STAND. COM. REP. NO. 472

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1223

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 Hawaiian Affairs and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 1223 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to make permanent session laws that require counties to issue affordable housing credits to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and affordable housing credits for each residential unit or vacant lot, if allowed under county affordable housing programs, developed by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and one individual. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu.

Your Committees find that the State's need for more affordable housing is an immediate and ever-growing concern that must be addressed. Given the overwhelming need for affordable housing, your Committees find that providing multiple avenues for project development, including by the State, county, and through departments, is an important step toward increasing the State's affordable housing inventory. However, your Committees have heard concerns in testimony that this measure extends Department of Hawaiian Home Lands' affordable housing resources in a manner that is at odds with long term planning to develop affordable housing at the county level. Your Committees conclude that amendments to this measure are necessary to provide the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and the counties with time to reconcile their affordable housing development plans, if possible.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Extending Act 141, Session Laws of Hawaii 2009, as amended, and Act 98, Session Laws of Hawaii 2012, as amended, until July 1, 2024, rather than making them permanent; and

(2) 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 Hawaiian Affairs and Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1223, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1223, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Hawaiian Affairs and Housing,

________________________________ STANLEY CHANG, Chair

________________________________ MAILE S.L. SHIMABUKURO, Chair