Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services and Housing, to which was referred H.R. No. 76 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this resolution is to:

Catholic Charities Elderly Services (Catholic Charities) and a concerned citizen submitted testimony in support of the measure. DAGS supported the intent of the measure.

Your Committee finds that Lanakila provides a much-needed service to the seniors in Honolulu, including programs improving their mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Catholic Charities has supported operations of Lanakila above and beyond what is provided by government funding, but it can no longer afford to allocate existing funds to Lanakila's improvement projects.

Your Committee notes that the building is in dire need of repair. The estimated cost to repair the entire facility is in excess of $2,000,000. However, the seniors understand that the current economy and fiscal situation of the State would not allow such a large allocation. After much deliberation, they narrowed it down to approximately $500,000 in repairs, which they believed were absolutely necessary.

Although the repairs are still considered necessities rather than luxuries, the seniors realize that pending government employee wage negotiations warrant further reduction in the moneys they are requesting. They are now asking for only $160,000 to cover basic safety and sanitation needs including:

Your Committee is very supportive of providing these very basic necessities for the seniors at Lanakila. Other members of the Legislature and community have also shown great support of this very worthwhile effort.

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 concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 76 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance.