HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	279
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

Urging the Hawaii public housing authority to streamline the eviction process to conform to federal guidelines.

     WHEREAS, the Hawaii Public Housing Authority's (HPHA) current eviction process is cumbersome and time consuming, and HPHA's resources are limited and being depleted; and

     WHEREAS, overdue rental collections amount to approximately $1,200,000; and

     WHEREAS, monthly rental rates for family housing are priced as follows: $108 for a one-bedroom unit; $128 for a two-bedroom unit; $152 for a three-bedroom unit; $180 for a four-bedroom unit; and $212 for a five-bedroom unit; and

     WHEREAS, HPHA needs to implement a streamlined process to evict residents who pose a danger to others, do not pay rent when due, or otherwise violate rules; and

     WHEREAS, when a tenant has been delinquent in payment of rent, HPHA, either directly or through a managing agent, provides the tenant with a series of written notices and endures a series of waiting periods; and

     WHEREAS, the current eviction process is lengthy and complex, and may result in delaying the eviction of residents who are not paying rent or whose behavior is disruptive or dangerous to other residents; and

     WHEREAS, the eviction process should continue to provide due process and a fair hearing, while eliminating redundant notification and lengthy and repetitious waiting period requirements; and

     WHEREAS, there are currently over 14,000 people on the waiting list for public housing and it is imperative that the limited number of public housing units be available to those who need them most, and who will meet their responsibilities by complying with necessary community rules and paying rent when due; and

     WHEREAS, the 2006 audit recommended that HPHA accept working-poor individuals as tenants who are able to pay the rent and refrain from accepting tenants who have criminal records and bad rental payment histories; and

     WHEREAS, section 356D-43, Hawaii Revised Statutes, mandates that HPHA be self-sustaining with revenues to offset the cost of administration, repairs, and new equipment; and

     WHEREAS, under current procedures, the eviction process can take up to seven months between the time a violation occurs to the time or eviction; 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 HPHA is urged to simplify and streamline the eviction process to conform to federal guidelines; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor and Executive Director of the Hawaii Public Housing Authority.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

HPHA; Eviction Process; Streamlining