STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2868

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2616

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 Housing and Education, to which was referred S.B. No. 2616 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 promote affordable housing by exempting affordable housing units, additions to existing dwelling units, accessory dwelling units, ohana dwelling units, and affordable housing projects developed by the Hawaii Public Housing Authority from fifty per cent of school impact fee requirements.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Public Housing Authority. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii and Building Industry Association Hawaii. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Education.

Your Committees find that the Hawaii Public Housing Authority's mission is to promote adequate and affordable housing in perpetuity, economic opportunity, and a suitable living environment free from discrimination through its public housing and rental assistance programs. The Hawaii Public Housing Authority serves the State's most vulnerable populations, including those earning less than thirty percent of the Area Median Income, the disabled, and the elderly. Your Committees additionally find that the Hawaii Public Housing Authority enters into public private partnerships in order develop affordable housing. Your Committees find that the school impact fees increase the cost of redevelopment, which in turn increases the developer fee. This measure helps reduce the total cost of developing affordable housing by exempting certain housing projects developed by the Hawaii Public Housing Authority from fifty per cent of school impact fee requirements.

Your Committees have amended this measure by making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Housing and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2616, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2616, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Housing and Education,

________________________________ MICHELLE N. KIDANI, Chair

________________________________ STANLEY CHANG, Chair