Requesting The Judiciary To Convene A Working Group To Develop Landlord-tenant Code Improvements To Increase The Supply Of Housing In Hawaii.
Summary
H.R. 153 is a House Resolution requesting that the Hawaii Judiciary convene a three-year working group to study landlord-tenant issues and recommend improvements to the landlord-tenant code and related regulations. The resolution frames Hawaii’s rental market as a critical part of the state’s housing supply and argues that clearer, more workable landlord-tenant rules could help increase rental housing availability, reduce disputes, and make it easier for both tenants and housing providers to navigate the system.
The working group would be tasked with examining legal, financial, and procedural barriers to renting and obtaining housing; identifying best practices and possible code or regulatory changes; assessing whether educational resources or other solutions could address recurring problems; and considering any other feasible reforms. The group is intended to include Judiciary representatives, legislative designees, landlord-tenant attorneys, property owners, professional property managers, and tenant advocates, with an initial meeting due by July 1, 2025 and an initial report due before the 2026 Regular Session.
Impact
Because this is a resolution rather than a bill amending statutes, H.R. 153 does not itself change Hawaii law. Its practical effect is to direct attention toward the landlord-tenant code and related housing rules, potentially leading to future legislative or administrative proposals that could alter landlord-tenant procedures, dispute resolution, tenant protections, and property-owner obligations. If the working group’s recommendations are adopted later, they could affect the Hawaii Revised Statutes governing rental housing and court processes.
Sentiment
The overall sentiment reflected in the resolution is supportive of reform and collaborative problem-solving. The measure presents landlord-tenant code improvements as a way to expand housing supply, reduce court burdens, and improve certainty for both tenants and housing providers. No vote tally or committee transcript was provided, so there is no recorded floor or committee opposition in the materials supplied.
Contention
The main points of potential contention are the balance between tenant protections and landlord flexibility, and whether code changes aimed at increasing housing supply could weaken existing safeguards or shift burdens onto renters. The resolution explicitly tries to include both landlord/property-management representatives and tenant advocates in the working group, suggesting that lawmakers expect competing interests and want a balanced stakeholder process. Another possible area of disagreement is whether housing shortages are best addressed through landlord-tenant law reform versus broader supply-side measures such as zoning, development incentives, or public housing investment.