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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.C.R. NO. |
205 |
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TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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HOUSE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
requesting a study on establishing a veterans preference in affordable housing and other state and county programs.
WHEREAS, government establishes various preferences for certain groups of its citizens in determining who should receive a government service or be benefitted by a government program; and
WHEREAS, these preferences often recognize that certain groups of persons have a greater need for the service or program, and can also be used to encourage individuals to participate in certain activities, and reward and recognize these individuals for their actions; and
WHEREAS, government should encourage individuals to serve their country by enlisting in the military, reward the service and sacrifices of veterans and their families, and recognize the difficulties of veterans in successfully returning to civilian life; and
WHEREAS, state and county affordable housing programs such as Maui County's workforce housing law, establish preferences for allocation of housing based on criteria such as income, residency, and prior ownership, but do not contain preferences for veterans; and
WHEREAS, providing eligible veterans a housing preference would recognize the service and sacrifices of veterans, and decrease the difficulty of purchasing and providing a home for their families in Hawaii; and
WHEREAS, extending or limiting the veterans preference to widows and widowers of deceased veterans or veterans who are totally or partially disabled may strengthen the basis for the preference and focus it on those who have an even greater need for affordable housing and other government programs and services; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2009, the Senate concurring, that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to:
(1) Identify state and county affordable housing programs in Hawaii and the preference criteria for those programs;
(2) Consult with the Policy
Advisory Board on Veterans' Services in developing:
(A) Eligibility criteria for a veterans affordable housing preference; and
(B) Criteria for preferences benefiting widows and widowers of deceased veterans, or totally disabled and partially disabled veterans;
(3) Identify other government programs and services to which the preference may be extended; and
(4) Make findings and recommendations, develop proposed affordable housing veterans preference legislation, and report to the Legislature not later than 20 days before the Regular Session of 2010;
and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of the Legislative Reference Bureau and the Director of the Office of Veterans' Services.
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OFFERED BY: |
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Veterans' Preference; Affordable Housing