STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1862-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: S.B. No. 2989

S.D. 2

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 Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 2989, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to address homelessness in the State through a multi-faceted approach by:

(1) Expanding the eligibility criteria and the available credit amount for the Income Tax Credit for Low-income Household Renters, based on adjusted gross income and filing status;

(2) Requiring the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to develop and establish a Housing Homeless Children Rental Assistance Pilot Program (Pilot Program) to assist homeless families with minor children experiencing, or at imminent risk of, homelessness due to domestic violence; and

(3) Appropriating funds for:

(A) The continued administration of the Family Assessment Center for homeless families; and

(B) The State Rent Supplement Program to provide assistance to homeless families through the Pilot Program and for administrative and personnel costs to operate the Pilot Program.

Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, IMUAlliance, Hawaii Children's Action Network, PHOCUSED, Hawai‘i Alliance for Community-Based Economic Development, Parents And Children Together, Life Foundation, The CHOW Project, Hawai‘i Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice, Americans for Democratic Action – Hawai‘i, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, YWCA O‘ahu, Civic Education Council, Young Progressives Demanding Action – Hawai‘i, Partners in Care, and several individuals supported this measure. The Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness, Department of Human Services, Department of Taxation, State Procurement Office, Hawaii Public Housing Authority, Hawaiian Community Assets, and Tax Foundation of Hawaii provided comments on this measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2989, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair