Hawaii Senate Bill SCR77

Hawaii 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/7/25
• Refer: 3/11/25
• Report Pass: 4/1/25
• Engrossed: 4/2/25
• Refer: 4/4/25

Caption

Declaring The Intent That Projects With Housing Units That Qualify For Housing Credits Under Act 31, Session Laws Of Hawaii 2024, Are Still Eligible To Receive Housing Credits After The Repeal Of Act 31 If The Housing Projects Were Approved By The Hawaii Housing Finance And Development Corporation Before July 1, 2031, And Requesting The Corporation And Each County To Include Certain Information When Approving Housing Projects For Housing Credits.

Summary

SCR77 is a Senate Concurrent Resolution addressing Hawaii’s housing-credit program created by Act 31, Session Laws of Hawaii 2024. The resolution states the Legislature’s intent that housing projects approved by the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation before July 1, 2031, should remain eligible to receive housing credits even after Act 31 is repealed. It is framed as a clarification measure to reduce uncertainty for developers and public agencies involved in housing projects that qualify under the Act 31 framework. The resolution also requests that HHFDC and each county include specific information in their approval actions for qualifying projects under section 201H-38, Hawaii Revised Statutes. That information includes a statement about an eligible developer’s rights to receive housing credits, the number of housing units that qualify, and the number of housing credits available to be earned. The measure is tied to the state’s broader housing shortage and rising financing costs, which the resolution cites as reasons for preserving and clarifying the credit program.

Impact

SCR77 does not itself amend the Hawaii Revised Statutes, but it expresses legislative intent that may guide interpretation and administration of Act 31 and related housing-credit approvals. Its practical effect is to support continued eligibility for housing credits for projects approved before July 1, 2031, even if the underlying act is later repealed, and to standardize the information included in approval documents by HHFDC and county governments. The resolution affects HHFDC, county permitting and approval processes, and developers seeking housing credits for qualifying projects.

Sentiment

The general sentiment around the bill appears supportive and pro-housing. The resolution was passed by the Senate Housing Committee with amendments by a 4-0 vote, indicating unanimous committee support among those voting. The bill’s findings emphasize the severity of Hawaii’s housing crisis and the need to encourage housing production by reducing uncertainty for developers.

Contention

The main point of concern is uncertainty over the future availability of housing credits after Act 31’s repeal date of July 1, 2031. The resolution seeks to resolve that uncertainty by declaring legislative intent, suggesting that developers and project sponsors may have been concerned that approvals obtained before the repeal date might not preserve credit eligibility afterward. A secondary issue is administrative consistency: the resolution asks HHFDC and counties to include detailed credit-related information in approval actions, which may require coordination and could affect how local governments document project approvals.