STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1217

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1095

       H.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 1095, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to enhance the authority of the counties to develop affordable housing by clarifying their ability to issue revenue bonds to assist in the development of low- and moderate-income housing by nonprofit organizations or public instrumentalities.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Mayor of the County of Hawaii, Office of Housing and Community Development of the County of Hawaii, UniDev Hawai‘i, LLC, and the Executive Director of Housing Hawaii.

     Your Committees find that it is important to clarify the counties' powers with respect to low- and moderate-income housing projects.  As such, it is the intent of your Committees to entrust authority to the counties to undertake loan programs, which include loans to private nonprofit organizations or public instrumentalities, which will serve as a valuable tool in providing affordable housing for low- and moderate-income households.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1095, H.D. 1, and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Intergovernmental and Military Affairs and Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing,

____________________________ BRIAN T. TANIGUCHI, Chair

____________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair