STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1583

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.C.R. No. 79

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.C.R. No. 79 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING STATE ENTITIES TO GIVE PRIORITY TO APPLICANTS WHO WORK WITHIN TWENTY-FIVE MILES OF THE HOUSING APPLIED FOR UNDER AFFORDABLE, RESERVED, AND WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAMS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge state entities to give priority to applicants who work within twenty-five miles of the housing applied for under affordable, reserved, and workforce housing programs.

Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation.

Your Committees find that the State is in need of affordable housing for its workers and it is beneficial for workers to live in close proximity to their place of work. Your Committees also find that benefits of living near work include reduced risk of traffic accidents due to less time spent in a vehicle; money saved on gas; minimized stress of lengthy commutes; reduced pollution; increased reliability and productivity of workers; improved personal health, especially if the worker walks or bikes; improved life-work balance; improved relationships, as workers spend less time commuting and more time with friends and family; and overall improved quality of life. This measure therefore gives priority to applicants for certain housing programs who live within twenty-five miles of the housing associated with those particular housing programs. However, your Committees note the concerns raised in testimony that adopting a priority or preference for certain applicants could raise certain concerns under the federal Fair Housing Act.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Urging state entities to give consideration, rather than priority, to applicants who work within twenty-five miles of housing applied for under certain housing programs;

(2) Updating the title to reflect its amended purpose; and

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

Your Committees encourage the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to work with the Department of the Attorney General to determine whether and how to properly give consideration to applicants who live within twenty-five miles of the applied for housing.

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 concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 79, as amended herein, and recommend that it be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 79, S.D. 1.

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

________________________________ STANLEY CHANG, Chair

________________________________ LAURA H. THIELEN, Chair