STAND. COM. REP. NO.  83-20

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2020

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1817

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 1817 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriate funds for capital improvement projects consistent with the purposes of the Rental Housing Revolving Fund.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Association of REALTORS, Catholic Charities of Hawaii, Partners In Care, and Hawaii Kai Homeless Task Force.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, and Department of Human Services.

 

     Your Committee finds that a robust, comprehensive, long-term solution is needed to address Hawaii's affordable housing and homelessness crisis.  Your Committee further finds that by making smart investments in homelessness programs and housing, using data-driven practices, and improving coordination, the homeless rate went down in 2017 for the first time in eight years.

 

     In 2018, the Legislature made unprecedented levels of investment in low-income housing and homelessness solutions, including $200,000,000 for the Rental Housing Revolving Fund.  Your Committee further finds that appropriations that allows the Rental Housing Revolving Fund to be used to build housing at affordable levels are critically important.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Clarifying that the $200,000,000 of general obligation bond funding is for deposit into the Rental Housing Revolving Fund for its authorized purposes;

 

     (2)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2025, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (3)  By making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     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 H.B. No. 1817, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1817, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

TOM BROWER, Chair