HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

333

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

requesting the hawaii housing finance and development corporation, in collaboration with the department of business, economic development, and tourism, to conduct a study on housing for essential workers.

 

 

 


     WHEREAS, Hawaii is in need of more affordable housing for low- and moderate-income households; and

 

     WHEREAS, the 2006 report of the Joint Legislative Housing and Homeless Task Force established by Act 196, Session Laws of Hawaii 2005, states than an estimated 44,190 housing units are projected to be needed statewide between 2005-2009; and

 

     WHEREAS, most essential workers, that is, teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other emergency responders would be considered moderate-income individuals; and

 

     WHEREAS, even households and individuals with moderate incomes have been priced out of Hawaii's housing market and are sometimes forced to move out of state to achieve an improved lifestyle and the possibility of homeownership; and

 

     WHEREAS, additionally, the State and counties have experienced difficulty in recruiting and retaining essential workers, particularly when other states actively recruit in Hawaii; and

 

     WHEREAS, the primary expense of most households is housing; and

 

     WHEREAS, in addition to the cost of housing and the loss of essential workers to other states, some rural areas of the state have difficulty recruiting and retaining essential workers because of the remote location and difficult commute; and


     WHEREAS, providing affordable housing to Hawaii's essential workers would solve several problems, including improving retention of these workers; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2007, the Senate concurring, that the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation (HHFDC), in collaboration with the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, is requested to conduct a study on housing for essential workers; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study should include, but not be limited to:

 

     (1)  The possibility of providing affordable housing for essential workers;

 

     (2)  Creating a mortgage loan assistance or loan forgiveness program for essential workers;

 

     (3)  Providing incentives specifically for essential workers willing to work in a rural area experiencing shortages of those workers;

 

     (4)  Providing relocation costs; and

 

     (5)  Suggested legislation;

 

and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Executive Director of HHFDC and the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

Report Title: 

Housing for Essential Workers; Study