STAND. COM. REP. NO. 493

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 1999

                                 RE: H.B. No. 1369
                                     H.D. 1




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services and Housing, to which was
referred H.B. No. 1369 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HOUSING ASSISTANCE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to prevent homelessness by
appropriating funds to the Housing and Community Development
Corporation of Hawaii (Corporation) to provide loans to families
for rental deposits, emergency rental payments, and mortgage
payments to avoid foreclosure.

     The Affordable Housing and Homeless Alliance submitted
testimony in support of this measure.  The Corporation submitted
testimony in support of the intent of this measure, but could not
support the appropriation since it was not consistent with the
State's Executive Budget request.

     Your Committee finds that the Corporation is already
authorized to provide loans and grants to families to avoid
foreclosures.  However, due to fiscal constraints, the
Corporation was unable to fulfill these services.  Your Committee
acknowledges that more funding is necessary to prevent families
from becoming homeless.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adding a findings and purpose section to describe the
          current situation;

 
 
                                 STAND. COM. REP. NO. 493
                                 Page 2

 

     (2)  Replacing the appropriation with $1 for purposes of
          further discussion;

     (3)  Authorizing the Corporation to provide grants, as well
          as loans, to families; and

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for
          purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Human Services and Housing that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of H.B. No. 1369, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1369, H.D.
1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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



                                   ______________________________
                                   DENNIS A. ARAKAKI, Chair