STAND. COM. REP. NO. 519

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 1337

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Housing, 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 allow counties to adopt an ordinance permitting individual blocks to increase the allowable housing density for their neighborhood.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that there is a severe shortage of affordable housing in Hawaii. A recent study by the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism found that Hawaii is not producing enough new housing to meet the anticipated demand through the year 2025. This measure will allow counties to oversee and local neighborhoods to make block-level decisions regarding housing density. It will empower communities to help solve the housing crisis without requiring intervention at the state level.

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. 1337 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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

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STANLEY CHANG, Chair