STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1171

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.R. No. 142

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Tourism and Hawaiian Affairs and Human Services, to which was referred S.R. No. 142 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS TO CONSIDER BUILDING AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING THAT COULD BE USED FOR TRANSITIONAL, PERMANENT, OR RENT-TO-OWN HOUSING FOR HOMELESS NATIVE HAWAIIANS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to consider building affordable rental housing that could be used for transitional, permanent, or rent-to-own housing for homeless native Hawaiians.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, Partners in Development Foundation, and Blueprint for Change.

     Your Committees find that the housing supply in Hawaii is significantly less than the demand and that low- and moderate-income housing is difficult to secure and afford.  Although the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands generally provides affordable homes to native Hawaiians, there are many applicants on the wait list who cannot afford the typical home.  Providing affordable housing requires a comprehensive housing inventory that includes alternatives to fee simple homes.

     Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Urging the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to consider building affordable rental housing for all native Hawaiians rather than only homeless native Hawaiians;

     (2)  Amending the title for consistency; and

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Tourism and Hawaiian Affairs and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 142, as amended herein, and recommend that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.R. No. 142, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Tourism and Hawaiian Affairs and Human Services,

____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair

____________________________ BRICKWOOD GALUTERIA, Chair