STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1083

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2019

RE: H.B. No. 476

H.D. 1

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. 476, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds and appropriate funds to finance the construction of rental and supportive housing units.

Specifically, this measure:

(1) Authorizes general obligation bonds to be deposited into the Rental Housing Revolving Fund (Revolving Fund) and appropriates funds from the Revolving Fund to provide loans or grants for rental housing development;

(2) Requires the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation (HHFDC) to provide loans or grants for the development of permanent supportive housing for eligible individuals and families who experience chronic homelessness; and

(3) Appropriates funds for HHFDC to develop and construct new permanent supportive housing units, subject to certain conditions.

Partners in Care, Hawaiian Community Assets, O‘ahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Health & Harm Reduction Center, and a few individuals testified in support of this measure. HHFDC, Hawaii Kai Homeless Task Force, and Catholic Charities Hawai‘i provided comments on this measure.

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. 476, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

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

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair