STAND.
COM. REP. NO. 1262
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2025
RE: S.B. No. 1170
S.D. 2
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 S.B. No. 1170, S.D. 2, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE EXPEDITIOUS REDEVELOPMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to authorize the director of a county planning department to issue a special management area use permit to an applicant that is redeveloping permanent affordable multi-family rental housing that has been substantially destroyed as the result of certain types of disasters that have been proclaimed by the Governor to constitute a state of emergency, under certain conditions.
Your Committee finds that
the approval of a special management area use permit is a lengthy process that
can take up to a year to complete. Your
Committee further finds that, in the wake of major disasters such as the 2023
Maui wildfires that destroyed much of Lahaina, there is often a pressing need
to quickly rebuild affordable housing to allow displaced residents to return to
the area. Granting the director of a
county planning department the discretion to issue special management area use
permits in these cases will greatly reduce delays in the reconstruction and
redevelopment of affordable housing and aid in disaster recovery.
Your
Committee has amended this measure by:
(1) Requiring county planning departments to
prioritize approving permits for the redevelopment of permanent affordable multi-family
rental housing;
(2) Clarifying that for experimental and
demonstration housing projects that have been substantially destroyed:
(A) Any initiating project ordinance passed by the county remains in effect; and
(B) The director of a county planning department may amend or modify the final plans and specifications of an experimental and demonstration housing project to incorporate best industry practices and standards, with certain restrictions;
(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000,
to encourage further discussion; and
(4) 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 is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1170, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1170, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Housing.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Water & Land,
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____________________________ MARK J. HASHEM, Chair |
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