STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1449

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.C.R. No. 145

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2017

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 145, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COLLABORATIVE PLAN TO BEST LEVERAGE STATE AND COUNTY FUNDS TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS AND AN EXPLORATION OF THE FEASIBILITY OF TRANSFERRING A PARCEL OF LAND IN KAHULUI, MAUI, TO THE HAWAII HOUSING FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to address the development of affordable housing.

     More specifically, this measure requests that the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation:

     (1)  Develop a collaborative plan to best leverage the various affordable housing funds of the State and each county to build affordable housing projects;

     (2)  Work with the appropriate government agencies to identify and fund the necessary infrastructure improvements needed for the construction of affordable housing projects;

     (3)  Work with the Department of Accounting and General Services and the County of Maui to explore the feasibility of transferring a parcel of land in Kahului for development of a mixed-use rental housing project; and

     (4)  Examine the potential of a unified affordable housing approval process to streamline the regulatory requirements for building affordable housing projects on all islands of the State.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation; the Chair of the Maui County Council; the Council member for the Molokai residency area, Maui County Council; the Director of Housing and Human Concerns, County of Maui; Face Maui; Na Hale O Maui; Go Maui, Inc.; and one individual.

     Your Committee is well aware of the need for more housing units, especially rental units, for the residents of Hawaii.  Projections indicate that by 2025, Hawaii will need 64,000 new housing units, approximately 22,000 of which will need to be rental units.

     Your Committee finds that coordinated efforts, such as those identified in this measure, are imperative in order to provide the necessary affordable housing units.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 145, S.D. 1, and recommends its adoption.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair