Bill Text: HI SB868 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii Senate Bill 868

Introduced

Bill Title: Relating To Housing.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-12-11 - Carried over to 2024 Regular Session. [SB868 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2024-SB868-Introduced.html

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	868
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to housing.

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the State is facing a housing crisis. Nearly half of the State's residents are struggling financially and find the need to cut back on necessities to meet the oppressive expense of housing, the costliest item in the typical family budget. Young adults and local-born families are leaving the island to locate more affordable housing. There is also a marked increase in homelessness because of the lack of readily available inexpensive housing. The Hawaii housing finance and development corporation estimates that Oahu needs seventy-five thousand affordable housing units.

The legislature additionally finds that the State and its counties must commit to devoting all applicable resources to the development of reasonably priced housing for residents. One such area that aligns with the State's requirements and provides proximal amenities to job opportunities, health services, and public transportation is the aloha stadium. Twenty-five acres are needed for the stadium itself, leaving seventy-three acres of the ninety-eight-acre site available for reasonably priced housing and other use.

The legislature further finds that the site at aloha stadium presents an unparalleled opportunity to improve the lives of tens of thousands of Hawaii's families by providing an attainable goal of reasonably priced housing. Since the land is owned by the State, the significant cost of land acquisition is avoided, making development of reasonably priced housing projects financially feasible.

The purpose of this Act is to direct the Hawaii housing finance and development corporation to utilize surplus land at the aloha stadium site for the development and construction of mixed-use housing which shall include seventy-five thousand reasonably priced housing units.

SECTION 2. (a) The aloha stadium authority shall designate a boundary within which the new stadium shall be constructed. The area contained in the boundary shall not exceed twenty-five acres.

(b) The aloha stadium authority shall transfer all lands at the aloha stadium site not contained within the boundary in subsection (a) to the Hawaii housing finance and development corporation.

(c) The Hawaii housing finance and development corporation shall construct seventy-five thousand reasonably priced housing units on lands transferred from the aloha stadium authority pursuant to this Act, subject to the following requirements:

(1) Units shall only be available to qualified residents of the State;

(2) Each unit shall be occupied as the principal place of residence of the owner or the tenant;

(3) Units shall only be available to residents of the State who do not own any other real property;

(4) Income eligibility shall not be a requirement to qualify for a unit;

(5) Unit construction shall be revenue neutral;

(6) Unit design and construction shall maximize walkability; and

(7) Housing shall be mixed-use such that urban amenities, including grocery stores, restaurants, shops, childcare facilities, senior centers, health clinics, and parks, are included in development.

(d) The Hawaii housing finance and development corporation shall 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 sessions of 2024, 2025, and 2026 regarding the implementation of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation; Reasonably Priced Housing; Aloha Stadium

Description:

Directs the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to develop mixed-use reasonably priced housing at the Aloha Stadium site.

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