STAND. COM. REP. NO. 189

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 898

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Water, Land, and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 898 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to amend the allowable uses of Rental Housing Trust Fund monies to include moderate rehabilitation of rental units and to define "moderate rehabilitation".

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Association of REALTORS.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation.

     Your Committee finds that including moderate rehabilitation among the allowable uses of Rental Housing Trust Fund monies will facilitate renovations to upgrade dwelling units to safe and sanitary conditions and aid in the replacement of building systems and components in danger of failure, thereby improving the quality of life for many of Hawaii's renters, especially low-income renters.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water, Land, and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 898 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water, Land, and Housing,

____________________________

DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair