STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1024

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

 

RE:   S.B. No. 120

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 120, S.D. 2, entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to increase the supply of affordable and public housing units and support housing first programs in assisting Hawaii's chronically homeless by:

 

(1)  Authorizing the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriating funds for deposit into the Rental Housing Trust Fund to be used for providing loans and grants for rental housing units;

 

(2)  Authorizing the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriating funds for deposit into the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund to be used for the development of infrastructure and improvements of on-site and off-site development;

 

(3)  Authorizing the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriating funds for the construction of micro apartment housing units; and

 

(4)  Appropriating funds for the continued administration of housing first programs for the chronically homeless.

 

     The Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, EAH Housing, Hawaii Primary Care Association, PHOCUSED, Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, Hawaii Association of Realtors, Waikiki Health, Partners in Care, Catholic Diocese of Honolulu Office for Social Ministry, Catholic Charities Hawaii, and several individuals supported this measure.  The Department of Human Services, Building Industry Association of Hawaii, and Chamber of Commerce Hawaii supported the intent of this measure.  The Department of Budget and Finance commented on this measure.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Incorporating new language to statutorily establish the Housing First Voucher Program within the Department of Human Services, which will provide vouchers to Department programs and provider agencies that assist chronically homeless individuals with finding and maintaining housing and supportive services; and

 

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     Should the Committee on Finance deliberate this measure further, your Committee respectfully requests that it consider:

 

     (1)  Authorizing $100,000,000 in general obligation bonds for loans and grants for rental housing from the Rental Housing Trust Fund;

 

     (2)  Authorizing $20,000,000 in general obligation bonds for the development of infrastructure from the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund;

 

     (3)  Authorizing $15,000,000 in general obligation bonds for the construction of micro apartment housing units; and

 

     (4)  Appropriating $3,000,000 in general funds to continue to administer housing first programs for chronically homeless in the State, including the Housing First Voucher Program.

 


     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 120, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 120, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Housing,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair