STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1059

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2007

RE:   H.B. No. 835

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2007

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 835, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to ensure that the pineapple employees' and retirees' families living in the Kunia and Poamoho plantation camps, do not lose their homes due to the closure of Del Monte Fresh Produce, and to safeguard the public health, safety, and welfare of the state by:

(1) Establishing the Pineapple Employees and Retirees Housing Revolving Fund to provide to affected pineapple employees and retirees low-interest loans or grants to acquire, rehabilitate, or reconstruct existing housing, or acquire housing elsewhere;

(2)  Establishing the Pineapple Employees and Retirees Rental Housing Fund to provide rent subsidies to affected pineapple employees and retirees;

(3)  Establishing the Pineapple Employees and Retirees Homeownership Counseling Program to provide affected pineapple employees and retirees with homebuyer education and counseling; and

(4)  Appropriating funds for the new funds and programs established in this measure.

     The ILWU Local 142 testified in support of this bill.  The Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation supported the intent of this bill.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2020, to encourage further discussion;

(2)  Changing all references to "pineapple employees" to "pineapple workers" for consistency; and

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

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 835, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 835, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair