STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1101

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2021

RE: S.B. No. 7

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 7, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII HOUSING FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to increase the development of affordable housing in the State by giving the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation the right of first refusal on any transfer of a property interest on state lands within a one-half mile radius of a rail transit station, excluding any lands owned or operated by the Hawaii Public Housing Authority or Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from Faith Action Housing NOW!, Hawaii Habitat for Humanity Association, and one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Hawaii Public Housing Authority, and Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation.

Your Committee finds that there is a severe shortage of affordable housing in the State. Your Committee further finds that providing the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation with the opportunity to obtain control of and develop affordable housing on state lands near rail transit stations will help increase the State's affordable housing inventory.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Providing an exclusion for any lands or properties owned or operated by the Department of Land and Natural Resources from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation's right of first refusal; and

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

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. 7, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 7, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

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

____________________________

NADINE K. NAKAMURA, Chair