Bill Text: HI HB2244 | 2016 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Housing Omnibus; Appropriation ($)

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 12-0)

Status: (Enrolled - Dead) 2016-04-29 - The conference committee deferred the measure. [HB2244 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2016-HB2244-Amended.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2244
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII		S.D. 2

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO HOUSING.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

PART I

     SECTION 1.  The rental housing revolving fund is established under section 201H-202, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to provide loans or grants for the development, pre-development, construction, acquisition, preservation, and substantial rehabilitation of rental housing units.

     The purpose of this part is to appropriate funds to the rental housing revolving fund.

     SECTION 2.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 to be deposited into the rental housing revolving fund.

     SECTION 3.  There is appropriated out of the rental housing revolving fund the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 for the purposes specified in section 201H-202, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the Hawaii housing finance and development corporation for the purposes of this part.

PART II

     SECTION 4.  The legislature finds that housing first programs are a collaborative effort between the department of human services and the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development that provides housing and support services for chronically homeless individuals, including those who have an addiction or mental illness, or both.  The principles of housing first programs include:

     (1)  Moving chronically homeless individuals into housing directly from the streets and shelters without a precondition of accepting or complying with treatment;

     (2)  Providing robust support services for program participants that are predicated on assertive engagement rather than coercion;

     (3)  Granting chronically homeless individuals priority as program participants in housing first programs;

     (4)  Embracing a harm-reduction approach to addictions rather than mandating abstinence while supporting program participant commitments to recovery; and

     (5)  Providing program participants with leases and tenant protections as provided by law.

     Housing first is a nationally recognized best practice and has been proven to be an effective approach to helping people experiencing chronic homelessness get off of the streets in several cities.  In Portland, Oregon, the housing first program helped reduce the number of chronically homeless people sleeping outside by seventy per cent.  In Los Angeles, California, for each chronically homeless person placed in housing first, Los Angeles saved $80,000 over two years.  Similar results in Denver, Colorado; Quincy, Massachusetts; and Portland, Maine show that housing first is effective in reducing chronic homelessness.  Currently, the housing first program only serves the island of Oahu, despite the needs of individuals on neighboring islands.

     The purpose of this part is to appropriate funds to the department of human services to support the State's housing first programs in assisting the Hawaii residents living on the neighbor islands who are chronically homeless and who are often the most vulnerable, most visible, and most difficult to serve.

     SECTION 5.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 for continued implementation of the State's housing first program and expansion of the program to the neighbor islands to assist residents who are chronically homeless.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this part.

PART III

     SECTION 6.  The legislature finds that the Hawaii public housing authority is the sole statewide public housing agency of the State.  The Hawaii public housing authority's portfolio of eighty-five properties comprises 6,195 units that serve over 6,100 families, or more than 20,000 individuals.

     The Hawaii public housing authority's aging housing stock continues to have an extensive capital need that is underfunded by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.  Additional funding is needed to modernize, repair, and maintain many of the State's public housing units.

     The purpose of this part is to appropriate funds to improve the quality of existing public housing stock in the State and to authorize the establishment and filling of one full-time equivalent position to assist in the administration of the rent supplement program.

     SECTION 7.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 for the repair and maintenance of the Hawaii public housing authority's existing public housing stock.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the Hawaii public housing authority for the purposes of this part.

     SECTION 8.  From fiscal year 2016-2017, the governor may establish and the Hawaii public housing authority may fill 1.00 full-time equivalent (1.00 FTE) public housing specialist II position within the Hawaii public housing authority to assist in the administration of the rent supplement program pursuant to part VIII of chapter 356D, Hawaii Revised Statutes; provided that the personal services cost of the position shall be funded from the base budget of the rent supplement program; provided further that the rent supplement program shall coordinate additional services of case management, financial literacy, and employment training.

PART IV

     SECTION 9.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2016-2017 for a rental assistance program, also known as the rapid re-housing program, within the department of human services, for homeless working individuals and their families who are ready to rent permanent housing to obtain and maintain permanent housing; provided that:

     (1)  The maximum subsidy shall be $500 per month and to qualify for the subsidy, a household shall pay a minimum of forty per cent of their adjusted gross income for rent; and

     (2)  A household's adjusted gross income shall be calculated in the same manner as calculated by the Hawaii public housing authority to qualify for public housing under the authority's control.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this part; provided that the sum appropriated for staff within the homeless programs office and for program and administrative costs associated with establishing and operating the rapid re-housing program shall be expended by the department of human services through a contract issued pursuant to chapter 103F, Hawaii Revised Statutes, for the purposes of this part.

PART V

     SECTION 10.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.

 

 

Report Title:

Housing Omnibus; Appropriation

 

Description:

Makes appropriations to fund and support various housing programs.  Takes effect 7/1/2050.  (SD1)

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.