STAND. COM. REP. NO.  50-22

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2022

 

RE:   H.B. No. 1836

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Housing and Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1836 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to expedite the development of affordable housing by:

 

(1)  Establishing expedited county approvals by the appropriate county land use decision-making authority for district boundary amendments for affordable housing projects on land areas of fifteen acres or less; and

 

(2)  Requiring consultation with the Hawaii Community Development Authority for affordable housing projects developed in designated community development districts.

 

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, Hawaii Community Development Authority, Building Industry Association of Hawaii, and two individuals.  Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from a member of the Maui County Council and from the City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning and Permitting.

 

Your Committees find that existing law establishes a forty-five day entitlement approval process for affordable housing projects seeking district boundary amendments from the State Land Use Commission or county approvals and exemptions relating to planning, zoning, subdivision construction standards, land development and improvement, or construction of dwelling units.  However, the existing law does not address boundary amendment applications for certain parcels of land of fifteen acres or less that are submitted to county agencies rather than to the State Land Use Commission.  This measure seeks to expedite the approval process for district boundary amendments for affordable housing by the counties to address the urgent affordable housing needs felt throughout the State.

 

     Your Committees have amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Allowing district boundary changes involving land areas of fifteen acres or less to be approved, approved with modification, or disapproved by resolution by the legislative body of the county in which the housing project is to be situated, rather than by the appropriate county land use decision making authority of the county in which the project is located;

 

     (2)  Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to encourage further discussion; and

 

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

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Housing and Water & Land that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1836, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1836, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Housing and Water & Land,

 

 

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair

 

____________________________

NADINE K. NAKAMURA, Chair