STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2031

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2267

 

 

 

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2267 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to provide funding for micro apartment housing units.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Human Services, Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, Blueprint for Change, Hawaii Primary Care Association, Community Alliance for Mental Health, and two individuals.

 

     Your Committee finds that there is a housing crisis in Hawaii and that affordable housing is a serious concern for many residents.  According to a 2011 Hawaii Housing Planning Study, up to 50,000 new housing units will need to be built by 2016 to meet the new demand generated by changing demographics and economic conditions.  This measure addresses the housing crisis by authorizing funds for the development of micro apartment housing units.  Micro apartments can address the permanent housing needs of very low income households at a more efficient cost, as the per unit construction cost is about $150,000 as opposed to the average rental unit that costs $300,000 to construct.  Your Committee received testimony indicating that micro apartment housing units can help Hawaii's efforts to end homelessness as well.  Eighty-one percent of households experiencing homelessness are single individuals, and micro apartments are popular for Housing First programs, which are evidence-based practices that provide permanent housing and support services to people who have been chronically homeless.

 

     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. 2267 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