STAND. COM. REP. NO.  25-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 2244

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 2244 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the following housing programs and services:

     (1)  The Rental Housing Revolving Fund to be used for rental housing units;

     (2)  The State's Housing First Program to be used for the continued implementation of the Program and expansion of the Program outside Oahu;

     (3)  The repair and maintenance of the Hawaii Public Housing Authority's existing public housing stock; and

     (4)  A rental assistance program, also known as the shallow subsidy program, within the Department of Human Services to be used for homeless working individuals and their families who are ready to rent permanent housing, with certain eligibility requirements.

The Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation and a concerned individual supported this measure.  The Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, Department of Human Services, Hawaii Public Housing Authority, and Hawaii Association of Realtors supported the intent of this measure.  The State Procurement Office provided comments.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing the amounts appropriated for the continued implementation and expansion of the State's Housing First Program, the repair and maintenance of the Hawaii Public Housing Authority's existing public housing stock, and the shallow subsidy program to unspecified amounts to facilitate further discussion;

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to promote further discussion; and

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

     Should the Committee on Finance deliberate on this measure further, your Committee on Housing respectfully requests that it consider restoring the following appropriations:

     (1)  $3,000,000 for the continued implementation of the State's Housing First Program and expansion of the Program outside of Oahu to assist residents who are chronically homeless;

     (2)  $180,000,000 for the repair and maintenance of the Hawaii Public Housing Authority's existing public housing stock; and

     (3)  $2,000,000 for the shallow subsidy program.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2244, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2244, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Housing,

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair