Bill Text: HI SB471 | 2019 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relating To Homelessness.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-1)
Status: (Passed) 2019-06-12 - Act 062, 06/07/2019 (Gov. Msg. No. 1163). [SB471 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2019-SB471-Amended.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
471 |
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THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2019 |
S.D. 2 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
H.D. 1 |
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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 one of the most pressing problems in Hawaii, which requires a robust, comprehensive, long-term solution to address Hawaii's affordable housing and homelessness crisis.
Over the last fifty years in Hawaii, the number of cost-burdened renters, those paying more than thirty per cent of their income for rent, went from less than a quarter of the population to over half. High housing costs have driven more and more Hawaii residents into homelessness. Hawaii has the highest homelessness rate in the nation.
The legislature further finds that by making smart investments in homelessness and housing, using data-driven practices, and improving coordination, Hawaii has gradually begun to turn the tide in the homelessness crisis. In 2017, Hawaii's homelessness rate went down for the first time in years, a trend that continued in 2018. During the regular session of 2018, the legislature made unprecedented levels of investment in low-income housing and homelessness, appropriating $200,000,000 for the rental housing revolving fund, $30,000,000 for ohana zones, and $13,500,000 for proven-effective and promising homelessness programs.
To turn back the fifty years of growth in Hawaii's housing and homelessness crisis, investments of this scale must be made consistently in the coming years. Hawaii must prioritize programs that are the most cost-effective and target the most vulnerable populations, such as outreach, rapid re-housing, housing first, family assessment centers, law-enforcement assisted diversion, and the coordinated statewide homelessness initiative. The State also needs to experiment with innovative approaches to addressing homelessness, such as providing shallow, long-term rent subsidies to kupuna on fixed incomes who face the threat of homelessness due to rapidly rising rents.
The purpose of this Act is to fund core homelessness services and establish a new pilot program to address the State's housing and homelessness crisis.
SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2019-2020 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2020-2021 for the department of human services to fund and administer the outreach program, rapid re-housing program, housing first program, family assessment centers, and coordinated statewide homelessness initiative.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2019-2020 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2020-2021 for the Hawaii public housing authority to fund and administer the law enforcement assisted diversion program and to establish and administer a long-term rental assistance pilot program.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the Hawaii public housing authority for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 4. (a) The Hawaii public housing authority shall establish and administer a long-term rental assistance pilot program to:
(1) Provide long-term rental assistance to individuals who are over the age of sixty who are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless;
(2) Ensure that individuals participating in the program will not pay more than fifty per cent of their income for rent; and
(3) Provide housing counseling and landlord assistance to assist elders to obtain and retain permanent housing.
(b) The Hawaii public housing authority may establish rules and qualification standards for beneficiaries of the long-term rental assistance program pursuant to chapter 91, Hawaii Revised Statutes.
SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2050.
Report Title:
Homelessness; HPHA; Department of Human Services; Appropriations
Description:
Appropriates funds to homeless programs, including outreach, rapid re-housing, housing first, family assessment centers, and diversion programs and the coordinated statewide homelessness initiative. Establishes a long-term rental assistance pilot program for individuals over sixty years old. (SB471 HD1)
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
