STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3458

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 160

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.C.R. No. 160 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE HAWAII PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY, DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES' HOMELESS PROGRAMS OFFICE, STATEWIDE OFFICE ON HOMELESSNESS AND HOUSING SOLUTIONS, AND HAWAII HOUSING FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO CREATE A HOUSING LADDER PROGRAM TO HELP INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES GRADUATE INTO UNSUBSIDIZED HOUSING,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the Hawaii Public Housing Authority, Department of Human Services' Homeless Programs Office, Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions, and Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to create a housing ladder program to help individuals and families graduate into unsubsidized housing.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, Hawaii Public Housing Authority, Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions of the Department of Human Services, and one individual.

Your Committees find that the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation operates several programs designed to help individuals graduate into unsubsidized housing, including financing and supporting developments that provide a range of affordability levels, enabling residents to move up the housing ladder. The Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation is also working to initiate several more programs, including rent-to-own programs, that will enable households to transition from renters to homeowners, allowing them to build equity and potentially move into market-rate units. However, further coordination among state agencies is vital to the development of a more comprehensive housing ladder program. This measure contributes to that goal by emphasizing the importance of collaboration among state agencies.

Your Committees note, however, that homelessness in the State has continued to grow unabated, despite substantial legislative appropriations and many years to address the issue. This suggests that existing solutions to homelessness are insufficient to resolve the problem at its current scale and that it is necessary to reevaluate the State's strategy for combatting homelessness. Likewise, your Committees note the lack of accountability in the State's efforts to address homelessness, as demonstrated by the large legislative appropriations that have yet to result in meaningful change. Without reestablishing accountability and creating concrete mechanisms for ensuring that housing solutions reach those who need them, coordination among state agencies is unlikely to lead to improved outcomes.

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 concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 160 and recommend its adoption.

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