Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2006

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Housing and Water, Land, & Ocean Resources, to which was referred S.B. No. 2774, S.D. 2, entitled:

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to assist families who may lose their homes due to the closure of plantations such as Del Monte Fresh Produce by making plantation community subdivisions a permitted use under agricultural land use district classification and zoning.

The Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO, ILWU Local 142, Hawaii's Thousand Friends, Poamoho Camp Community Association, and several concerned individuals testified in support of this bill. The Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu opposed this measure. The Department of Agriculture offered comments.

Your Committees heard compelling testimony on the need to assist plantation workers and retirees in keeping their homes upon the closure of the plantation facilities, particularly where Hawaii is now experiencing a serious housing crisis.

However, your Committees do note the concerns of several of its members that other means of providing for these families should be explored. Additionally, members noted that while they are open to the idea of limiting the sale or lease of current plantation communities to existing tenants, there is concern regarding the future of those homes. In particular, there are concerns that the homes could be sold and that a large development, gated community, or high-rise could be built, thereby increasing the cost of housing in the areas the Legislature is trying to keep affordable.

Nonetheless, your Committees are supportive and open to ideas regarding this issue, and believes that this measure may offer a viable solution to assisting families living in plantation communities.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Housing and Water, Land, & Ocean Resources that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2774, S.D. 2, and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.