Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2002

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 2445, S.D. 1, entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to expand affordable rental housing opportunities for the elderly and the disabled.

Currently, the minimum age for residents at public housing for the elderly is sixty-two years. This policy not only discriminates against an elderly person with a spouse or partner who is not sixty-two years of age, but also affects a housing project owner's ability to fill vacancies.

This bill expands the eligibility requirements for elderly housing by allowing a sixty-two-year-old person to reside with a spouse or partner who is at least the age of majority. The bill also allows other members of a household to reside in the elderly housing; provided that they are at least fifty-five years of age. And finally, the bill allows live-in aides and disabled persons to reside in elderly housing under certain conditions.

Your Committee has amended the bill by clarifying the use of the proposed term "elder or elderly housing" and has incorporated it into section 201G-152, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2445, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2445, S.D. 2.