STAND. COM. REP. NO.  176

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2021

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1311

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 1311 entitled:

 

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

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to address the shortage of affordable rental housing on Maui and maintain the viability of the Keawe Street affordable housing project by:

 

(1)  Removing the 2022 deadline for completion of the Leialii affordable housing project; and

 

(2)  Exempting the Leialii affordable housing project from the State's historic preservation law requirements; provided that the project adopts a lease-up preference for Lahaina, Maui, residents.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Mayor of the County of Maui.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation.

 

     Your Committee notes that on September 21, 2020, the State Historic Preservation Division notified Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation that it would require a new archaeological inventory survey for the entire villages of the Leialii master planned community, of which the Keawe Street Apartments affordable housing project is a part.  More time is needed for Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to prepare a new archaeological inventory survey with adequate testing of the affordable housing project.  This measure extends the deadline in which funds appropriated under Act 98, Session Laws of Hawaii 2019, may be used for expediting and completing construction of the Leialii affordable housing project.

 

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Removing the requirement that the Leialii affordable housing project adopt a lease-up policy giving preference to current residents of Lahaina, Maui, upon completion and service of the project;

 

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

 

     (3)  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. 1311, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1311, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs.

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

____________________________

NADINE K. NAKAMURA, Chair