CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 167-08

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2008

 

RE:    S.B. No. 3174

       S.D. 2

       H.D. 2

       C.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Madam and Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 3174, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, entitled:

 

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

 

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

 

     The purpose of this bill is to assist in addressing the problems of and provide further opportunities in affordable housing in the State.

 

     Specifically, this bill provides assistance by:

 

     (1)  Extending by five years the sunset date of the increase in the conveyance tax allocation to the Rental Housing Trust Fund to ensure continued funding and emphasis on providing rental housing to those in need;

 

     (2)  Appropriating funds to assist developers in contracting for third-party review and certification to expedite the processing and issuance of building permits for affordable housing projects;

 

     (3)  Establishing a self-help housing fund under the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to provide funding for self-help housing projects; and

 

     (4)  Increasing the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation revenue bond authorization from $400,000,000 to an unspecified amount.

 

     Your Committee on Conference finds that the affordable housing crisis continues to be one of the State's most significant and challenging social problems and is a critical issue for many Hawaii residents.  Providing additional funds will aid in addressing the lack of affordable housing in the State.

 

     Your Committee on Conference has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Deleting language that extends by five years the sunset date of the increase in the conveyance tax allocation to the Rental Housing Trust Fund;

 

     (2)  Deleting language that appropriates funds out of the general fund to assist developers in contracting for third-party review and certification to expedite the processing and issuance of building permits for affordable housing projects;

 

     (3)  Deleting language that establishes a self-help housing fund under the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to provide funding for self-help housing projects;

 

     (4)  Deleting language that appropriates funds into and expends funds out of the Self-Help Housing Technical Assistance Fund to provide additional funding for technical assistance costs generated from self-help housing projects;

 

     (5)  Inserting the amount of $500,000,000 as the Hula Mae multifamily revenue bond authorization;

 

     (6)  Changing the effective date from July 1, 2020, to July 1, 2008; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3174, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3174, S.D. 2, H.D. 2, C.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

 

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

 

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

 

____________________________

MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Co-Chair

 

____________________________

RUSSELL S. KOKUBUN, Chair

____________________________

KEN ITO, Co-Chair

 

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Co-Chair

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Co-Chair

 

____________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Co-Chair