Bill Text: HI HB2606 | 2020 | Regular Session | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Relating To Affordable Housing.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 18-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-27 - Referred to EEP/WLH/HSG, JUD, FIN, referral sheet 5 [HB2606 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2020-HB2606-Introduced.html

---

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	2606
THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2020
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to affordable housing.

 

 

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

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature recognizes that Hawaii is experiencing a severe affordable housing crisis, with a lack of affordable rental and for-sale units.  According to the report "Measuring Housing Demand in Hawai'i, 2015-2025", published by the department of business, economic development, and tourism, the State is projected to require 64,693 additional housing units to meet housing demand by 2025.  Nearly seventy per cent, or 43,828, of those units will be needed for low-income households earning eighty per cent or less of the area median income.

     In response to this critical problem, the legislature enacted Act 127, Session Laws of Hawaii 2016, which established a goal of creating 22,500 new affordable rental units by 2026.  Achieving this goal will require a variety of approaches, including incentivizing the construction of low-income housing by authorizing certain counties to grant exemptions from the State's environmental impact statement requirements to specific affordable housing projects.

     The legislature finds that one recent action in furtherance of the goal of increasing affordable housing units in the State was the adoption in 2019 of chapter 11-200.1, Hawaii Administrative Rules.  These rules, in part, specify that new construction of affordable housing meeting certain conditions is eligible for exemption from the State's environmental impact statement requirements.

     The purpose of this Act is to require a county agency having jurisdiction over planning and permitting, in any county with a population of five hundred thousand or more, to make a determination regarding whether certain affordable housing projects shall be exempt from the State's environmental impact statement laws pursuant to chapter 11-200.1, subchapter 8, Hawaii Administrative Rules.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 343, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§343-     Determination regarding exemption for certain affordable housing projects.  Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the county agency having jurisdiction over planning and permitting in any county having a population of 500,000 or more shall determine whether certain affordable housing projects shall be exempt from chapter 343 and any applicable rules, pursuant to chapter 11-200.1, subchapter 8, Hawaii Administrative Rules.

     For purposes of this section, "affordable housing" means housing that is affordable to households having incomes at or below one hundred forty per cent of the median family income as determined by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development."

     SECTION 3.  This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.

     SECTION 4.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2020.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

Report Title:

Affordable Housing; Department of Health; Environmental Impact Statements; Exemption

 

Description:

Requires a county agency having jurisdiction over planning and permitting, in any county with a population of 500,000 or more, to determine whether certain affordable housing development projects shall be exempt from the State's environmental impact statement laws pursuant to chapter 11-200.1, subchapter 8, Hawaii Administrative Rules.

 

 

 

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