STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2005

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2534

       S.D. 1

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. 2534 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to assist homeless families and individuals in the State by establishing the Hale Kokua program within the Department of Human Services.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Community Alliance for Mental Health, Blueprint for Change, Hawaii Primary Care Association, and one individual.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Human Services.

     Your Committee finds that homelessness continues to be one of the primary challenges in the State.  The Hale Kokua program, which provided incentives and assistance to property owners who set aside existing dwelling units to rent to families or individuals classified as employed but homeless, was originally established in 1992 but was repealed in 2010.  This measure reestablishes the Hale Kokua program to encourage property owners to make dwelling units available for homeless individuals and families who are employed.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting an effective date of July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

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

     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. 2534, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2534, S.D. 1, 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