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Senate housing committee advances bill to fund HUD-certified housing counselors; HHFDC requests $1.5 million
Summary
The Senate Committee on Housing voted to pass HB 1428 with amendments, directing HHFDC to administer funds for HUD-certified housing counseling agencies and noting a $1.5 million appropriation request.
The Senate Committee on Housing voted to pass HB 1428 with amendments on a voice vote, directing the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to allocate state funds to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-certified housing counseling agencies and to report back to the Legislature.
The measure would allow HHFDC to distribute appropriated funds to housing counseling agencies certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Committee discussion noted that HHFDC requested $1,500,000 for one year to support counseling services statewide; HHFDC told the committee there are five HUD-certified housing counseling agencies in the state and that staff contacted three of them while preparing the request. The agency also said those counseling providers currently rely on federal funding and face uncertainty if those federal sources change.
Graduate student AJ Samuoren testified in support, saying, “houselessness continues to be a prevalent issue in Hawaii with ever increasing cost of housing and lack of services aimed support vulnerable populations.” Janae Wong, also a graduate student, said financial education and one-on-one guidance can help residents remain housed and testified in favor of the bill.
During committee questions, HHFDC explained the $1.5 million figure reflected conversations with several certified agencies and represented an amount they believed the agencies could use in one year. The committee’s report will note HHFDC’s request and include the adopted amendments; the chair indicated the effective date will be further deferred in committee amendments.
For the vote on HB 1428, the chair’s recommendation to pass with amendments was adopted. Chair Chang cast an aye; Vice Chair Hashimoto voted aye; Sen. Aquino voted aye; Sen. Kanuha voted aye; Sen. Fevella was recorded as excused.
The committee record will reflect the $1.5 million request and the amended language; the committee also recorded contextual remarks that homeownership rates in mid-20th century Hawaii reflected much lower housing prices relative to incomes rather than widespread counseling participation.
