STAND. COM. REP. NO. 141

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: H.B. No. 1209

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 1209 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to address Hawaii's housing crisis by:

(1) Providing a process for approval of land use boundary amendments consistent with county plans to permit housing development;

(2) Requiring the prioritization of infrastructure funding to support planned growth; and

(3) Establishing a streamlined approval process for housing developments that include below market-rate units.

The Building Industry Association of Hawaii and O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i submitted testimony in support of this measure. The Land Use Commission submitted testimony in opposition to this measure. The Office of Planning and Life of the Land submitted comments on this measure.

Your Committee requests that if this measure is heard by the Committee on Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs that the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation provide the members of that committee with guidance to identify the State agency that should be responsible for determining whether a county will be subject to the streamlined housing approval process when the housing production or home buyer markets are affected by abnormal market conditions.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing its effective date to January 1, 2050, to promote further discussion; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

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. 1209, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1209, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Water, Land, & Hawaiian Affairs.

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

____________________________

TOM BROWER, Chair