STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2139

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2027

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 2027 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to restrict any county from disapproving or imposing certain conditions on the development of a housing development project or emergency shelter unless the county meets certain requirements.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, Church of the Crossroads, Aloha United Way, Hawaiʻi Children's Action Network Speaks!, one member of the Maui county council, and three individuals.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources and one individual.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii is in a dire housing crisis as housing supply is at a critically low level.  Many housing development projects stall at the county level due to overregulation and government backlog.  When projects are not approved, clear and thorough reasons should be provided to the applicant and the public explaining the reasons for the denial.  This measure holds counties accountable to ensure that each housing project and emergency shelter is well-vetted and accurately considered, while also ensuring necessary protections for public health and safety.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting language specifying that a county shall not consider an application complete unless the county has made a reasonable and good faith determination that the proposed project does not affect historic properties, archeological resources, or burial sites or alternatively requiring developers to provide documentation showing the developer worked with the State Historic Preservation Division and completed any work needed to satisfy chapter 6E, Hawaii Revised Statutes;

(2) Inserting language to require developers to show documentation that the proposed development does not encroach upon certain Special Flood Hazard Areas, or that the project has been reviewed for floodplain management compliance and received a permit for construction by the applicable community official; 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. 2027, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2027, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary.

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

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STANLEY CHANG, Chair