STAND. COM. REP. NO.  147-10

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2010

RE:   H.B. No. 2491

      H.D. 1

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 2491 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this bill is to encourage personal responsibility on the part of public housing residents by:

     (1)  Requiring the Hawaii Public Housing Authority (Authority) to assess a minimum one percent common area expense fee;

     (2)  Requiring the Authority to seek reimbursement from a unit resident for any damages to a unit caused by that resident; and

     (3)  Authorizing the Authority to assess the cost of any common area expense against a specific unit resident if the expense was a result of that resident's misconduct.

This bill also removes a prospective tenant's need as a selection factor for public housing.

     A concerned individual supported the intent of this bill.  The Authority and Legal Aid Society of Hawaii opposed this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

     (1)  Removing language requiring the Authority to assess a minimum one percent common area expense fee; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2491, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2491, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

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

____________________________

RIDA CABANILLA, Chair