STAND. COM. REP. NO. 6

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 83

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 83 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to retain dwelling units in housing projects for lease or rent to nonprofit organizations and government agencies and to provide for the development of community facilities for lease or rent to nonprofit organizations and government agencies.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Public Housing Authority, the Community Alliance for Mental Health, and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that the Hawaii Public Housing Authority works with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, the State Legislature, and nonprofit service providers to meet the needs of Hawaii's most vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, disabled, and extremely low-income households.  Services such as social self-sufficiency classes and job training used to be administered by the Hawaii Public Housing Authority in asset management projects and were previously funded through a grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.  However, the Hawaii Public Housing Authority no longer receives this funding and is trying to find creative ways to provide these nonprofit services to residents once again.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 83 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 Human Services,

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair