STAND. COM. REP. NO. 373-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.B. No. 1975

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 Human Services & Homelessness, to which was referred H.B. No. 1975 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO KUPUNA HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to make permanent the State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna and appropriate funds for the program's continued operations.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Public Housing Authority; AARP Hawaiʻi; Catholic Charities Hawaiʻi; LeadingAge Pacific West; and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Executive Office on Aging.

Your Committee finds that the State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna has proven to be a targeted and cost-effective tool in preventing eviction and homelessness among elderly residents living on fixed incomes. However, the initial appropriation for the State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna has been nearly exhausted and that supplemental funding is necessary to sustain the program. Your Committee further finds that making this program permanent and providing additional funding will help ensure that older adults in the State have ongoing access to safe, affordable housing.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

Your Committee respectfully requests your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $2,160,000 for the State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna and $110,160 for the establishment of two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) permanent public housing specialist positions to support the program.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Homelessness that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1975, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1975, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services & Homelessness,

____________________________

LISA MARTEN, Chair