STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1008

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 26

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 26, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to explore the development of affordable housing.

Specifically, the measure:

(1) Establishes the Affordable Housing Land Inventory Task Force within the Hawaii Community Development Authority;

(2) Requires the task force to submit a report to the Legislature; and

(3) Appropriates moneys for the task force and for an affordable housing project on Oahu.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation and one individual.

Your Committee received written comments on this measure from the Department of the Attorney General, Hawaii Public Housing Authority, and Office of Planning and Sustainable Development.

Your Committee finds that transit-oriented development is providing more working individuals with the opportunity to live near their places of employment. Your Committee also finds that this measure, which prioritizes the identification of lands and the feasibility of transit-oriented housing development, will help to address the State's ongoing affordable housing shortage.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the appropriation for the task force from $1,000,000 to an unspecified amount;

(2) Deleting the appropriation for the affordable housing project on Oahu; and

(3) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2050, to facilitate further discussion on the measure.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 26, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 26, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair