STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2806

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2758

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 2758, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to address the housing shortage in the State by promoting the development of affordable housing projects.

Specifically, this measure establishes an expedited approval process for affordable housing projects seeking district boundary amendments for land areas of fifteen acres or less under the jurisdiction of the counties.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Office of the Governor; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation; BIA-Hawaii; OCC Legislative Priorities Committee, Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; Chamber of Commerce Hawaii; and Hawaii Association of REALTORS.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Land Use Commission and Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Your Committee finds that establishing a forty-five day approval process for affordable housing projects seeking district boundary amendments for land areas of fifteen acres or less within the jurisdiction of the counties will expedite governmental approvals, save time and money, and create a new incentive for affordable housing development.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2758, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2758, S.D. 2.

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

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair