STAND. COM. REP. NO.  195

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

RE:   H.B. No. 766

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 766 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to provide for more affordable housing units to meet the growing population and the changing economic conditions in the State by appropriating funds to the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to be used for the construction of micro apartment housing units.  

The Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, BIA Hawaii, PHOCUSED, Partners in Care, Hawaii Primary Care Association, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, and a concerned individual supported this bill. The Hawaii Association of Realtors supported the intent of this bill. A concerned individual submitted comments.

     Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1)  Changing the amount appropriated for the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to construct micro apartment housing units to an unspecified amount;

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

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

     Should the Committee on Finance deliberate this measure further, your Committee on Housing respectfully requests that it consider appropriating $15,000,000 for the construction of micro apartment housing units.

     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. 766, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 766, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair