STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2281

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2866

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Housing and Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2866 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Repeal the sunset date for the State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna; and

(2) Appropriate funds to the Hawaii Public Housing Authority for the State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna and for positions to support the program.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Executive Office on Aging, Hawaii Public Housing Authority, Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs, Catholic Charities Hawaiʻi, Aloha United Way, AARP Hawaiʻi, and five individuals.

Your Committees find that the State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna has proven to be a targeted and cost-effective tool in preventing eviction and homelessness among the State's elderly residents, many of whom live on fixed incomes. By providing modest rental assistance, the program allows kupuna to remain stably housed in their communities and helps mitigate the far greater social and fiscal costs associated with displacement and homelessness.

Additionally, by reducing housing cost burdens, the rental assistance provided by the State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna alleviates financial stress and contributes to improved mental and physical health outcomes, allowing seniors to age in place with dignity and stability. This measure plays a critical role in promoting the health, well‑being, and quality of life for the State's elderly residents by making permanent the State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna and further supporting the program.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Inserting blank appropriation amounts; and

(2) Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

Your Committees note that although this measure, as amended, contains unspecified appropriation amounts, should your Committee on Ways and Means choose to deliberate on this measure, your Committees respectfully request that it consider inserting an appropriation amount of $110,160 for the establishment of two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) permanent public housing specialist II positions within the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to support the State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna and $2,160,000 for the State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Housing and Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2866, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2866, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Housing and Health and Human Services,

________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair

________________________________ STANLEY CHANG, Chair