STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1269

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 1669

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 Committees on Housing and Transportation, to which was referred S.B. No. 1669, S.D. 2, entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Establish the Transit-Oriented Community Improvement Partnership and Community Improvement Revolving Fund for purposes of developing and implementing transit-oriented community development; and

(2) Appropriates funds for the establishment and operation of the Transit-Oriented Community Improvement Partnership and establishment of various positions.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawai‘i Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation Commission; Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization; The American Institute of Architects, Hawaii State Council, Legislative Advocacy Committee; Hawai‘i Bicycling League; Church of the Crossroads; Trees for Honolulu's Future; Hawai‘i Appleseed Center for Law & Economic Justice; Stanford Carr Development, LLC; and four individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General; Department of Budget and Finance; Hawaii State Energy Office; and Office of Planning & Sustainable Development.

Your Committees find that Hawaii's high cost of living, driven largely by the rising expenses of housing and transportation, continues to strain families and communities across the State. Housing projects are becoming prohibitively expensive due to added costs associated with parking and amenities. This measure will encourage transit-oriented development, thereby reducing transportation expenses and lowering overall living costs of residents.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Requiring twenty percent of parking stalls developed under this measure to be electric vehicle-ready and defining "electric vehicle-ready";

(2) Amending the membership of the Board of Directors of the Transit-Oriented Community Improvement Partnership to include an individual with history and expertise in urban planning and building design or architecture as a licensed architect;

(3) Clarifying that the Speaker of the House of Representatives is to appoint two individuals with history and expertise in community-based economic development;

(4) Changing the Community Improvement Revolving Fund to the Community Improvement Special Fund, to be established with the State treasury, and making associated conforming amendments;

(5) Establishing standards for grants awarded under this measure;

(6) Requiring the Transit-Oriented Community Improvement Partnership to coordinate with all relevant State permitting and regulatory agencies and programs;

(7) Clarifying that one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) position is for a planner or licensed architect; and

(8) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

Your Committees respectfully request your Committee on Finance, should it deliberate on this measure, to consider an appropriation amount of $150,000 to fund the establishment and operation of the Transit-Oriented Community Improvement Partnership and $400,000 for the establishment of four full-time equivalent (4.0 FTE) positions.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Housing and Transportation that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1669, S.D. 2, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1669, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Water & Land.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Housing and Transportation,

____________________________ DARIUS KILA, Chair

____________________________ LUKE A. EVSLIN, Chair