STAND. COM. REP. NO. 850

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: H.B. No. 1403

H.D. 2

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1403, H.D. 2, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the counties to implement a streamlined permit approval process for certain affordable rental housing development projects that commence between July 1, 2019, and July 1, 2026, and exempt these projects from environmental impact statement requirements until an update to administrative rules regarding exemptions to environmental impact statement requirements takes effect.

The Hawaii Kai Homeless Task Force and Faith Action for Community Equity submitted testimony in support of the measure. The Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii Advocates for Consumer Rights, Hawaii's Thousand Friends, Surfrider Foundation, Sierra Club of Hawai‘i, and several individuals submitted testimony in opposition to the measure. The Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, Office of Environmental Quality Control, Building Industry Association of Hawaii, and We Are One, Inc. submitted testimony providing comments.

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 H.B. No. 1403, H.D. 2, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair