Report Title:

Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Housing Development

Description:

Allows the office of Hawaiian affairs to develop housing projects that are exempt from all statutes, ordinances, charter provisions, and rules of any governmental agency relating to planning, districting, zoning, construction standards for subdivisions, development and improvement of land, and the construction of units.

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	1544
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  Chapter 10, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§10-  Housing development; exemption from statutes, ordinances, charter provisions, rules. (a)  The office may develop housing projects that shall be exempt from all statutes, ordinances, charter provisions, and rules of any governmental agency relating to planning, districting, zoning,  and construction standards for subdivisions, development and improvement of land, and the construction of units thereon; provided that:

(1) The office finds that the project is consistent with the purpose and intent of this chapter, and meets minimum requirements of health and safety;

(2) The development of the proposed project does not contravene any safety standards, tariffs, or rates and fees approved by the public utilities commission for public utilities or the various boards of water supply authorized under chapter 54; and

(3) The office consults during the project planning phase with the county in which the project will be located to receive any county concerns and county recommendations about the project.

(b)  For the purpose of this section, "housing project" means a project of affordable housing or workforce housing; providing that "affordable housing" and "workforce housing", in the context of identifying the persons or families intended to be served by such housing, primarily includes for-sale housing or rental housing for persons or families whose incomes are identified as one hundred forty per cent or less of the area median income for each of the counties of Hawaii, Maui, Honolulu, and Kauai as determined by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development from time to time, and as adjusted by family size.  These persons or families include the following income groups:

(1) "Very low income" means those earning fifty per cent or less of the area median income;

(2) "Low income" means those earning more than fifty per cent and up to eighty per cent of the area median income;

(3) "Low-moderate income" means those earning more than eighty per cent and up to one hundred twenty per cent of the area median income;

(4) "Moderate income" means those earning more than one hundred twenty per cent and up to one hundred forty per cent of the area median income."

     SECTION 2.  New statutory material is underscored.

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

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________
	By Request