Bill would pump $225 million into affordable housing effort

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An all-encompassing bill aimed at tackling the state’s affordable-housing shortage has moved out of a key committee.

House Bill 1354, introduced by Rep. John Mizuno (D, Kamehameha Heights-Kalihi Valley) and co-authored by seven others, calls for allocating at least $225 million to various housing agencies with the goal of increasing the market’s inventory of homes for low-income and homeless families.

Housing Chairman Mark Hashem (D, Hahaione Valley-Aina Haina-Kahala) said the fate of the bill, as well as how much money it would designate, will depend on the Legislature’s budget situation near the end of the session.

The draft that moved out of the Housing Committee on Monday calls for:

» $100 million in general obligation bonds for the Rental Housing Trust Fund to be used by the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp.

» $50 million in general fund revenues to the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to increase the supply of public housing.

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» $30 million from the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund for HHFDC to develop infrastructure and improvements.

» $15 million from general fund revenues for HHFDC to develop micro-apartment housing units.

» $30 million from general fund revenues to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to construct housing for its beneficiaries.

» An undisclosed amount to HHFDC to develop affordable housing specifically for veterans.

Representatives from several public housing organizations testified in favor of the bill, including Protecting Hawaii’s Ohana, Children, Under Served, Elderly and Disabled; Partners in Care; Neighborhood Place of Puna; Catholic Charities Hawai‘i; the Hawaii Primary Care Association; Hope Services Hawaii; and the Hawaii Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice.

The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii and the Building Industry Association of Hawaii also support the bill but want lawmakers to consider creating incentives for developers to build affordable housing, such as allowing more market-rate units in a development and investing in infrastructure.

State homeless coordinator Colin Kippen, who also heads the Hawaii Interagency Council on Homelessness, said that besides infusing cash into the system, lawmakers should include criteria ensuring that there is a steady inventory of units available to those making 30 percent or less of median income and those who are homeless.