STAND. COM. REP. NO. 353

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 974

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committees on Human Services and Housing and Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 974 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE RENTAL HOUSING TRUST FUND,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Authorize the rental housing trust fund to be used for spaces for public uses within mixed-use residential developments in which the residential component consists of rental housing units;

 

     (2)  Establish a separate mixed-use residential development subaccount within the rental housing trust fund to make loans or grants for the development, pre-development, construction, acquisition, preservation, and substantial rehabilitation of spaces for public uses within mixed-use residential developments in which the residential component consists of rental housing units;

 

     (3)  Clarify that assistance from the rental housing trust fund may be made for new construction, rehabilitation, or preservation of spaces for public uses in mixed-use residential developments; and

 

     (4)  Make an appropriation for deposit into the mixed use residential development account.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, Building Industry of Hawaii, and PHOCUSED.

 

     Your Committees find that the State needs to add creative ways to create more affordable housing.  This measure allows different state departments to work together in developing housing.  It's possible that such partnerships could provide a legacy of affordable housing for the current and future residents of Hawaii.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Housing and Water and Land that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 974 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Housing and Water and Land,

 

____________________________

LAURA H. THIELEN, Chair

 

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair