STAND. COM. REP. NO.  425

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 1557

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services & Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 1557 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to encourage the development of affordable housing by providing exemptions and waivers for condominium developments of 50 units or more per acre of land.

     A concerned individual testified in support of this bill.  The City and County of Honolulu Department of Community Services opposed this measure.  The Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation (HHFDC) provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Authorizing HHFDC to apply existing exemptions and waivers to the sale or transfer of new multi-family for-sale condominium developments of 50 units or more per acre, or developments targeted primarily for households with incomes up to 60 percent of the median family income; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services & Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1557, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1557, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Water, Land, Ocean Resources & Hawaiian Affairs.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Human Services & Housing,

____________________________

MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Chair