STAND. COM. REP. NO.  423-08

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2008

RE:   H.B. No. 2512

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Human Services & Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 2512 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to support the development of affordable housing by appropriating funds for the counties to assist developers in contracting for third party review and certification to expedite the permitting and review process for affordable housing projects.

     EAH Housing and General Contractors Association of Hawaii testified in support of this bill.  The Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation (HHFDC) and City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting supported the intent of this measure.

     Your Committee received testimony suggesting that funds should be available for third party reviews for at least the next five years and that third party reviews should be dedicated to projects for households with incomes of 80 percent and below of the area median income and that the possibility of accepting dedicated roadways for these projects should also be considered.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by requiring HHFDC, rather than the counties, assist in contracting for third party review and certification.

     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. 2512, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2512, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

MAILE SHIMABUKURO, Chair