STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1704

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2009

RE:   S.B. No. 1160

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 2

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 1160, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to make the administration of housing projects by the Hawaii Public Housing Authority (HPHA) more efficient by:

     (1)  Requiring HPHA to assess all the units in a state public housing project a fee for the common area expenses of the housing project;

(2) Eliminating most procedural requirements preliminary to hearings for evictions of tenants of public housing projects;

(3) Requiring written notice to delinquent tenants in accordance with federal law; and

(4) Providing that hearings officers appointed by HPHA will conduct eviction hearings.

     Several concerned individuals supported this bill.  The Legal Aid Society of Hawaii opposed this bill.  HPHA offered comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Adding a Part II requiring legislative approval prior to the sale or lease of any public housing project by HPHA;

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2020, to encourage further discussion; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for style, clarity, and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1160, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1160, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

MARCUS R. OSHIRO, Chair