STAND. COM. REP. NO. 534

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: H.B. No. 692

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 692 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO LOW-INTEREST LOANS TO DISASTER VICTIMS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to repeal the Kalapana Disaster Relief Program.

The Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawaii (HCDCH) testified in support of this measure. The Mayor of Hawaii County provided comments.

Act 242, Session Laws of Hawaii (SLH) 1991, established a loan program, commonly known as the Kalapana Disaster Relief Program (Program), to assist residents of the island of Hawaii who were affected by Kilauea's lava flow. Since then, other measures have been taken to assist these individuals, and the Program no longer appears to be necessary.

However, your Committee recognizes the concerns raised by the Hawaii County Mayor that the loan program may be the source of funding for establishing a subdivision on Hawaiian Home Lands for former Kalapana residents. HCDCH testimony indicates that Act 144, SLH 2001, allowed the development of Kikala-Keokea, a subdivision for persons of Hawaiian ancestry who were displaced from Kalapana.

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. 692 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

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

 

____________________________

MICHAEL P. KAHIKINA, Chair