STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2575

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 2232

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Housing and Water and Land, to which was referred S.B. No. 2232 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO IMPORTANT HOUSING LANDS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Establish that all state-owned lands located within one mile of any rail mass transit station shall be designated as important housing lands to promote the development of homes priced below market rates for Hawaii residents who are owner-occupants and own no other real property; and

(2) Require state and county housing polices, land use plans, ordinances, and rules to promote the long-term viability of important housing lands consistent with certain policies.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from two individuals. Your Committees received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and Office of Planning and Sustainable Development.

Your Committees find that a significant barrier to the development of additional housing in the State is a lack of available land. Designating certain lands as important housing lands would ensure that state, county, and private developers have sufficient access to land on which to construct additional housing. This measure establishes important housing lands within one mile of any rail mass transit station and requires that state and county housing policies, land use plans, ordinances, and rules align with the State's goals to increase access to housing for its residents.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Excluding lands under the jurisdiction of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands from important housing lands;

(2) Removing the requirement that policies discourage the fragmentation and conversion of important housing lands for non-housing uses;

(3) Replacing "eligible buyer" with "eligible resident";

(4) Clarifying the definition of "eligible resident" to include occupants of rental units; and

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

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Housing and Water and Land that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2232, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2232, 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 Water and Land,

________________________________ LORRAINE R. INOUYE, Chair

________________________________ STANLEY CHANG, Chair