SB 2070 Hawaii Senate · 2026 Regular Session

RELATING TO HOUSING.

Summary

Authorizes the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to designate certain for-sale housing units as permanently affordable. Requires the HHFDC to adopt rules to implement the Housing for Locals Forever Program. Repeals certain requirements defining a qualified resident. Removes restrictions applicable to the transfer of certain real property developed and sold under chapter 201H, HRS. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Issues: ✓ Housing

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Feb 2026

Senate Passage

Feb 2026

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 14, 2026 Last action Feb 19, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SB2070 → SB2070_SD1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends Hawaii's permanently affordable housing laws to rename the program from 'Permanently Affordable For-Sale Housing' to 'Housing for Locals Forever.' It updates the program's application to cover most units developed under specific state housing statutes and replaces the previous ten-year buyback requirement with new rules. The changes also refine the definition of a 'qualified resident' to include specific criteria regarding land ownership and household composition.

Scope change

The bill expands the program's applicability to a majority of units developed under section 201H-38 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes and replaces the existing ten-year buyback requirements found in section 201H-47.

SCOPE

Renamed the program from 'Permanently Affordable For-Sale Housing' to 'Housing for Locals Forever'.

REQUIREMENT

Replaced the existing ten-year buyback requirements with new designation and regulation frameworks.

ELIGIBILITY

Added specific eligibility criteria for buyers, requiring them to not own a majority interest in suitable lands for dwelling purposes or certain trust arrangements.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of a 'qualified resident' to include detailed restrictions on land ownership and household member status.

TECHNICAL

Updated bill metadata, including author names, dates, and template versions, to reflect the first Senate reading.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Feb 19, 2026

Upper · Passed

Report adopted; Passed Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referred to WAM.

upper

Feb 19, 2026

Committee

Reported from HOU (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 2460) with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM.

upper

Feb 3, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HOU recommend(s) that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes in HOU were as follows: 4 Aye(s): Senator(s) Chang, Hashimoto, Elefante, Rhoads; Aye(s) with reservations: none ; 0 No(es): none; and 1 Excused: Senator(s) Fevella.

upper

Jan 23, 2026

Upper · Passed

The committee(s) on HOU has scheduled a public hearing on 01-27-26 1:00PM; Conference Room 225 & Videoconference.

upper

Jan 22, 2026

Committee

Referred to HOU, WAM.

upper

Jan 21, 2026

Introduced

Introduced and passed First Reading.

upper

Jan 14, 2026

Introduced

Pending Introduction.

upper

5 primary · 1 co-sponsor