STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1146

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    H.B. No. 734

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services and Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 734, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

 

     (1)  Establish the housing first voucher program within the Department of Human Services; and

 

     (2)  Appropriate general funds to the housing first special fund to implement the program.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Primary Care Association, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, The Queen's Health Systems, PHOCUSED, and four individuals.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services.

 

     Your Committee finds that the housing first program has proven its success in many states as a way to more effectively address the chronically homeless.  These homeless are often the most visible homeless, living in our neighborhoods, doorways, and under bridges.  These persons experience homelessness over a long period of time and incur very significant public costs.  Housing first assists them to gain permanent housing then provides the services needed to keep them in housing and successfully transition off the streets.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by deleting its contents and inserting language that:

 

     (1)  Defines "housing first program rental assistance payments";

 

     (2)  Allows the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to make housing first rental assistance payments from sums made available from the Department of Human Services through the housing first program;

 

     (3)  Authorizes the Department of Human Services to contract with housing first consultants and the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to effectuate the housing first program;

 

     (4)  Amends the definition of "chronically homeless individual" to mean an individual who has experienced homelessness for one year or longer, or who has experienced at least four episodes of homelessness in the last three years and has a disability; and

 

     (5)  Includes an effective date of July 1, 2050.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 734, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 734, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

 

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

 

 

 

________________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair