Report Title:

State Rent Supplement Program

Description:

Broadens participation in the State Rent Supplement Program by removing the statutory limitation on the subsidy amount (currently $160 per month) and increasing the income limits for participation to up to 70 percent of area median income.  Requires the wait list for the program to include certain individuals.  (HB1364 HD1)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1364
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007		H.D. 1
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.  Chapter 356D, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part VIII to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§356D-    Wait list requirements. Individuals and families living in transitional shelters, who are homeless, or on the public housing or section 8 wait lists, shall be eligible to be included in the state rent supplement program wait list."

     SECTION 2.  Section 356D-151, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§356D-151[]]  Rent supplements.  The authority 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 part, in such amounts and under such circumstances as prescribed [in or pursuant to this part.  No payment on behalf of a qualified tenant shall exceed a segregated amount of $160 a month.] by the authority pursuant to rules adopted by the authority."

SECTION 3.  Section 356D-153, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§356D-153[]]  Qualified tenant[;] defined.  As used in this part, the term "qualified tenant" means any single person or family, pursuant to criteria and procedures established by the authority, who has been determined to have an income not exceeding the [very low-income] income limit as determined by the authority pursuant to rules adopted by the authority[;] which income limit shall be up to seventy per cent of the area median income; provided that the qualified tenant's primary place of residence shall be in the State or the qualified tenant intends to make the State 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 part.  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."

     SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on January 1, 2008.