STAND. COM. REP. NO.  320

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2017

RE:   H.B. No. 488

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 488 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to increase the availability of and access to housing stock in the State, particularly for Hawaii's vulnerable populations, by:

(1)  Authorizing the issuance of general obligation bonds for:

(A)  Rental housing;

(B)  A mixed-use affordable rental housing and multi-use juvenile services and shelter center at 902 Alder Street; and

(C)  Public housing development, improvements, and renovations; and

(2)  Appropriating funds for public housing security improvements, renovation, and repairs for vacant public housing units.
Partners in Care, Catholic Charities Hawaii, Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice, Americans for Democratic Action, PHOCUSED, Hawaii Kai Homeless Task Force, The CHOW Project, IMUAlliance, and several individuals testified in support of this measure.  The Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, The Judiciary, and Hawaii Public Housing Authority submitted comments on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by changing its effective date to take effect upon a date to be determined to facilitate continued discussion on this measure.

     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. 488, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 488, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

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

____________________________

TOM BROWER, Chair