STAND. COM. REP. NO. 715

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.B. No. 1409

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Water & Land, to which was referred H.B. No. 1409, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Amend the funding priorities of the Rental Housing Revolving Fund to incentivize development in areas that satisfy transit-supportive density requirements;

(2) Allocate a minimum percentage of the Rental Housing Revolving Fund for certain mixed-income rental housing projects;

(3) Require the Transit-Oriented Development Infrastructure Improvement District Board to consider the infrastructure needs of transit-supportive density requirements; and

(4) Require the strategic plan developed by the Hawaii Interagency Council for transit-oriented development to delineate county-designated transit-oriented development areas for each county.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation; Office of Planning and Sustainable Development; Holomua Collaborative; Hawai‘i Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice; Hawai‘i YIMBY; Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization; Grassroot Institute of Hawaii; Housing Hawai‘i's Future; and numerous individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Planning and Permitting of the City and County of Honolulu.

Your Committee finds that transit-oriented development districts present a critical opportunity for efficient land use by promoting higher-density development near public transit infrastructure. Your Committee further finds that the underutilization of land in transit-oriented development districts is partially due to restrictive development standards. Your Committee believes that promoting the development of high-density developments, and particularly affordable housing, near transit hubs will ensure the economic and environmental benefits of the State's investments in county-designated transit-oriented development districts are fully utilized.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1409, H.D. 1, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair