HB947

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	947
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. In 1995, the state historic preservation officer, city and county of Honolulu, Farmer's Home Administration, now known as the Rural Development Administration, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, an independent federal agency that promotes the preservation and productive use of national historic resources, entered into a memorandum of agreement that, in part, called for the rehabilitation of approximately seventy plantation camp homes at Varona village. A city Ewa villages master plan called for the development of adjacent lands with market rate housing to help finance the proposed rehabilitation of the homes that would then be offered to residents at several low cost options, including rent-to-own homes, new rentals for one-third of their income, and rehabilitated housing, with the Rural Development Administration providing low interest mortgage loans for individual buyers.

However, with a depressed local economy, the market rate houses that were to be built and sold to help finance the rehabilitation of the camp houses were not developed. While some residents were able to exercise the option of buying their homes, many were not given that option or could not afford to exercise that option at the time.

The purpose of this Act is to direct the state historic preservation officer to make all efforts to reimplement the plan called for in the 1995 memorandum of agreement, giving existing residents of Varona village the option of purchasing their residences at affordable prices and interest rates.

SECTION 2. (a) The state historic preservation officer is directed to enter into discussions with representatives of the:

(1) City and county of Honolulu;

(2) Rural Development Administration;

(3) Advisory Council on Historic Preservation; and

(4) Ewa Villages Non-Profit Development Corporation;

to determine the viability of reimplementing the 1995 memorandum of agreement to provide assistance to residents and former residents of Varona village who are desirous of purchasing the residences in which they presently reside or previously resided.

(b) The state historic preservation officer is directed to report back to the legislature as soon as practicable but no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2008 on the officer's findings, along with any recommendations to reimplement the 1995 memorandum of agreement or any other measures to assist the residents of Varona village.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________