STAND. COM. REP. NO. 463-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1571

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1571 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is, for purposes of registering a condominium project in an agricultural district, to:

(1) Lower the minimum threshold from projects with five units to projects with two units for which a signed statement from a county is required; and

(2) Require a signed statement from the neighborhood board, if applicable.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Hawaiʻi Food+ Policy and three individuals.

Your Committee finds that preserving Hawaii's agricultural lands supports the State's resilience goals. Your Committee further finds that the proliferation of condominium projects on agricultural lands can disrupt communities, strain infrastructure, and misuse lands intended for agriculture. This measure takes important steps to mitigate the threat of condominium property regime speculation on agricultural land and aims to ensure community members are informed of condominium projects being proposed in the community.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Rather than requiring an application for a project to include a signed statement from a neighborhood board's chairperson summarizing the project and its uses, requiring the applicant for a project to make a presentation to the applicable neighborhood board; and

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1571, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1571, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair