Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 1904 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to aid the Hana Ranch Affordable Housing Project for the construction of affordable housing in Hana, Maui.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by one Maui County Council member. The American Forest and Paper Association submitted testimony in opposition to the measure.

Your Committee finds that Hana, Maui currently has a housing crisis due to a lack of affordable housing options. For many, the living conditions are seriously overcrowded. However, families have very few housing options because median prices for homes on Maui are the highest in the State, making purchasing a home extremely difficult for the average family.

In an effort to resolve the housing problems in Hana, the Hana Ranch dedicated one hundred acres to the community to build affordable housing. Of the one hundred acres, approximately fifteen acres will be used for fifty-three to fifty-five single family lots in the first phase. This measure authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds for a grant-in-aid to Hana Ranch Affordable Housing Project to assist the planning and construction of affordable housing units in Hana, Maui.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive changes for clarification purposes.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1904, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1904, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.