Makes an appropriation for the repair of empty state housing units and provide rental subsidies for low-income individuals.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The legis1ature finds that the lack of affordable housing is a primary cause of homelessness. Currently, there are estimated to be over six thousand homeless persons in Hawaii on any given day, and over fourteen thousand six hundred last year who were homeless at one point or another. In the past four years, the number of homeless in Hawaii has nearly doubled.

Families are losing their homes at unprecedented rates and are being forced to live a life of poverty. Many have poor access to medical services, difficulty finding work, and paying for food and child care. As a result, children do not receive the proper care, immunizations, and nourishment needed to sustain a healthy quality of life. Additionally, their physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and behavioral developments are all negatively affected. Many homeless children who end up in the foster care system, or who experience long-term homelessness, often end up being homeless themselves when they reach adulthood.

Many homeless suffer extreme hardships, such as a loss of self-esteem, behavioral problems, a lack of education, becoming victims of violence and sexual assault, becoming institutionalized, deteriorating in both mental and physical health, and in some cases, ending up in death. Twenty-five to thirty per cent suffer from chronic mental illness, thirty-five to forty per cent suffer from alcohol and drug abuse, and a growing percentage become HIV positive from the hard life they live on the streets.

There are about twelve thousand individuals each year who seek help from the Hawaii public housing administration, many of who are denied help due to lack of Hawaii public housing administration resources. With over nine thousand people on the waiting list for housing, the Hawaii public housing administration has stopped accepting applicants. The average waiting period is estimated to be anywhere from two to seven years; in the mean time, many people are suffering in homelessness.

The legis1ature believes that, to prevent many of the problems associated with homelessness, the State must make more housing available to low-income families.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $8,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for the repair of empty state housing units and to provide rental subsidies for low-income individuals.

SECTION 3. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the Hawaii public housing administration for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006.