STAND. COM. REP. NO. 362-24

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2024

RE: H.B. No. 1526

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 1526 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to extend the deadline for a county's legislative body to take action on an affordable housing project's application from forty-five days to ninety days.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from Affordable Housing Connections LLC and NAIOP. Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that existing law requires the counties' legislative bodies to act on an affordable housing project within forty-five days after the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation has submitted a preliminary plan and specifications for the project to the legislative body. Your Committee believes that while housing is a critical need, providing the public and counties with sufficient time to review proposals and engage in the legislative process, as proposed under this measure, will ensure the quality of housing projects being developed for Hawaii's residents.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the number of days a county's legislative body has to take action on an affordable housing project to sixty days; and

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion.

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 H.B. No. 1526, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1526, 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,

____________________________

LUKE A. EVSLIN, Chair