STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2111-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.C.R. No. 161

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 161, S.D. 1, entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE HAWAII HOUSING FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO CONVENE A TASK FORCE ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING PERMITTING AND TO CONDUCT A STUDY OF COUNTY ORDINANCES ON HOUSING FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to:

(1) Convene a task force to review the permitting process for affordable housing for each applicable state agency and department having jurisdiction over affordable housing development; and

(2) Conduct a study of the effect of each county's ordinances on housing finance and development on its existing and future inventory of rental and for-sale housing units and submit a report to the Legislature.

Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawaii Public Housing Authority, Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, and Office of Housing and Community Development of the County of Hawai‘i.

Your Committee finds that the State is experiencing an unprecedented housing shortage. Your Committee also finds that while government regulations are necessary to regulate housing construction and development and protect the safety, health, and welfare of the community, county ordinances and rules can also impose significant barriers to affordable housing development. This measure requests the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to convene a task force to obtain greater information on county-level ordinances and rules that may be hindering the development of affordable housing, which is an important step in the process of streamlining the development of affordable housing throughout the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requesting the task force, rather than the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to conduct the study of the effect of each county's ordinances on housing finance and development related to its inventory of rental and for-sale housing units and submit the report to the Legislature;

(2) Dissolving the task force on June 30, 2024;

(3) Amending its title in accordance with its amended purpose; and

(4) 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 concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 161, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 161, S.D. 1, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

NADINE K. NAKAMURA, Chair