Bill Text: HI SB1002 | 2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating To Affordable Housing.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-17 - Introduced. [SB1002 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2025-SB1002-Introduced.html
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
1002 |
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THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to Affordable Housing.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that the cost and availability of housing in the State are significant challenges facing Hawaiʻi residents. According to the department of business, economic development, and tourism's December 2019 report titled Hawaii Housing Demand: 2022-2030, the department projects that an additional 36,155 residential housing units need to be developed between 2020 and 2030, not including units under construction or already in the permitting process, to provide housing for all of Hawaiʻi's population. Although there is a severe need for development, considerations need to be made to preserve and protect the unique cultural history of the State.
The legislature also finds that under article IX, section 7, of the Hawaii State Constitution, the State recognizes the value of conserving and developing the historic and cultural property within the State for the public good, and the legislature has declared that it is in the public interest to engage in a comprehensive program of historic preservation at all levels of government to promote the use and conservation of historic and cultural property for the education, inspiration, pleasure, and enrichment of its citizens. Thus, the state historic preservation division of the department of land and natural resources was established to preserve and protect historically significant districts, sites, objects, structures, and buildings integral to Hawaiʻi's history. Under existing law, before issuing any permit or land use approval for any project that affects a historic property, state and local jurisdictions must refer the matter to the state historic preservation division for review and comment, and for public projects, written concurrence is required before proceeding.
However, the legislature finds that due to the current demand for the construction of affordable housing and other critical infrastructure, the state historic preservation division consistently receives more reports than they have time to review. According to a department of land and natural resources report to the legislature in October 2022, project reviews in the state historic preservation division's archaeology branch face "a 6-month to 1-year backlog as the volume of permit and project submissions have risen . . ."
The legislature further finds that allowing the state historic preservation division to engage with third-party consultants could help expedite the review process so that more affordable housing units can be produced in a timely manner. Delegating review responsibilities will reduce the state historic preservation division's intake load and allow the division to focus on core historical review priorities.
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to:
(1) Require the department of land and natural resources, through the state historic preservation division, to contract its review of proposed state projects and projects affecting historic properties if the proposed project involves a development intended to be affordable housing, to third-party consultants, under certain conditions; and
(2) Appropriate funds to the state historic preservation division for the recruitment and retention of qualified third-party consultants to expedite review of proposed state affordable housing projects and affordable housing projects affecting historic properties.
SECTION 2. Section 6E-8, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§6E-8 Review
of effect of proposed state projects.
(a) Before any agency or
officer of the State or its political subdivisions commences any project [which]
that may affect historic property, aviation artifact, or a burial site,
the agency or officer shall advise the department and allow the department an
opportunity for review of the effect of the proposed project on historic
properties, aviation artifacts, or burial sites, consistent with section 6E-43,
especially those listed on the Hawaii register of historic places. The proposed project shall not be commenced,
or if it has already begun, continued, until the department has given its
written concurrence. If:
(1) The proposed project consists of corridors or large land areas;
(2) Access to properties is restricted; or
(3) Circumstances dictate that construction be done in stages,
the department may give its written concurrence based on a phased review of the project; provided that there shall be a programmatic agreement between the department and the project applicant that identifies each phase and the estimated timelines for each phase.
The department shall provide written
concurrence or non-concurrence within ninety days after the filing of a request
with the department. The agency or
officer seeking to proceed with the project, or any person, may appeal the
department's concurrence or non-concurrence to the Hawaii historic places
review board. An agency, officer, or
other person who is dissatisfied with the decision of the review board may
apply to the governor, who may take action as the governor deems best in
overruling or sustaining the department.
(b) The department of Hawaiian home lands, [prior
to] before any proposed project relating to lands under its
jurisdiction, shall consult with the department regarding the effect of the
project upon historic property or a burial site.
(c) The State, its political subdivisions,
agencies, and officers shall report to the department the finding of any
historic property during any project and shall cooperate with the department in
the investigation, recording, preservation, and salvage of the property.
(d) Whenever the proposed state project involves
a development intended as affordable housing, as that term is defined under
section 201H-57, the department shall retain a third-party consultant to
conduct the review described under subsection (a) if, after an initial
evaluation, the department determines that:
(1) The department will not be able to
provide its written concurrence or non-concurrence within sixty days of the
filing of the request with the department;
(2) The third-party consultant has the
qualifications and experience pursuant to subsection (e) to conduct the review;
and
(3) The contract with the third-party
consultant requires the third-party consultant to provide a recommendation to
the department within thirty days of the filing of the request with the
department.
(e) Whenever the department retains any third-party
consultant pursuant to subsection (d), including an architect, engineer,
archaeologist, planner, or other, to review an application for a permit,
license, or approval, the third-party consultant shall meet the educational and
experience standards as well as the qualifications for preservation
professionals pursuant to rules adopted by the state historic preservation division.
[(d)]
(g) The department shall adopt
rules in accordance with chapter 91 to implement this section."
SECTION 3. Section 6E-42, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§6E-42 Review of proposed projects. (a) Except as provided in section 6E-42.2, before any
agency or officer of the State or its political subdivisions approves any
project involving a permit, license, certificate, land use change, subdivision,
or other entitlement for use[, which] that may affect historic
property, aviation artifacts, or a burial site, the agency or office shall
advise the department and [prior to] before any approval allow
the department an opportunity for review and comment on the effect of the
proposed project on historic properties, aviation artifacts, or burial sites,
consistent with section 6E-43, including those listed in the Hawaii register of
historic places. If:
(1) The proposed project consists of corridors or large land areas;
(2) Access to properties is restricted; or
(3) Circumstances dictate that construction be done in stages,
the department's review and comment may be based on a phased review of the project; provided that there shall be a programmatic agreement between the department and the project applicant that identifies each phase and the estimated timelines for each phase.
(b) The department shall inform the public of any
project proposals submitted to it under this section that are not otherwise
subject to the requirement of a public hearing or other public notification.
(c) Whenever the project involves a development
intended as affordable housing, as that term is defined under section 201H‑57,
the department shall retain a third-party consultant to conduct the review and
comment described under subsection (a) if, after an initial evaluation, the
department determines that:
(2) The third-party consultant has the
qualifications and experience required by subsection (d) to conduct the review;
and
(3) The contract with the third-party
consultant requires the third-party consultant to provide a recommendation to
the department within thirty days of being advised pursuant to subsection (a).
(d) Whenever the department retains any third-party
consultant, including any architect, engineer, archaeologist, planner, or other,
to review an application for a permit, license, or approval under subsection
(c), the third-party consultant shall meet the educational and experience
standards as well as the qualifications for preservation professionals pursuant
to rules adopted by the state historic preservation division.
(e) The project proponent shall pay for the
reasonable fee requirements of the third-party consultant; provided that the
project proponent may contract with or sponsor any county, housing authority,
non-profit organization, or person, to meet the fee requirements.
[(c)]
(f) The department shall adopt
rules in accordance with chapter 91 to implement this section."
SECTION 4. The department of land and natural resources shall publish on its website adopted rules implementing sections 2 and 3 of this Act, within one year from the effective date of this Act. Thereafter, the department of land and natural resources shall, within one year, present its proposed final rules to the board of land and natural resources.
SECTION 5. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for the state historic preservation division's recruitment and retention of qualified third-party consultants.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of land and natural resources for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 6. This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.
SECTION 7. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 8. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025; provided that sections 2 and 3 of this Act shall take effect on July 1, 2027.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
DLNR; SHPD; Review and Comment; Affordable Housing; Third-Party Consultants; Appropriations
Description:
Beginning 7/1/2027, requires the State Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Land and Natural Resources to contract its review of proposed state projects, and projects affecting historic properties to third-party consultants if the projects involve the development of affordable housing and the division, after an initial evaluation, determines it will not be able to complete its review within sixty days. Establishes requirements for qualified third-party consultants providing review services. Requires the project proponent to pay for the reasonable fee requirements of the third-party consultant. Allows the project proponent to contract or sponsor with any county, housing authority, non-profit organization, or person, to meet the third-party consultant fee requirement. Requires DLNR to publish a draft of its proposed rules within one year, and within one year thereafter, present its proposed final rules to the Board of Land and Natural Resources. Appropriates funds.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
