STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3251

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.R. No. 32

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Human Services and Housing, to which was referred S.R. No. 32 entitled:

"SENATE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE REVISION OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS SO THAT HOUSING SUBSIDIES THROUGH THE SECTION 8 RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM PAID DIRECTLY TO AN APPLICANT OF THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ARE EXCLUDED FROM THE CALCULATION OF HOUSEHOLD INCOME TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY FOR THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to request the amendment of federal regulations so that housing subsidies through the Section 8 rental assistance and homeownership program (Section 8 program) paid directly to a supplemental nutrition assistance program applicant are excluded from the calculation of household income to determine eligibility for the supplemental nutrition assistance program.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from three individuals.

     Your Committees find that the United States Department of Agriculture offers the supplemental nutrition assistance program to provide nutrition assistance to low-income individuals and families whose income does not exceed a certain threshold.  Housing subsidies from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development are excluded from an applicant's income calculation for the supplemental nutrition assistance program if the housing subsidies are paid directly to the landlord or mortgagee on behalf of the recipient.

     Your Committees further find that, in some instances, benefits from the Section 8 program cannot be made directly to vendors and are instead distributed to the program recipient, who in turn makes payment to the vendors.  There are other instances when Section 8 program payments must be made directly to recipients, who then distribute their own mortgage payments.  While these recipients receive the same Section 8 benefits as recipients whose mortgage payments are made directly from the administering office, a recipient of the Section 8 program may be income ineligible for the supplemental nutrition assistance program simply because the office distributing Section 8 program benefits is unable to make payments directly to the landlord, mortgagee, or other vendors.  Your Committees urge prompt action to correct this unjust result and ill-conceived policy.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.R. No. 32 and recommend its adoption.

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

________________________________ BREENE HARIMOTO, Chair

________________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair