Relating To The Hawaii Public Housing Authority.
HB199 amends the Hawaii Revised Statutes section governing areas under the jurisdiction of the Hawaii Public Housing Authority (HPHA) that may be closed to the public. The bill expands the rule to cover not only areas within housing projects, but also any parcel owned by the authority, except for public streets, roads, highways, sidewalks, and county or state bus stops. It also adds a separate provision allowing HPHA offices and facilities to be closed to the public during non-business hours.
To make those closures enforceable, the bill requires posted signs reading “Closed to the Public No Trespassing,” or substantially similar language. The signs must use letters at least two inches high and be placed at specified intervals along boundaries and at entrances so they are clearly visible from outside the property. The bill also clarifies that, for this section, “housing project” includes public housing, elder or elderly housing, and state low-income housing projects.
The bill would broaden HPHA’s authority to designate property as closed to the public, which in turn would allow unauthorized entry onto those parcels or into closed offices/facilities to be prosecuted as criminal trespass in the second degree when the statutory notice requirements are met. It would affect HPHA-managed public housing sites, vacant land parcels, parking areas, and administrative or operational facilities, while preserving access to public rights-of-way and bus stops. The measure would amend section 356D-6.7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and would not take effect until July 1, 3000 as drafted.
The bill’s stated purpose and framing suggest generally supportive sentiment toward giving HPHA and law enforcement stronger tools to address vandalism, litter, noise, and other nuisance activity on public housing property. The available record contains no committee transcript or vote history, so there is no direct evidence of opposition or support from members in discussion. Based on the text alone, the measure appears aimed at improving safety, sanitation, and property protection for residents and the authority.
The main policy issue is the balance between restricting public access to HPHA property and preserving access to areas that function like public thoroughfares or transit access points. The bill specifically excludes public streets, roads, highways, sidewalks, and bus stops from closure, indicating concern about overbroad restrictions. Another possible point of contention is whether expanding closure authority to all HPHA-owned parcels and non-business hours facilities could lead to increased enforcement against nonresidents, visitors, or service users, though no recorded debate is available in the provided materials.