Bill Text: HI HCR167 | 2021 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Requesting The Hawaii Housing Finance And Development Corporation To Convene A Multi-agency Affordable Housing Task Force To Determine A Uniform Definition Of Affordable Housing In The State.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 17-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-24 - Report adopted. referred to the committee(s) on FIN as amended in HD 1 with none voting aye with reservations; none voting no (0) and none excused (0). [HCR167 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2021-HCR167-Amended.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.C.R. NO. |
167 |
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THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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HOUSE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, there is a severe shortage of affordable homes in Hawaii that residents can reasonably afford on prevailing wages; and
WHEREAS, to address the shortage of affordable for-sale homes, the State and counties have been trying to expand the inventory of below-market sales through incentives for developers and potential leasehold sales of public lands; and
WHEREAS, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development defines "affordable housing" as "housing on which the occupant is paying no more than thirty percent of gross income for housing costs, including utilities"; and
WHEREAS, gross income in relation to housing affordability is generally expressed as a percentage of the area median income; and
WHEREAS, the median income is defined as the midpoint of a region's income distribution, where half of the families earn more than the median and half earn less than the median; and
WHEREAS, housing affordability in Hawaii is most often expressed as the housing price-to-income ratio where the price of an affordable home is expressed on a scale where one hundred forty percent area median income (AMI) or lower is considered a "below market" rate; and
WHEREAS, the current formula used to set the sales price of affordable for-sale homes are outdated and do not take into consideration other factors such as the high cost of living and high market prices of housing in Hawaii; and
WHEREAS, the housing price guidelines set by the Department of Housing and Urban Development are not applicable to developments that do not use federal subsidies; and
WHEREAS, the outdated formulas are based heavily on mortgage interest rates and, given the current low-interest rate environment, the sales prices may not be affordable to local area residents and, in many locations, often even exceed market prices where, for example, a two-bedroom home in the City and County of Honolulu with a maximum price of $1,026,800 could potentially qualify as affordable under current guidelines; and
WHEREAS, if the State and counties want to provide for-sale homes that local residents can afford on typical wages earned in Hawaii, the definition of affordable sales prices needs to more accurately reflect what local households can realistically afford, taking into consideration homeowners association fees, insurance, utilities, transportation, cost of living, access to low-interest rates, and other factors; and
WHEREAS, the State, counties, and various housing agencies use different methods to define affordable sales prices, which creates confusion amongst consumers; and
WHEREAS, potential homeowners and the public would be more likely to plan and obtain assistance with purchasing a home if there was an alignment of methodology in defining affordable housing, even though prices will vary by island and by neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, a 2015 study by Danny Ben-Shahar, Stuart Gabriel, and Roni Golan found that using unconventional methodology can better define affordability based on more accurate metrics; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2021, the Senate concurring, that the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation is requested to convene a multi-agency affordable housing task force to determine a uniform definition of affordable housing in the State; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is also requested to:
(1) Explore how affordable sales guidelines are calculated in Hawaii; and
(2) Review:
(A) How maximum sales prices are determined;
(B) Any restrictions on re-sale;
(C) Any equity sharing provisions; and
(D) Any other guidelines or rules that maximize the affordable housing for a high-cost area; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to include the following members, or their designees:
(1) The Executive Director of the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, who is requested to serve as chairperson of the task force;
(2) The Director Planning;
(3) The Executive Director of Hawaii Community Development Authority;
(4) The President of the Senate;
(5) The Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(6) A representative from each county's Department of Planning and Permitting or other department that implements programs providing below-market for-sale homes;
(7) A local developer with experience in creating below-market for-sale homes as part of its development incentives; and
(8) A housing policy analyst from the Hawaii Budget & Policy Center; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force may invite representatives from additional organizations or agencies to participate in the task force; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is exempt from chapter 92, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2023; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Planning, Executive Director of the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, Executive Director of the Hawaii Community Development Authority, mayors of each county, and Director of the Hawaii Budget & Policy Center.
Affordable Housing; Definition; HHFDC; Task Force
