STAND. COM. REP. NO. 779-00

                                 Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                   , 2000

                                 RE: H.B. No. 2429
                                     H.D. 2




Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No.
2429, H.D. 1, entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY
     DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OF HAWAII,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to make amendments to the Rent
Supplement Program (Program).  Specifically, this measure:

     (1)  Conforms the definition of "qualified resident" in
          section 201G-128, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), with
          section 201G-112, HRS, to include persons living with
          other household members, with whom they are not married
          but are cohabitating;

     (2)  Includes "very low" income households or persons
          earning fifty percent or less of the median family
          income, as Program participants;

     (3)  Enables eligible single persons, who are not elderly or
          disabled, to participate in the Program;

     (4)  Lowers the income limits for participation in the
          Program from the requirements of the National Housing
          Act to a "very low" income limit;


 
 
 
 
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     (5)  Phases in an increase in the tenant's rent contribution
          from twenty percent to thirty percent of the tenant's
          annual income; and

     (6)  Removes provisions to the "maximum allowable income
          priorities" for participation in the Program.

     The Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawaii,
the Governor's Office, and Hawaii Catholic Conference testified
in support of this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical,
nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your
Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No.
2429, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2429, H.D.
2.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Finance,



                                   ______________________________
                                   DWIGHT Y. TAKAMINE, Chair