STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1114

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2013

RE:   S.B. No. 91

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2013

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Housing and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 91, S.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to reduce homelessness by appropriating funds for:

(1)  The State Rent Supplement Program to assist homeless working individuals or families who are ready to rent permanent housing to obtain and maintain permanent housing, and to cover administrative costs to operate the Program, subject to certain conditions; and

(2)  The Department of Human Services to hire and train a program specialist to monitor the State Rent Supplement Program and contract for the implementation of the Program statewide.

The Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, Hawaii Youth Services Network, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, and a concerned individual supported this measure.  The Hawaii Public Housing Authority, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Institute for Human Services, and Partners in Care supported this bill with amendments.  The Department of Human Services supported the intent of this measure.

     Upon careful consideration, your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1)  Deleting the appropriation for the Department of Human Services to hire and train a program specialist to monitor the State Rent Supplement Program and contract for implementation of the program statewide;

(2)  With respect to the appropriation for the State Rent Supplement Program:

(A)  Clarifying that the funds are for working individuals or families, irrespective of whether or not they are homeless, who are ready to rent permanent housing to obtain and maintain permanent housing;

(B)  Eliminating provisions regarding the use of funds for administrative costs to operate the State Rent Supplement Program;

(C)  Providing that no individual or family who receives public assistance or other government benefits or entitlements can qualify to receive the moneys appropriated in this measure;

(D)  Eliminating the condition that a household must expend at least 40 percent of its income before qualifying to receive the maximum rent supplement of $300 per month;

(E)  Eliminating the condition that the rent supplement be made available through programs that provide support for workers to increase self-sufficiency; and

(F)  Changing the expending agency to the Department of Human Services; and

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

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Housing and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 91, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 91, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Housing and Human Services,

____________________________ MELE CARROLL, Chair

____________________________ RIDA T.R. CABANILLA, Chair