Bill Text: HI HB971 | 2018 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating To Homelessness.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-3)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-01-17 - Re-referred to HHS/HSG, WAL, referral sheet 2 [HB971 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2018-HB971-Introduced.html
|
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
971 |
|
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017 |
|
|
|
STATE OF HAWAII |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
||
A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to homelessness.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that homelessness is an increasingly troubling problem for Hawaii. According to a recent survey, Hawaii's homeless population increased by four per cent from 2015 to 2016. There are now over 4,900 homeless people on Oahu alone, and over 7,600 across the islands, and these numbers continue to grow. Further action is needed to solve this escalating crisis.
One initiative that could help people affected by this crisis is providing temporary settlements, using innovative housing solutions, where homeless individuals or families can find shelter and services. A recent example of this idea in action is the Hale Mauliola facility, located on Sand Island in Honolulu. Hale Mauliola is a "housing navigation service center", where homeless individuals and families can find short-term stable living conditions while receiving services aimed at helping them find long-term solutions.
The housing at Hale Mouliola is built from modified shipping containers. This is one example of a clever and resourceful solution for temporary housing. The state can and should encourage the establishment of more temporary homeless settlements using this or other innovative housing solutions. However, there is currently a complicated thicket of building rules and regulations that increase the burden and expense of testing and implementing any solution, particularly for non-government charities and charitable individuals.
The legislature finds that in order to encourage the rapid development of innovative temporary housing solutions for the homeless, and for the greater good of all of the citizens of Hawaii during this crisis, legislation is needed to create clear exceptions to existing building codes. Without exceptions, these housing solutions will never be conceived or implemented on the scale necessary to solve the homelessness crisis.
The purpose of this Act is to allow the director of human services to designate "housing innovation zones" which shall be exempt from state building codes.
SECTION 2. Chapter 346, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to Part XVII to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§ 346- Housing innovation zones. (a) The director of human services may designate housing innovation zones.
(b) The director shall designate any area of private property as a housing innovation zone upon request of the property owner and upon entry of the property owner into an agreement with the director providing that the primary use of the property shall be shelter to homeless individuals or families. The director may refuse to designate an area of private property, or revoke a designation, for good cause.
(c) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, designated housing innovation zones shall be exempt from all building and infrastructure codes, rules and regulations, including but not limited to all provisions of the Hawaii state building code established pursuant to part II of chapter 107 and all other building, elevator, energy conservation, fire, residential, housing, and sidewalk codes. Designated housing innovation zones shall not be exempt from plumbing or electrical codes to the extent that they provide water or electrical service.
(d) The director shall carry out any administrative inspections of designated housing innovation zones that the director deems necessary to ensure that they are reasonably safe for public use.
(e) A housing innovation zone shall be considered a facility for the homeless, and an owner of private property designated as a housing innovation zone shall be considered a donor, for the purposes of the liability exceptions in sections 346-363."
SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
|
INTRODUCED BY: |
_____________________________ |
|
|
|
Report Title:
Homelessness, Infrastructure Exceptions
Description:
Creates exceptions to the state building code and other existing infrastructure requirements for homeless settlements.
The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
