HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	110
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2016
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

requesting the Departments of human services, taxation, health, and labor and industrial relations to conduct various initiatives to address homelessness.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, for decades, the federal government, State, and counties have adopted measures and implemented programs to combat homelessness; and

 

     WHEREAS, in 1935, the Territorial Legislature established the Hawaii Housing Authority to provide safe and sanitary housing for low-income residents of Hawaii; and

 

     WHEREAS, in 1953, construction of the Mayor Wright Homes Public Housing Project was completed, making hundreds of units available for low-income families and individuals; and

 

     WHEREAS, Act 105, Session Laws of Hawaii 1970, expanded the duties of the Hawaii Housing Authority to address the critical shortage of housing for lower- and middle-income residents; and

 

     WHEREAS, in 1987, the Governor's Office created the State Homeless Task Group to advise the Governor and ensure coordination across homeless services; and

 

     WHEREAS, in 2005, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded almost $6,000,000 in grants-in-aid for Hawaii's homeless, which were distributed to several agencies and programs, including homeless shelters and drug treatment facilities; and

 

     WHEREAS, currently, the Hawaii Public Housing Authority administers more than 6,000 federal and state low-income public housing units and provides thousands of rental assistance vouchers; and

     WHEREAS, over 60 nonprofit shelters and programs provide services to over 14,000 unique homeless individuals each year; and

 

     WHEREAS, hundreds of families at risk of becoming homeless receive financial assistance or housing-related support services to keep them housed; and

 

     WHEREAS, despite numerous government efforts, expenditures of millions of tax dollars, and countless hours of work by government and private sector employees, homelessness in Hawaii continues to rise; and

 

     WHEREAS, in 2011, approximately 6,200 individuals were homeless on any particular day, which increased to 7,600 individuals in 2015; and

 

     WHEREAS, during fiscal year 2013-2014, 14,282 homeless individuals received services through shelter and outreach programs compared to 11,070 individuals during fiscal year 2006-2007; and

 

     WHEREAS, due to these increases, Hawaii now has more homeless individuals, per capita, than any other state; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that homelessness is a complex issue that requires continuous resources and coordinated efforts at all levels; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-eighth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2016, the Senate concurring, that the Departments of Human Services, Taxation, Health, and Labor and Industrial Relations are requested to conduct various initiatives to address homelessness; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Human Services is requested to consider whether a homelessness fund should be created to collect moneys for homeless facilities or any other program for the homeless authorized under part XVII of chapter 346, Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Taxation is requested to consider whether the conveyance tax should be increased to assist with human services, and if so, what amounts should be allocated for homeless facilities and programs administered by the Department of Human Services; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the counties of Honolulu, Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai are each requested to establish a three year community shelter commission, to be composed of the following representatives:

 

     (1)  The State, to be selected by the Governor;

 

     (2)  The United States, to be invited by the Governor;

 

     (3)  The county, to be selected by the mayor of the respective county;

 

     (4)  The clergy, to be invited by the Governor;

 

     (5)  The real estate commission;

 

     (6)  Social services, to be invited by the President of the Senate; and

 

     (7)  Businesses, to be invited by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that each community shelter commission shall have the exclusive authority to select public property within its respective county to be used for providing homeless facilities, shelters, and programs authorized under part XVII of chapter 346, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and shall not be subject to amendment by the Legislature or county council for five years immediately succeeding the decision; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is requested to establish a Civil Rights Board, to consist of the following nine members, who shall have a background in homelessness, mental health treatment, substance abuse treatment, human services, or criminal justice:

 

     (1)  Three to be appointed by the Governor;

 

     (2)  Three to be appointed by the Governor from a list of not fewer than five nominees submitted to the Governor by the Senate President; and

 

     (3)  Three to be appointed by the Governor from a list of not fewer than five nominees submitted to the Governor by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Civil Rights Board may request a law enforcement officer to initiate proceedings of an emergency examination and hospitalization pursuant to section 334-59(a), Hawaii Revised Statutes; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if a law enforcement officer declines a request by the Civil Rights Board to initiate proceedings of an emergency examination and hospitalization, and the Civil Rights Board determines that the individual poses a danger to public health or safety, the Civil Rights Board may order a law enforcement officer to address any complaint by taking action that would help to ameliorate the situation or ensure that the individual no longer poses a danger to public health or safety, including relocating the individual or taking the individual into custody; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation is requested to conduct a survey to identify and inventory state-owned and state-managed housing units statewide that are vacant and could be used as affordable rental housing under chapter 201H, Hawaii Revised Statutes, including housing units that could be used as affordable rental housing if renovated or restored; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation shall report to the Governor and the Legislature, no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2017, on the results of the survey conducted, including providing an inventory list that identifies each vacant unit by legal owner, street location, and tax map key number; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Human Services is requested to conduct a homeless summit before December 1, 2016, to gather experts from around the world to share and develop strategies to address homelessness; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations is requested to establish a statewide pilot Public Service Employment Program to provide job assistance for homeless individuals and to accord priority to individuals to be hired for the pilot Public Service Employment Program in the following order:

 

     (1)  Unemployed persons who have been unemployed for more than 15 weeks, including those who have exhausted their unemployment benefits;

 

     (2)  All other unemployed persons who are unemployment insurance claimants, including those who have exhausted their unemployment benefits;

 

     (3)  All other unemployed persons, whether or not they are unemployment insurance claimants, who are certified by the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations as recipients of state public assistance under chapter 346; and

 

     (4)  All other unemployed persons, whether or not they are unemployment insurance claimants; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that individuals employed in public service jobs under the pilot Public Service Employment Program shall not be paid wages below the state minimum wage, shall not be considered state employees, and shall not be subject to the laws relating to state employment benefits, including those regarding hours of work, rates of compensation, leave, unemployment compensation, and state employee benefits; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations is requested to report annually to the Legislature on the progress of implementing the pilot Public Service Employment Program; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations is requested to provide subsidies for employers, whether or not operated for profit, who agree to participate in an employment program to train and permanently hire unemployed persons to defray extra costs of providing employment and a program of training and support services, and that may be used for on-the-job training and counseling, job orientation, job-related education, instruction in English as a second language, medical and dental services, transportation expenses, a portion of wages, and other costs related to the employment; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations is requested to consider and approve loans for private employers, whether or not operated for profit, who agree to participate in an employment program to train and permanently hire unemployed persons; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of Human Services, Director of Health, Director of Labor and Industrial Relations, Director of Taxation, and Chair of each County Council.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

Homelessness; Programs