STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1163

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2025

 

RE:   H.B. No. 826

      H.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

 

Madame:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred H.B. No. 826, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO HOUSING,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to authorize a county planning commission, until June 30, 2035, by special permit, to permit land uses exclusively providing residential housing for purposes of agricultural workforce housing, long-term rental, or workforce fee simple ownership in an agricultural district, under certain conditions.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation; Grassroot Institute of Hawaii; and one individual.  Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from LIMBY Hawaiʻi and Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Agriculture; Land Use Commission; and Office of Planning and Sustainable Development.

 

     Your Committee finds that the unprecedented housing crisis requires creative solutions.  The existing permitting and entitlement process is burdensome, adding years to development timelines and driving up costs, making it nearly impossible to deliver truly affordable homes.  This measure provides the counties authority and flexibility to streamline the entitlement process for workforce and long-term rental housing in designated areas.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by 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 Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 826, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 826, H.D. 2.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

DAVID A. TARNAS, Chair