STAND. COM. REP. NO. 223

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 1224

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1224 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LAND USE,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require counties to adopt reasonable standards to allow the construction of one single-family dwelling unit and one accessory dwelling unit on each lot where a residential dwelling unit is permitted.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Planning and Permitting, City and County of Honolulu.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the County Council, County of Maui.

 

     Your Committee finds that Hawaii's housing costs exceed the national average.  The severe affordable housing shortfall has contributed to Hawaii's homelessness rate, which is the third highest among the states.  Hawaii's affordable housing crisis requires creative solutions, such as accessory dwelling units.  Accessory dwelling units are growing in popularity, and in many cities they are a key component of the city's affordable housing plan.  Permitting the construction of accessory dwelling units on land that has already been developed for residential use is an efficient, inexpensive, and sustainable way to create more affordable housing.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Inserting an effective date of January 1, 2020, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1224, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1224, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Economic Development, Government Operations and Housing.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental and Military Affairs,

 

 

 

____________________________

WILL ESPERO, Chair