Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 178 entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to oppose the transfer of the Waiahole Valley Agricultural Park and residential lots subdivision by the Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawaii (HCDCH) to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL).

The Waiahole-Waikane Community Association and approximately sixty-five individuals testified in support of this measure. HCDCH and DHHL provided comments on this measure.

Thirty-five years ago, the farming and non-farming tenants in the Waiahole and Waikane valleys sought to preserve the integrity of their community by resisting an eviction from their lands when a massive development project was proposed for the area. A few years later, these tenants unified their efforts to preserve the lifestyle of the valleys' community by establishing the Waiahole-Waikane Community Association (Association). Through the Association's dedication, long-term leases were eventually negotiated for farming and residential lots in 1998, ensuring security for the families in the valley.

However, on December 30, 2004, HCDCH and DHHL executed an agreement to transfer HCDCH's fee interest for the Waiahole valley property to DHHL. This agreement was met with great opposition from the residents of the valley and the Association for a variety of reasons, and this measure provides that the Legislature opposes the proposed transfer of Waiahole valley property to DHHL.

Your Committees have amended this measure by specifically requesting HCDCH to rescind its December 30, 2004 agreement to transfer its fee interest to DHHL.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Water, Land, and Agriculture and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 178, as amended herein, recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 178, S.D. 1.