STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1314

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 1479

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health, to which was referred H.B. No. 1479, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to restrict sales of residential condominiums developed with state investment within a transit-oriented development area or within a one-half-mile radius of a public transit station to only prospective owner-occupants for sixty days after the initial date of sale for the project.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation.

 

     Your Committee finds that unified state investment in infrastructure is necessary to facilitate compact, mixed-use, and accessible development near transit stations and public transportation nodes.  Strategic investment can facilitate the development of public and private lands, revitalize neighborhoods, and increase affordable housing inventory, among other public benefits.  Your Committee further finds that promoting homeownership is in the public interest and it is appropriate to allow prospective owner-occupants the first opportunity to purchase condominium units in transit-oriented development areas.  This measure therefore requires that initial sales of condominiums developed using state resources within a transit-oriented development area or within a one-half-mile radius of a public transit station be limited to owner-occupants for a sixty-day period.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that for certain properties, one hundred percent of the residential units being marketed shall be offered only to prospective owner-occupants for at least a sixty-day period following the initial date of sale of the project;

 

     (2)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2019; and

 

     (3)  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 Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1479, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1479, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

ROSALYN H. BAKER, Chair