Establishes a management and information system for census data and services provided to the homeless population.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The department of housing and community development corporation is required by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development to implement and operate an effective management and information system. The management and information system provides census data and service utilization information on Hawaii's homeless population.

Current census data on the system contains information on the extent, characteristics, and causes of homelessness in all four counties. However, due to underfunding and understaffing of the current management and information system, there is incorrect data on homeless service utilization. The legislature recognizes the importance of accurate census and utilization information in the context of continued federal funding and in evaluating the progress in reducing homelessness in Hawaii.

An effective management and information system will help ensure competitiveness in receiving funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Information on population estimates, geographic distribution, ethnic composition, needs assessment, and identification of key populations will be valuable in securing related federal funding targeted at homeless sub-populations, including veterans, ex-offenders, and children, and in allocating state funds. Moreover, updated and accurate data will assist in procuring additional homeless services funding from private sources.

SECTION 2. Chapter 201G-432, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:

"(d) The fund shall be used to provide loans or grants for the development, pre-development, construction, acquisition, preservation, and substantial rehabilitation of rental housing units. Permitted uses of the fund may include but are not limited to planning, design, land acquisition, costs of options, agreements of sale, downpayments, equity financing, capacity building of nonprofit housing developers, or other housing development services or activities as provided in rules adopted by the administration pursuant to chapter 91. The rules may provide for a means of recapturing loans or grants made from the fund if a rental housing project financed under the fund is refinanced or sold at a later date. The rules may also provide that moneys from the fund shall be leveraged with other financial resources to the extent possible.

The fund shall also be used to establish, maintain, and operate a management and information system to provide accurate data on persons who are homeless. The administration shall enter into a contract for this purpose with a qualified private entity, subject to the requirements of chapter 103D, provided that the contract amount does not exceed $150,000 during any fiscal year."

SECTION 3. Act 196, Session Laws of Hawaii, 2005, is amended by amending section 41 to read as follows:

"SECTION 41. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2005; provided that:

SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006.