STAND. COM. REP. NO. 638

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 10

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2019

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Government Operations and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 10 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish the office of the affordable housing ombudsman to monitor and comment on the State's production of affordable housing units; the development and implementation of laws, regulations, and policies relating to affordable housing; and investigate and resolve complaints from tenants or homeowners in publicly-subsidized affordable or public housing.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i and Hawaiian Community Assets. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Office of the Ombudsman and Building Industry Association of Hawaii.

Your Committees find that there is a great need to increase the supply of affordable housing in Hawaii. Your Committees further find that under existing law, there is no office established to monitor and comment on the State's production of affordable housing. This measure will establish an office of the affordable housing ombudsman, to be headed by an affordable housing ombudsman, who will advocate for affordable housing within the State.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Establishing an Office of the Affordable Housing Advocate, rather than the Office of the Affordable Housing Ombudsman, and making associated conforming amendments;

(2) Placing the Office of the Affordable Housing Advocate within the Office of the Governor;

(3) Clarifying the duties of the Affordable Housing Advocate, including working with all state agencies that manage land to solve the affordable housing shortage and monitoring, commenting, and reporting on the State's production of affordable housing units; and

(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

Your Committees note that the Affordable Housing Advocate established by this amended measure is intended to function more as an advocate for affordable housing in the State, rather than an independent impartial investigator. Your Committees also note for your Committee on Ways and Means that this position will need to be established and funded in the budget.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Government Operations and Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 10, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 10, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Government Operations and Housing,

________________________________ STANLEY CHANG, Chair

________________________________ LAURA H. THIELEN, Chair