STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2319

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2172

       S.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 2172 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING DEVELOPMENT,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize each county legislative body to review and approve land use district boundary amendments for affordable housing projects on fifteen acres or less.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Mayor of the County of Hawaii; Office of Housing and Community Development of the County of Hawaii; one member of the Kauai County Council; one member of the Hawaii County Council; one member of the Maui County Council; Hawaii Island Community Development Corporation; Hawaii Island Housing Coalition; Habitat for Humanity Hawaii Island, Inc; Building Industry Association Hawaii; Chamber of Commerce Hawaii; and one individual.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Land Use Commission, Pono Hawaii Initiative, and Young Progressives Demanding Action.  Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, and Office of Planning.

 

     Your Committees find that there is an overwhelming need for affordable housing in the State and it is essential that affordable housing projects are approved in a timely manner.  Your Committees believe that authorizing the counties, instead of the Land Use Commission, to approve district boundary amendments for affordable housing projects in land areas of fifteen acres or less will expedite governmental approvals, save time and money, and create a new incentive for affordable housing development.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Authorizing, rather than requiring, a county legislative body to approve a district boundary amendment for a housing project involving a land area of fifteen acres or less;

 

     (2)  Clarifying that the land area of fifteen acres or less is contiguous to urban lands or in the urban growth boundary;

 

     (3)  Exempting conservation lands and important agricultural lands from being approved by a county legislative body for any boundary change;

 

     (4)  Reinstating language that requires the Land Use Commission to approve, approve with modification, or disapprove a boundary change within forty-five days after the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation submits a boundary change petition; and

 

     (5)  Clarifying that the Land Use Commission shall approve, approve with modification, or disapprove a boundary change within forty-five days for projects greater than fifteen acres.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Housing that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2172, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2172, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs and Housing,

 

________________________________

STANLEY CHANG, Chair

 

________________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair