THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2779
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024		S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that as of December 31, 2022, approximately 29,300 native Hawaiian adults were on the department of Hawaiian home lands application waitlist for residential, farming, or ranching homesteads. The homelessness crisis in Hawaii is already serious, ranking fourth in the country among states with the most homeless people per ten thousand residents in 2023. The waitlist backlog only exacerbates this crisis that already disproportionately affects native Hawaiians.

The legislature finds that even at the end of 2022, the number of native Hawaiians on the waitlist has not significantly decreased despite plans to develop more Hawaiian home lands lots. As of 2021, more than two thousand native Hawaiian beneficiaries have died while on the waitlist. Furthermore, due to the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, those waiting who are not homeless are struggling to pay rent to the point where a federal government stimulus package offered relief specifically for native Hawaiians on the waitlist. The department of Hawaiian home lands must ameliorate this situation.

The purpose of this Act is to require the department of Hawaiian home lands to satisfy the housing needs of native Hawaiians currently on the waitlist for homestead leases.

SECTION 2. The department of Hawaiian home lands shall:

(1) Ensure compliance with the plan implemented in Act 279, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, as approved by the Hawaiian homes commission in August 2022, and whose findings were approved by Governor Ige in December 2022;

(2) Utilize trust assets and formulate plans, proposals, and budget requests that shall cause the immediate reduction in the number of native Hawaiian beneficiaries on the department's waitlist;

(3) Utilize the beneficiary survey conducted in 2020 to guide decision making and consult native Hawaiian beneficiaries as necessary to ensure that the department of Hawaiian home lands serves in their best interest;

(4) Consider all models of development and financial opportunities that may assist beneficiaries in acquiring lease awards, including:

(A) Development models for affordable and mutual self help housing organizations, including Habitat for Humanity;

(B) Programs such as the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act for mortgage down payment assistance;

(C) Partnerships with Community Development Financial Institutions; and

(D) Suggestions, ideas, and discussion that improve the manner in which native Hawaiian beneficiaries and the department achieve these goals.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Report Title:

DHHL; Homestead Lease Waitlist

Description:

Requires the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to consider all avenues and models that may satisfy the housing needs of native Hawaiian beneficiaries and facilitate the reduction of the waitlist, including compliance with the plan implemented in Act 279, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022. (SD1)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.