STAND. COM. REP. NO. 135

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 414

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred S.B. No. 414 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RESTORING ACCESS TO DISASTER-AFFECTED AREAS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

(1) Require the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation (HHFDC) to institute proceedings to condemn certain lands in Lahaina to build a new access road from Keawe Street to the Kilohana and Kalaiola sites developed in the Villages of Leialii; and

(2) Appropriate funds into and out of the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund for the appraisals and other preparations for the condemnation proceedings.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, Department of Human Services, Maui Chamber of Commerce, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that following the 2023 Maui wildfires, three rental housing projects have been developed on the southern side of Leialii: Kalaiola, Kilohana, and Kukuia as temporary housing sites for survivors of the wildfires. Comprised of four hundred fifty housing units, the temporary housing at Leialii is intended to become permanent housing once temporary homes for the 2023 Maui wildfire survivors are no longer needed. However, with the addition of three housing developments, the community has raised concerns regarding congestion and traffic flow at the site of the former Cane Haul Road that connects the temporary housing to Leialii Parkway with Waihikuli Road and Fleming Road. Your Committee further finds that to address public safety and traffic mitigation, the HHFDC will need to acquire the former Cane Haul Road through eminent domain. Accordingly, this measure empowers HHFDC to begin the process of eminent domain in order to dedicate the proposed road to Maui County to ensure adequate and safe access for the new housing developments.

Your Committee has amended this measure by making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 414, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 414, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committees on Ways and Means and Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Housing,

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STANLEY CHANG, Chair