STAND. COM. REP. NO. 805

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1337

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 1337 entitled:

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

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to authorize the counties to establish block-level upzoning programs to allow homeowners within a block located in an urban district to vote to increase the housing density for their respective block.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that this measure will help empower homeowners and allow creative solutions to the State's housing crisis.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying that the counties are authorized to adopt ordinances that increase housing density;

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

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

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1337, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1337, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair