STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2807

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2318

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Education and Housing and Human Services and Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 2318, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HOMELESS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish a five-year Housing First pilot program developed by the Hawaii Public Housing Authority, in collaboration with the Department of Human Services, to assist chronically homeless individuals and to increase the conveyance tax on properties valued at $1,200,000 and over to fund the Housing First special fund.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by seven individuals, and testimony in support of the intent of this measure was submitted by one county agency.  Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by three state agencies, one county agency, three private organizations, and one individual.  One private organization submitted comments.  Written testimony presented to the Committees may be reviewed on the Legislature's website.

     Housing First is an alternative to transitional housing and emergency shelters that is based upon a theory that the homeless are more responsive to social services support after establishing a stable and secure living environment.  Your Committees find that the growing problem of homelessness in Hawaii warrants the consideration of other housing solutions, including Housing First, to combat homelessness in the State.  However, implementation of the Housing First pilot program proposed by this measure also depends upon the availability of funds that are scarce at this time.

     Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Removing language that requires the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to develop a Housing First pilot program;

     (2)  Inserting language that authorizes the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to implement Housing First programs and services, as the Authority deems appropriate for clientele who would most likely benefit and succeed from the implementation of Housing First programs and services, and subject to the availability of existing funds or Housing First special fund moneys;

     (3)  Removing the language that increases the conveyance tax, requires the deposit of a portion of conveyance tax revenues into the Housing First special fund, and appropriates Housing First special fund moneys for the Housing First pilot program;

     (4)  Providing that continued tenancy through a Housing First program may be dependent on participation in treatment services; and

     (5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     Your Committees have retained the language establishing the Housing First special fund in hopes that other sources of funding will become available in the future to allow the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to implement Housing First projects.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Education and Housing and Human Services and Water, Land, Agriculture, and Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2318, H.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2318, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

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

____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair	____________________________ NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair
	____________________________ CLAYTON HEE, Chair