STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1636

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                   

 

RE:     S.R. No. 50

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred S.R. No. 50 entitled:

 

"SENATE RESOLUTION URGING HAWAII'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO INTRODUCE AND SUPPORT LEGISLATION TO AMEND TITLE IV-A OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT TO ALLOW TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES FUNDS TO BE USED BY STATES TO BUILD TRANSITIONAL SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge Hawaii's congressional delegation to introduce and support legislation to amend Title IV-A of the Social Security Act to allow Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds to be used by states to build transitional supportive housing and affordable rental housing.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services.

 

     Your Committee finds that the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, administered by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, provides block grants to states that may be used to provide a wide range of services and short-term cash assistance payments to certain low-income families with children.  However, under existing federal law, TANF funds cannot be used for capital improvement projects, such as the development and construction of housing.  Hawaii's unspent TANF reserves are the second highest in the nation as a proportion of states' annual block grants.  Accordingly, because funding is a major factor in the creation of affordable housing (especially supportive housing), this measure urges Hawaii's congressional delegation to introduce and support legislation to amend existing federal law to allow TANF funds to be used to build transitional supportive housing and affordable rental housing to help the State address its housing needs. 

 

     Your Committee notes the concerns raised in testimony submitted by the Department of Human Services that, due to the nature of the TANF program, if federal laws were amended to allow for the construction of affordable housing with TANF funds, any resulting project would likely be made available only to those specific families eligible under the TANF program.  Due to the State's ongoing housing crisis and need for a broad range of housing inventory across multiple groups of individuals, families, and price points, your Committee further notes that Hawaii's congressional delegation should also support legislation that increases housing resources to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, given the Department's mission to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and affordable homes for all.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 50 and recommends its adoption.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

STANLEY CHANG, Chair