HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2659
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO HOUSING.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that persons with severe persistent mental illness often require specialized residential services.  However, the high cost of housing creates a shortage of available homes for these individuals, and often, the severely mentally ill become homeless.  The legislature further finds that the development of project-based housing as a bridge to permanent housing is difficult to develop due to high costs.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to authorize the use of the housing first special fund to provide housing for persons with serious mental illnesses.

     SECTION 2.  Section 346-377, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

     "(b)  Moneys in the housing first special fund shall be administered and expended by the department of human services and shall be used to provide housing first programs and services[.], provided that       per cent of the proceeds in the housing first special fund shall also be used for housing for residents who qualify for social security disability benefits and are diagnosed with a life-long serious mental illness."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.

Report Title:

Housing First Special Fund

Description:

Requires a percentage of funds in the Housing First Special Fund to be used to provide homes for persons who qualify for social security disability benefits and are diagnosed with life-long, serious mental illnesses.  (HB2659 HD1)

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