THE SENATE

KA AHA KENEKOA

 

THE THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 2026

 

COMMITTEE ON HOUSING

Senator Stanley Chang, Chair

Senator Troy N. Hashimoto, Vice Chair

 

NOTICE OF HEARING

 

 

DATE:

Tuesday, February 10, 2026

TIME:

1:00 PM

PLACE:

Conference Room 225 & Videoconference

State Capitol

415 South Beretania Street

 

 

PHOTO ID REQUIRED FOR ENTRANCE TO THE STATE CAPITOL

BUILDING HOURS: 7AM TO 5PM, MONDAY - FRIDAY

 

The Legislature is accepting written, videoconference, and in-person testimony at public hearings.

A live stream of all Senate Standing Committee meetings will be available on the Senate YouTube Channel.

 

 

A G E N D A

 

SB 2787

      Status & Testimony

RELATING TO THE RENTAL HOUSING REVOLVING FUND.

Authorizes the Rental Housing Revolving Fund to be used to provide loans or grants to eligible individuals to purchase rental units.

 

HOU, WAM

SB 3089

      Status & Testimony

RELATING TO THE DOWNPAYMENT LOAN ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

Amends the Downpayment Loan Program, administered by the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, to align with federal requirements and enhance assistance for low- and moderate-income first-time homebuyers.

 

HOU, WAM

SB 3285

      Status & Testimony

RELATING TO WORKFORCE HOUSING.

Establishes the Workforce Housing Regulatory Sandbox Program within the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation.  Establishes an advisory council within the Workforce Housing Regulatory Sandbox Program to advise on environmental and cultural practices within specific developments.  Establishes a position.  Requires annual reports to the legislature.  Appropriates funds.  Repeals 6/30/2031.

 

HOU, WAM

SB 3011

      Status & Testimony

RELATING TO PUBLIC HOUSING.

Requires the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to allow any resident of a public housing project or state low-income housing project to keep one or more pet animals in the resident's unit, subject to applicable state laws, county ordinances, and any reasonable conditions.  Provides that the Hawaii Public Housing Authority may charge a refundable deposit for each pet animal but shall not impose a monthly pet fee or pet rent.  Allows the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to remove a vicious animal to protect persons or property.

 

HOU, WAM

SB 3176

      Status & Testimony

RELATING TO HOUSING.

Appropriates funds to the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to rehabilitate, remodel, renovate, and repair housing units.

 

HOU, WAM

SB 3312

      Status & Testimony

RELATING TO HOUSING.

Establishes a program and income tax credit to incentivize the conversion of commercial properties into residential properties.  Appropriates moneys.

 

HOU, WAM/CPN

 

Decision Making to follow, if time permits.

 

All testimony received by the Hawai‘i Senate is posted on the Hawai‘i Legislature's website, which is accessible to the public. Please do not include private information that you do not want disclosed to the public.

 

Please go to the Legislature's website, https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov, to submit written testimony at least 24 hours prior to the hearing. Create a free account on the website, or sign in to an existing account, then click on the "Participate" drop down menu and select the "Submit Testimony" option to get started. While submitting your written testimony, you will be prompted to indicate if you would also like to testify at the hearing in-person or remotely via videoconference.

 

Please note the following:

 

·         The number of oral testifiers and/or time allotted to each testifier may be limited by the Chair when necessary to adhere to the committee hearing schedule. We may not be able to accommodate everyone who requests to testify orally.

·         Testifiers for this hearing will be limited to 1 minute each.

 

If you wish to testify via videoconference during the hearing, please review the detailed step-by-step instructions for testimony procedures before you submit your written testimony. Here's a direct link to the instructions: https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/docs/testimonyinstructions.pdf

 

For general help navigating the committee hearing process, please contact the Public Access Room at (808) 587-0478 or par@capitol.hawaii.gov. You can also visit their website at https://lrb.hawaii.gov/par/.

 

For special assistance: The cable TV broadcast and/or live stream of this meeting will include closed captioning. If you need an auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation due to a disability, please call the committee clerk at the telephone number listed below or email HOUcommittee@capitol.hawaii.gov. Requests made as early as possible have a greater likelihood of being fulfilled.

 

For amended notices: Measures that have been deleted are stricken through and measures that have been added are underscored.  If a measure is both underscored and stricken through, that measure has been deleted from the agenda.

 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL THE COMMITTEE CLERK AT 808-586-8420.

 

 

 

 

_____________________________________

Senator Stanley Chang

Chair