STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2410

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2037

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 2037 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to restrict any county from disapproving or imposing certain conditions on a housing development project for housing or an emergency shelter unless the county meets certain requirements.

Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Governor's Coordinator on Homelessness and Department of Agriculture.

Your Committee finds that over the past four years, the Governor has used emergency proclamations to address homelessness by accelerating construction of housing projects. Through the use of proclamations, a total of 354 new permanent housing units were produced and set aside for individuals and families transitioning from homelessness. Your Committee further finds that emergency proclamations are not intended to be extended indefinitely and measures are needed to streamline housing development without the use of emergency declaration. This measure will help expedite the production of housing development projects or emergency shelters. Your Committee further finds that the dwelling unit revolving fund supports the development of affordable housing projects statewide. Accordingly, your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring that all fines paid pursuant to this measure be paid into the dwelling unit revolving fund;

(2) Clarifying that the term "housing development project" applies to residential units that are priced to be affordable to those residents at or below one hundred per cent area median income;

(3) Deleting provisions which could be contradictory; and

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2037, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2037, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

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

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STANLEY CHANG, Chair