STAND. COM. REP. NO.  20

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

 

RE:   H.B. No. 150

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services & Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 150 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to provide shelter and services to homeless and low-income individuals and families by:

 

     (1)  Increasing from 30 to 65 percent, the allocation of the conveyance tax to the Rental Housing Trust Fund (RHTF);

 

     (2)  Appropriating $60,000,000 for fiscal year 2007-2008 for RHTF purposes;

 

     (3)  Appropriating an unspecified amount of funds in each year of fiscal biennium 2007-2009 to repair and renovate state public housing;

 

     (4)  Appropriating $15,000,000 in each year of fiscal biennium 2007-2009 for outreach and support services to the homeless;

 

     (5)  Appropriating $15,000,000 in each year of fiscal biennium 2007-2009 to operate emergency and transitional shelters; and

 

     (6)  Appropriating $5,000,000 in each year of fiscal biennium 2007-2009 to provide matching funds for Shelter Plus Care grants.

 

     The Department of Taxation, Partners In Care, Hawaii Association of REALTORS, Waikiki Health Center's Care-A-Van Program, and Catholic Charities Hawaii testified in support of this bill.  The Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii supported the intent of this measure.  The Hawaii Public Housing Authority, Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, and Tax Foundation of Hawaii provided comments.

 

     Your Committee notes that testimony reflected that new proposals for Shelter Plus Care are in five-year increments and that appropriations should increase incrementally to maximize the use of funds.  The request is for $3,000,000 in the first year, $4,000,000 in the second year, and $5,000,000 every year thereafter.

 

     Accordingly, your Committee has amended this bill by:

 

     (1)  Appropriating $30,000,000 for the RHTF in each year of fiscal biennium 2007-2009, instead of $60,000,000 in only the first year of the biennium;

 

     (2)  Changing the appropriation for the Shelter Plus Care grants to $3,000,000 in fiscal year 2007-2008 and $4,000,000 in fiscal year 2008-2009; and

 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 150, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 150, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services & Housing,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Chair