Report Title:

Housing; low income subsidies

Description:

Removes the statutory limitation on the subsidy amount ($160 per month) and the income limits for participation. Allows the housing and community development corporation to set in administrative rule the amount of the rent subsidy and qualifying income limits.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2357

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2006

  

STATE OF HAWAII

  

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO THE STATE RENT SUPPLEMENT PROGRAM.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. Section 201G-231, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§201G-231[]] Rent supplements. The corporation is authorized to make, and contract to make, annual payments to a "housing owner" on behalf of a "qualified tenant", as those terms are defined in this subpart, in such amounts and under such circumstances as are prescribed [in or pursuant to this subpart. No payment on behalf of a qualified tenant shall exceed a segregated amount of $160 a month.] by the corporation pursuant to rules adopted by the corporation."

SECTION 2. Section 201G-232, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§201G-232 Housing owner defined. As used in this subpart, the term "housing owner" means:

(1) A private nonprofit corporation or other private nonprofit legal entity, a limited dividend corporation or other limited dividend legal entity, or a cooperative housing corporation, that is a mortgagor under section 202, 207, 213, 221(d)(3), 221(d)(5), or 231 of the National Housing Act, as amended, or that conforms to the standards of those sections but that is not a mortgagor under those sections or any other private mortgagor under the National Housing Act, as amended, for very low income, low-income, or moderate-income family housing, regulated or supervised under federal or state laws or by political subdivisions of the State, or agencies thereof, as to rents, charges, capital structure, rate of return, and methods of operation, from the time of issuance of the building permit for the project; [and]

(2) Any other owner of a standard housing unit or units deemed qualified by the corporation; and

(3) The authority."

SECTION 3. Section 201G-233, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§201G-233 Qualified tenant defined. As used in this subpart, the term "qualified tenant" means any single person or family, pursuant to criteria and procedures established by the corporation, that has been determined to have an income not exceeding the [very low] income limit as determined by the corporation pursuant to rules adopted by the corporation; provided that the qualified tenant's primary place of residence shall be in the State of Hawaii or that the qualified tenant intends to make the State of Hawaii the qualified tenant's primary place of residence. The terms "qualified tenant" and "tenant" include a member of a cooperative who satisfies the foregoing requirements and who, upon resale of the member's membership to the cooperative, will not be reimbursed for more than fifty per cent of any equity increment accumulated through payments under this subpart. With respect to members of a cooperative, the terms "rental" and "rental charges" mean the charges under the occupancy agreements between the members and the cooperative. The term "qualified tenant" shall not include any person receiving money payments for public assistance from the department of human services; provided that the term "public assistance" shall exclude aid provided through the federal Supplemental Security Income Program."

SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed

and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

BY REQUEST