STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1157

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 87

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2009

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Education and Housing and Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 87 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE HAWAII HOUSING FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE TO REVIEW STATE AND COUNTY AFFORDABLE HOUSING APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to urge the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to:

     (1)  Convene a task force to review state and county affordable housing approval requirements and procedures;

     (2)  Identify, in consultation with other state agencies, private developers, and nonprofit housing organizations, a core, standardized affordable housing approval procedure that each county can adopt; and

     (3)  Report its findings and recommendations, including any proposed county or state legislation, to the 2010 Legislature.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by one individual.  One state agency and one private organization submitted comments.  Written testimony presented to the Committees may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Your Committees find that the information and recommendations that would be provided through this measure would assist in the development of affordable housing.  Your Committees agree with concerns raised, however, that the development of a standardized approval procedure for the counties may not be feasible, given the vast differences in the four counties.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Deleting the second Whereas clause's language regarding the Demographia surveys;

     (2)  Clarifying that the Corporation, with the assistance of the four counties, is requested to identify core affordable housing approval procedures that each county can adopt;

     (3)  Including county agencies and county councils in the list of entities to be consulted; and

     (4)  Adding the directors of the county housing agencies and chairs of the county councils to those receiving certified copies of the Concurrent Resolution.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Housing and Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 87, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 87, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Education and Housing and Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________ CLAYTON HEE, Chair

____________________________ NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair