STAND. COM. REP. NO. 144-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: H.B. No. 2554

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 2554 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING PRODUCTION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to address the shortage of available housing in Hawaii by requiring that counties authorize a minimum number of housing projects for the next ten years.

The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii and Building Industry Association Hawaii supported this measure. The Mayor of the County of Hawaii, Chair of the Maui County Council, three Maui County Councilmembers, and Department of Planning and Permitting for the City and County of Honolulu opposed this measure. The Tax Foundation of Hawaii offered comments for this measure.

Your Committee finds that Hawaii is currently experiencing a housing crisis, and it may benefit the State to consider creative solutions to address the problem.

Your Committee notes that the measure contains ambiguity regarding what is meant by "authorize the construction" in the new language added to the statute. For example, the act of authorizing could be construed as approval of a building permit for construction on private property, entering into agreements with private developers to undertake housing projects, or both. Should this measure progress through the legislative process, your Committee requests that future Committees engage stakeholders to resolve this ambiguity.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to January 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion.

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. 2554, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2554, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Tourism.

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

____________________________

TOM BROWER, Chair