANLEY CHANG, Chair

________________________________ ANGUS L.K. MCKELVEY, Chair