HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

2495

THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2020

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to affordable housing.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature recognizes that Hawaii is experiencing a severe affordable housing crisis with a lack of affordable rental and for-sale units.  According to the 2018 affordable rental housing report and ten-year plan, Hawaii will need an additional 64,693 housing units by 2025 with nearly seventy per cent of those units for low-income households earning eighty per cent or less of the area median income.

     In 2016, the legislature established the goal of developing 22,500 affordable rental units by the end of 2026.  Achieving this goal will require a variety of approaches.

     The purpose of this Act is to provide that whenever the infrastructure or equipment for electric utility service is required to be installed underground for affordable housing within an area that has been designated by a county as a transit-oriented development area, installation of the infrastructure or equipment shall be the responsibility of the electric utility company.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 269, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part I to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§269-     Underground electrical installation; transit-oriented development areas.  (a)  Whenever infrastructure or equipment for electric utility service is required to be installed underground for affordable housing within an area that has been designated by a county as a transit-oriented development area, installation of the infrastructure or equipment shall be the responsibility of the electric utility company.

     (b)  For the purposes of this section, "affordable housing" shall have the same meaning as in section 201H-57(b)."

     SECTION 3.  This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.

     SECTION 4.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2020.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Affordable Housing; Electricity; Transit-Oriented Development

 

Description:

Establishes that whenever the infrastructure or equipment for electric utility service is required to be installed underground for affordable housing within an area that has been designated by a county as a transit-oriented development area, it shall be the responsibility of the electric utility company to install the infrastructure or equipment.

 

 

 

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