STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1696

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: H.C.R. No. 184

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.C.R. No. 184 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING HAWAI‘I COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT A STUDY TO CONSIDER RESIDENTIAL, HOTEL, AND OTHER LAND USES FOR THE KAKAAKO MAKAI AREA,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to authorize the Hawai‘i Community Development Authority to conduct a study to consider residential, hotel, and other land uses for the Kaka‘ako Makai area and to update the Kaka‘ako Community Development District Makai Area Master Plan accordingly.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Environmental Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i; Hawai‘i Association of REALTORS; Imanaka Asato; and Hawaii Building & Construction Trades Council. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from the Friends of Kewalo; Hawaii's Thousand Friends; Kakaʻako Makai Community Planning Advisory Council; and four individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Hawai‘i Community Development Authority and Airlines Committee of Hawaii.

Your Committee finds that the Hawai‘i Community Development Authority intends to update the Kaka‘ako Community Development District Makai Area Master Plan (Master Plan) in 2025. Your Committee further finds that when the Master Plan was updated in 2023, it did not contemplate residential, hotel, or other uses. Your Committee believes that considering residential, hotel, and other uses when updating the Master Plan is essential to address the State's ongoing affordable housing crisis.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Requesting the Hawai‘i Community Development Authority to provide an interim report on the results of its study no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2026 and a final report no later than December 31, 2026;

(2) Amending its title; and

(3) 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 Water & Land that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 184, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 184, H.D. 1.

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

____________________________

MARK J. HASHEM, Chair