Gov. David Ige Thursday signed into law six housing bills that aim to address the long-standing, complex housing shortage that has been a problem in Hawaii for decades. ADVERTISING Gov. David Ige Thursday signed into law six housing bills that
Gov. David Ige Thursday signed into law six housing bills that aim to address the long-standing, complex housing shortage that has been a problem in Hawaii for decades.
“My administration and the Legislature worked tirelessly and collaboratively on various measures to address the housing shortage this past session. We focused on maximizing the use of financing tools, we re-oriented target policies to boost production and we collaborated with the private sector and the counties to increase the housing supply,” said Ige.
The bills signed were SB 2561 (Act 127), SB 2566 (Act 128), SB 2833 (Act 129), SB 3077 (Act 130), HB 2293 (Act 131), HB 2305 (Act 132).
Act 127 establishes a goal of developing or vesting the development of at least 22,500 affordable rental housing units ready for occupancy between Jan. 1, 2017 and Dec. 31, 2026, as well as a temporary special action team on rental housing to make recommendations to the governor, Legislature, and others.
Act 128 transfers excess moneys from the rental assistance revolving fund to the rental housing revolving fund.
Act 129 increases funding for affordable rental housing development by making the State Low-Income Housing Tax Credit more valuable. It also reduces State Tax Credit period from 10 to five years.
Act 130 designates the Office of Planning as the lead state agency for transit-oriented development coordination and establishes the Hawaii Interagency Council for Transit-oriented Development within DBEDT to coordinate effective and efficient transit-oriented development planning on a statewide level. In addition, it allows the Department of Education to use school impact fees from projects within a county-designated transit oriented development zone for various purposes, including construction of new school facilities in new or existing sites statewide.
Act 131 enables the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to develop mixed-use developments in partnership with state and county departments and agencies.
Act 132 authorizes the creation of Regional State Infrastructure Improvement Subaccounts within the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund and the use of the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund to provide loans and grants to finance regional state infrastructure improvements in areas of planned growth.
The governor also signed into law bills relating to foster children, insurance and gender identity, long-term care facilities, health care and aging.
HB 2878 (Act 134) extends the application deadline for financial assistance for higher education available to foster or former foster youth.
HB 2084 (Act 135) prohibits insurers in the state from discriminating with respect to participation and coverage under a policy, contract, plan or agreement against any person on the basis of a person’s actual gender identity or perceived gender identity.
HB 1943 (Act 136) provides an inflationary adjustment to the methodology used to reimburse facilities for long-term care of Medicaid recipients for fiscal year 2016-17.
SB 2076 (Act 137) establishes a license program for suppliers of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and related supplies through the Office of Health Care Assurance.
HB 1878 (Act 138) appropriates funds for Aging and Disability Resource Centers for fall prevention and early detection services for the elderly.
