RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, public housing tenants are the "customers" of the Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawaii, but are not presently being treated as customers; and

WHEREAS, public housing tenants give important information to the management and staff of the Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawaii, but often the concerns are not passed on to the proper authorities, leading to expenses which could have been minimized if the tenants' voices were heeded; and

WHEREAS, termite infestation at Kau`iokalani Homes was reported by tenants before the termite warranty expired, but because the Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawaii did not heed tenants in a timely manner, the cost for repairs increased to almost $800,000; and

WHEREAS, a report to the Twenty-First State Legislature on House Concurrent Resolution No. 71, S.D. 1 (2001) recognized and commended the work of Island Tenants on the Rise for their continuing efforts to bring low-income people into active participation in the democratic process; and

WHEREAS, Island Tenants on the Rise has initiated a campaign to register public housing tenants, the homeless, and poor people to vote in the upcoming elections; and

WHEREAS, at least one member of the Board of Directors of the Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawaii is required to be a person who is directly assisted under the federal low-rent public housing or Section 8 tenant-based housing assistance payments program; and

WHEREAS, the public housing or Section 8 position on the Board of Directors tends to be vacant much of the time; and

WHEREAS, the public housing or Section 8 position on the Board of Directors needs to be more than window dressing; and

WHEREAS, Island Tenants on the Rise has heard many complaints from public housing and Section 8 tenants that resident services staff are not helpful to tenants, and often work against their interests; and

WHEREAS, some families are paying $1,200 to $1,500 for monthly rent in public housing, and this is not affordable housing for low-income families; and

WHEREAS, working families who are charged high rents often end up in the eviction process because they are not informed about credits available from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, and how these credits work; and

WHEREAS, the Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawaii has not requested needed funds to repair and renovate all vacant public housing units; and

WHEREAS, the Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawaii may not have the capacity to effectively use additional funds for repair and maintenance if its full time maintenance staff is unable to complete the work; and

WHEREAS, Island Tenants on the Rise is the only independent statewide organization of tenants; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2006, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawaii and Island Tenants on the Rise are requested to work in partnership to come up with proactive recommendations to better serve public housing and Section 8 tenants; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Island Tenants on the Rise is requested to be allowed to address the Board of Directors of the Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawaii at least fifteen minutes prior to each lunch break of the Board, to share its insights and concerns; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawaii is requested to send the monthly Executive Director's report and the minutes of prior meetings to Island Tenants on the Rise at least one week prior to each regular meeting of the Board of Directors; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that tenants be given a calculation of rent statement and be informed about the mandatory credits available from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, and how these credits may be applied to the rent calculation; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawaii is requested to determine a means to make the Resident Services Section more accountable to public housing and Section 8 tenants; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Executive Director

of the Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawaii and the President of Island Tenants on the Rise.

Report Title:

Public Housing Tenants; Participation