STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2339

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2872

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Housing and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2872 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish a five-year Hale Kokua pilot project under the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to reduce homelessness by incentivizing and assisting private homeowners who set aside existing dwelling units, or construct new or improve existing dwelling units, for rental by families and individuals classified as homeless under the project; and

(2) Require the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to prepare interim reports and a final report regarding the status of the Hale Kokua pilot project.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness and Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation.

Your Committees find that homelessness is an issue of public concern and should be regarded as one of the most significant social problems facing the State. This measure establishes a cooperative effort between the State, counties, and federal government to provide the community with the resources and incentives needed to help eliminate the condition of homelessness.

Your Committees have amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Housing and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2872, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2872, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Judiciary and Ways and Means.

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

________________________________ JOSH GREEN, Chair

________________________________ WILL ESPERO, Chair