STAND. COM. REP. NO. 187

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 737

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Education and Housing and Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 737 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to authorize mixed-use housing projects and infrastructure projects that are associated with a housing or mixed-use housing project to be eligible for the expedited review process currently offered by the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to qualifying housing projects.

 

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by two state agencies and one private organization.  Testimony in opposition was submitted by one county agency.  Written testimony presented to the Committees may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

 

     Your Committees find that this measure is one of many under consideration by the Legislature in response to severe shortages of affordable housing in Hawaii.  Your Committees are concerned that a long-term economic crisis will further worsen what is already a challenging housing market for Hawaii residents.

 

     Your Committees further find that while the federal economic stimulus legislation will provide some relief, much more needs to be done at the state level.  Your Committees have heard and approved a wide range of proposed affordable housing initiatives and encourages further legislative discussions on the proposal in this measure.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Extending the time a county legislative body shall act on mixed-use housing projects, or infrastructure projects associated with a housing or mixed-use housing project, from forty-five to ninety days; and

 

     (2)  Amending the effective date to July 1, 2050, for the purpose of encouraging further discussion.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Housing and Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 737, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 737, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Housing and Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs,

 

____________________________

J. KALANI ENGLISH, Chair

 

____________________________

NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair