STAND. COM. REP. NO. 715

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 515

       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 S.B. No. 515, 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 fund programs that offer services to the homeless.

     More specifically, this measure appropriates moneys to the:

(1)  Department of Human Services for the:

(A)  Homeless Programs Office to assist homeless and at-risk homeless individuals with housing placement, health, education, employment, and other services;

(B)  Rental assistance program, also known as a shallow subsidy program;

(C)  Housing First programs, to assist the chronically homeless;

(D)  Homeless prevention and rapid re-housing programs; and

(E)  Shelter Plus Care program for the purpose of matching funds from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development; and

(2)  Department of Health for:

(A)  Substance abuse treatment and mental health support services for homeless individuals; and

(B)  Clean and Sober Housing support services.

     Additionally, this measure authorizes the issuance of general obligation bonds for fiscal years 2013-2014 and 2014-2015, the revenues of which are to be deposited into the rental housing trust fund, to be expended for the development of low and mixed income housing.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice and Partners in Care.

     Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of Human Services and Catholic Charities of Hawaii.

     Your Committee finds that homelessness is a chronic and significant problem in the State and that homeless individuals face numerous issues that require a broad, coordinated network of services and outreach programs.  These services and programs target issues such as substance abuse, mental health, housing assistance, health care, employment, and other needs-based services.  Accordingly, your Committee finds that funding to address the specific needs of homeless individuals and increase the State's low and mixed income housing inventory are essential to reducing the number of homeless in Hawaii.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1)  Clarifying how household income will be calculated for qualification purposes for the shallow subsidy program;

(2)  Clarifying that the Department of Human Service's expenditure of moneys for program and administrative costs for the shallow subsidy program shall be through a contract issued pursuant to chapter 103F, Hawaii Revised Statues;

(3)  Adding an appropriation of an unspecified amount from the housing first special fund to be expended by the Department of Human Services to administer Housing First programs;

(4)  Changing all appropriations in the measure to unspecified amounts;

(5)  Combining the two sections that authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds to the rental housing trust fund into one section;

(6)  Moving the section that appropriates moneys out of the rental housing trust fund to immediately follow the section that authorizes the general obligation bond issuance and deposit of revenues into the rental housing trust fund;

(7)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure; and

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

     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 S.B. No. 515, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 515, S.D. 2.

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

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair