STAND. COM. REP. NO. 211

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 1215

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Human Services and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 1215 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate funds to support various programs that can assist homeless individuals, including housing first programs for chronically homeless individuals in the State, the rapid re-housing program, and the state rent supplemental program.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Kai Homeless Task Force, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, Partners in Care, Hawai‘i Pacific Health, League of Women Voters of Hawaii, IMUAlliance, PHOCUSED, and two individuals.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, Department of Human Services, Hawaii Public Housing Authority, and one individual.

     Your Committees find that Hawaii has the highest per capita rate of homelessness of any state in the nation.  Addressing homelessness requires a multi-faceted approach using interventions that are targeted to the particular characteristics of the population being served.  Three programs critically necessary to address homelessness in Hawaii are housing first, rapid re-housing, and the state rent supplement for homeless families and individuals.  Each of these programs targets specific populations struggling with stable housing and assists individuals and families with housing and other support services.

     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 are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1215 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

________________________________ WILL ESPERO, Chair

________________________________ JOSH GREEN, Chair