STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1255

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 518

       H.D. 2

       S.D. 2

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 518, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to facilitate and assist in the acquisition of permanent housing for qualified families and individuals.

     Specifically, the measure appropriates an unspecified sum of funds for the:

     (1)  State rent supplement program to obtain and maintain permanent housing for homeless working individuals or families who are ready to rent permanent housing; and

     (2)  Department of Human Services to hire and train one program specialist to monitor the state rent supplement program and to enter into contracts to implement the program on a statewide basis.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Community Alliance for Mental Health, and one individual.  The Department of Human Services and Partners in Care submitted written comments on the measure.

     Your Committee finds that many hardworking individuals and families remain in transitional housing programs because they cannot afford permanent, market-level housing.  Your Committee believes that, by appropriating funds for the state rent supplement program, this measure will help these individuals and families to transition from temporary shelters to permanent housing.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Clarifying that individuals and families that work either part-time or full-time shall be eligible for the rent supplement; and

     (2)  Making technical nonsubstantive amendments for the purpose of clarity.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 518, H.D. 2, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 518, H.D. 2, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair