STAND. COM. REP. 3365

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: S.C.R. No. 99

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 99 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING DEL MONTE AND THE GALBRAITH ESTATE TO ALLOW RESIDENTS TO CONTINUE TO RESIDE AT POAMOHO CAMP UNTIL AT LEAST DECEMBER 2005, TO ALLOW THE RESIDENTS TIME TO FIND HOUSING SOLUTIONS OR AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVE HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request an extension of time for Poamoho Camp residents to remain in their homes in order to afford them additional time to resolve their housing situation.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Hawaii State AFL-CIO, Hawaii Government Employees Association, ILWU Local 142, Wahiawa Community and Business Association, Filipino Coalition for Solidarity, Poamoho Community Association, and individuals.

Poamoho Camp (Camp) is home to approximately three hundred Del Monte employees, retirees, and their families. The Camp sits on land leased to Del Monte on a month-to-month basis by the Galbraith Trust (Trust). Del Monte has informed the Trust that it does not intend to continue its lease beyond June 30, 2004, which means that the property must be returned to the landlord by this date in its original leased condition. This requires evicting the Camp's tenants and razing the Camp.

Your Committee finds that a June 30, 2004 deadline for residents to vacate and find affordable housing is unrealistic, and that the failure to extend additional time to Camp residents will displace dozens of families, including children and the elderly, and aggravate Hawaii's already serious homelessness problem. Your Committee further finds that negotiations are underway between the parties to resolve the housing situation. Therefore, this measure requests the lessee and landlord to permit Poamoho Camp residents to remain in their homes until December, 2005, to allow for sufficient time for completion of negotiations or for residents to secure affordable housing.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 99 and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and Housing,

____________________________

RON MENOR, Chair