REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, IN COORDINATION WITH THE HAWAII HOUSING FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, TO CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO EVALUATE THE FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING STATE-OWNED OR STATE-CONTROLLED WAREHOUSE AND LOGISTICS FACILITIES NEAR PORTS, HARBORS, AND AIRPORTS TO REDUCE MATERIAL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PUBLICLY FINANCED HOUSING PROJECTS.

This bill requests the Department of Transportation and the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to form a working group that will study whether the state should own or control warehouses and logistics facilities near ports, harbors, and airports. The goal is to lower material costs for publicly funded housing projects by improving supply chain efficiency and reducing transportation expenses caused by Hawaii's reliance on imported building materials. The working group will examine potential sites, analyze cost savings from bulk purchasing, evaluate public-private partnerships, and determine if any new laws are needed to implement the recommendations. The group must include representatives from transportation, housing agencies, contractors, and legislative committees, and will submit its findings to the legislature by early 2027.