STAND

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 544-06

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2006

RE: H.B. No. 2066

H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 2066 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to assist the homeless by:

(1) Requiring the Housing and Community Development Corporation of Hawaii (HCDCH) to coordinate with the counties to identify locations to be used for temporary emergency shelters;

(2) Requiring the counties to locate, designate, and maintain those areas; and

(3) Appropriating funds to the counties.

The Affordable Housing and Homeless Alliance, Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Catholic Charities Hawaii, and many concerned individuals testified in support of this bill. Blueprint for Change supported the intent of this measure. HCDCH and the Disability and Communication Access Board offered comments.

Your Committee heard compelling testimony from organizations that are working to establish mobile temporary shelters and is encouraged by these efforts. Because your Committee heard testimony regarding the efforts taking place in counties outside of the City and County of Honolulu, as well as concerns that the greatest need is on Oahu, your Committee encourages further discussion on whether this measure should be limited to Oahu.

Accordingly, your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1) Requiring HCDCH to report annually to the Legislature on the activities and outcomes with regard to providing temporary emergency shelter to the homeless; and

(2) Making other technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2066, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2066, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Housing,

		____________________________ MICHAEL P. KAHIKINA, Chair