STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1599

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                

 

RE:    H.B. No. 902

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 2

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 902, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC LANDS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to facilitate the development of affordable housing by the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation.

 

     More specifically, this measure:

 

     (1)  Exempts lands set aside by the Governor to the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, and lands leased to the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation by any state department or agency, from classification as public lands;

 

     (2)  Requires that the sale or gift of those lands be subject to prior legislative approval; and

 

     (3)  Requires that lands leased or set aside to the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation and that are no longer needed for housing, finance, or development be returned to the state department or agency that leased or approved the set-aside of the lands.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation; Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu; Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii; Hawaii Construction Alliance; Hawaii Laborers & Employers Cooperation and Education Trust Fund; Mutual Housing Association of Hawaii; and three individuals.

 

     Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Aina Momona, Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action, Hawaiian Affairs Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, Ilioulaokalani Coalition, Ka Lahui Hawaii Political Action Committee, Kupuna for the Moopuna, Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, and more than one hundred individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that this measure will help to facilitate the development of affordable housing on state lands by streamlining the process for approving that development on lands under the control of the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 902, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 902, H.D. 1, S.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

 

 

 

________________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair