STAND. COM. REP. NO.  802-16

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 Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 2244, H.D. 1, 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 Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii, Hawaii Children's Action Network, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Ali‘i Pauahi Hawaiian Civic Club, Community Health Outreach Work Project, Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, Partners in Care, Kalihi Palama Hawaiian Civic Club, Phocused, and several individuals provided testimony in support of this measure.  The Department of Human Services, State Procurement Office, Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, Hawaii Public Housing Authority, the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, Faith Action for Community Equity, and Hawaii Association of Realtors provided comments.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2244, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair