Legislators OK funding deal for rental housing

HONOLULU — Senate and House conferees agreed and voted Tuesday on a comprehensive housing measure that takes a step forward in addressing Hawaii’s affordable rental housing crisis on all island.

House Bill 2748 HD2 SD2 CD1 provides a total of $570 million which will generate more than 25,000 affordable units by the year 2030. This will fulfill the goal of 22,500 affordable rental housing units set by the Legislature in 2016.

“This is the largest appropriation made by the Legislature and demonstrates our relentless commitment to providing innovative solutions to meet the state’s long-term housing demands” said House Housing Chair Rep. Tom Brower.

This measure supports development of affordable rental housing for a wide range of households spanning low income families to those making up to 140 percent of the area median income.

“In addition to low income households, this measure targets Hawaii’s middle-class families,” said Senate Housing Committee Chair Sen. Will Espero. “These are working families who are not wealthy enough to afford a home in our expensive housing market, but do not qualify for public housing assistance.”

This appropriation commissions the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to determine the number of persons with special needs in Hawaii, identify the supportive services they may require and inventory the providers of supportive services statewide.

“With this measure, we are responding to the needs of our community – our families, children and low-income individuals – and providing long-term solutions that are feasible within the context of our state financial plan,” said Senate Ways and Means Chair Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz.

Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa commended the Legislature for taking action on affordable housing.

“Nowhere in America is there a greater gap between what our workforce earns and the cost of housing,” she said. “Hawaii is one of the most expensive places to live in the world.”