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 that Hawaii's Department of Transportation work with the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to form a working group that studies whether the state should own or control warehouses and logistics centers near ports, harbors, and airports. The goal is to lower material costs for publicly funded affordable 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, consider public-private partnerships, and determine what legal changes might be needed to implement such facilities. The group must include representatives from transportation, housing agencies, contractors, and other stakeholders, and will submit its findings and recommendations to the Legislature by early 2027.