STAND. COM. REP. NO. 333

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 878

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Housing and Health and Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 878 entitled:

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

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to extend the sunset date for the State Rent Supplement Program for Kupuna to June 30, 2028.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Governor, Hawaii Public Housing Authority (HPHA), Executive Office on Aging, and three individuals.

Your Committees find that the State's kupuna are at significant risk of homelessness, as many elderly residents are on fixed incomes. Presently, HPHA provides approximately twenty-seven eligible tenants with supplemental rental assistance with the capacity to provide for one hundred twenty residents. Additionally, HPHA has ninety applicants pending approval. By extending the sunset date of the existing State Rent Supplement Program, HPHA can fulfill its contracted capacity while ensuring kupuna can remain in low-cost rental units. Therefore, this measure ensures kupuna statewide can live independently in safe, stable housing.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Housing and Health and Human Services that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 878 and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Housing and Health and Human Services,

________________________________ JOY A. SAN BUENAVENTURA, Chair

________________________________ STANLEY CHANG, Chair