Bill Text: HI SB904 | 2012 | Regular Session | Amended

---

Bill Title: Homelessness; Housing First

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2011-12-01 - Carried over to 2012 Regular Session. [SB904 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2012-SB904-Amended.html

---

 

 

STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1021

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2011

 

RE:   S.B. No. 904

      S.D. 2

 

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committees on Housing and Water, Land, & Ocean Resources, to which was referred S.B. No. 904, S.D. 2, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HOMELESS,"

 

beg leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this bill is to facilitate the implementation of the Housing First Program under section 346-378, Hawaii Revised Statutes, by requiring the Department of Human Services (DHS) to:

 

(1)  Identify properties statewide that are zoned and have infrastructure for developing affordable rental housing for low-income individuals and families under the Housing First Program;

 

(2)  Report its findings and recommendations by December 1, 2011, to the Governor and the Legislature.

 

     Catholic Charities Hawaii, the Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii, Partners in Care, Hawaii Catholic Conference, Roman Catholic Church in the State of Hawaii, and Hawaii Family Forum testified in support of this bill.  DHS testified in opposition to this bill.

 

     Your Committees would like to note the concerns of DHS's Homeless Programs Office in that the office is facing a staffing shortage and lacks the expertise to identify suitable properties for the Housing First Program, as well as conduct feasibility and cost analysis to meet the requirements in the bill.  However, your Committees recognize the importance of confronting homelessness in the State, which includes transitioning persons who are homeless to permanent housing.  Given the merits of the bill, it is your Committees' intent to advance this bill to afford time for stakeholders to address these concerns.

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Housing and Water, Land, & Ocean Resources that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 904, S.D. 2, and recommend that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Finance.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Housing and Water, Land, & Ocean Resources,

 

 

____________________________ JERRY L. CHANG, Chair		____________________________ RIDA T.R. CABANILLA, Chair