STAND. COM. REP. NO.  400-20

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2020

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2547

      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. 2547 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to increase the scope of the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation's authority (HHFDC) over low- and moderate-income housing by:

 

(1)  Requiring HHFDC to administer any new reserved housing and workforce housing units in community development districts; and

 

(2)  Authorizing HHFDC to allow reserved housing and workforce housing units transferred to HHFDC to obtain home equity lines of credit, refinance the units, or pay their shared equity.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation and Hawaii Community Development Authority.


     Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Community Development Authority (HCDA) and HHFDC administer low- and moderate-income housing.  However, this dual-agency administration creates inconsistency and confusion.  For example, HCDA and HHFDC apply different rules for reserved housing and workforce housing, which creates disparities on issues such as the availability of home equity loans.  This measure will alleviate confusion caused by inconsistent rules and bring programs for low- and moderate-income housing under a single program administered by HHFDC.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Authorizing, rather than requiring, HHFDC to administer any new reserved housing and workforce housing units in community development districts; and

 

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

 

     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. 2547, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2547, 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