STAND. COM. REP. NO.  617-08

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2050

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Human Services & Housing and Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2050 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to address the homeless and affordable housing crisis in Hawaii by:

 

     (1)  Extending the allocation of 50 percent of conveyance tax revenues to the Rental Housing Trust Fund (Trust Fund);

 

     (2)  Authorizing the issuance of $25,000,000 in general obligation bonds (GO bonds) to be paid into the Trust Fund;

 

     (3)  Appropriating $25,000,000 out of the Trust Fund for the planning, development, and construction of affordable housing, in cooperation with private and nonprofit developers;

 

     (4)  Authorizing the issuance of $30,000,000 in GO bonds for housing development programs;

 

     (5)  Appropriating $500,000 in general funds to assist developers in contracting for third party review and certification, including but not limited to inspection, discretionary permits, and ministerial permits, to expedite the processing and issuance of building permits for affordable housing projects;

 

     (6)  Appropriating $2,000,000 for the Hawaii Public Housing Authority (HPHA) to conduct repair and maintenance on public housing projects;

 

     (7)  Authorizing the issuance of $40,200,000 in GO bonds for HPHA to conduct capital improvement projects to repair and renovate public housing;

 

     (8)  Appropriating $1,500,000 in general revenues to provide security in public housing projects;

 

     (9)  Appropriating $5,300,000 in general revenues to HPHA for outreach or support services, or both, to unsheltered homeless, at-risk homeless, and those residing in homeless facilities, including emergency shelters; and

 

     (10) Authorizing the issuance of $32,000,000 in GO bonds to HPHA for homeless facilities, emergency shelters, and transitional shelters on the islands of Oahu and Hawaii.

 

     The Department of Taxation, Department of Human Services, Department of Community Services of the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii Family Forum, Roman Catholic Church in the State of Hawaii, Hawaii Family Support Institute, Waikiki Health Center's Care-A-Van Program, Neighborhood Board #8, McCully-Moiliili, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Partners in Care, Community Alliance Partners-Hawaii Island Continuum of Care to End Homelessness, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill.  The Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation supported the concept of this measure.  The Office of Housing and Community Development of the County of Hawaii supported an amendment to this bill.  The Tax Foundation of Hawaii submitted comments.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services & Housing and Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2050 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services & Housing and Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs,

 

 

____________________________

KEN ITO, Chair

 

____________________________

MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Chair