Housing

Beginning 1/1/2027, authorizes the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, instead of the counties, to approve and certify general excise tax exemptions for certain housing development projects developed under county housing incentive programs. Sunsets 7/1/2031. (CD1)

Prohibits corporate owners from renting a single-family home to a residential tenant when the owner has a property interest in five or more such properties. Prohibits individual owners from renting a single-family home to a residential tenant when the owner has a property interest in seven or more such properties. Allows for exemptions and enforcement.

Authorizes the Rental Housing Revolving Fund (RURF) to be used to provide any and all forms of financing for the development, pre-development, construction, acquisition, preservation, and substantial rehabilitation of rental housing units. Requires the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation (HHFDC) to give preference to certain projects with perpetual affordability commitments and to applicants with a demonstrated history of early repayment to the RHRF. Authorizes HHFDC, with the approval of the Director of Finance, to transfer moneys between the RHRF and its subaccounts without further legislative authorization. Requires certain RHRF loans applied for or awarded after 12/31/2026 to be subject to review and renegotiation when any mortgage debt to which the loan is subordinate is refinanced or retired. Authorizes HHFDC to use reserved but unencumbered funds for short‑term projects with certain conditions. Authorizes HHFDC to secure lines of credit, standby bond purchase agreements, or other credit enhancement facilities to provide liquidity for the RHRF in certain circumstances. Authorizes the Director of Finance to transfer moneys from the RHRF to its Mixed-Income Subaccount for FY 2026‑2027. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Prohibits the use of algorithmic price-setting in Hawaii's rental market. Requires the Department of the Attorney General to develop and undertake a public education program regarding the prohibition. Establishes fines and penalties. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

Shortens the period within which certain judicial proceedings involving environmental assessments and environmental impact statements for actions that propose the use of land for, or construction of, affordable housing or clean energy projects must be initiated. Requires judicial proceedings involving actions that propose the use of land for, or construction of, affordable housing or clean energy projects to be filed directly with the Supreme Court and prohibits the Supreme Court from awarding attorneys' fees in these judicial proceedings.

Restructures the conveyance tax to a marginal rate system for the sale of properties with residential use, adjusts the tax for multifamily properties to reflect value on a per-unit basis, and applies a cost-of-living adjustment to conveyance tax rates. Allocates revenues from conveyance tax collections. Allocates a portion of conveyance tax collections to the Dwelling Unit Revolving Fund to fund infrastructure programs in county-designated transit-oriented development areas that meet minimum standards of transit-supportive density. Allocates a portion of conveyance tax revenues to the Hawaiian Home Lands Trust Fund.

Clarifies that a partner or member that is a partnership or limited liability company that has been allocated a low-income housing tax credit may either further allocate the credit or transfer, sell, or assign all or a portion of the credit to any person. Extends the sunset date of Act 129, SLH 2016, relating to the low-income housing tax credit, from 12/31/2027 to 12/31/2032. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Establishes the offense of loitering on public property and adds trespassing on public property to the offense of criminal trespass in the first degree. Establishes the homeless case management program and special fund, administered by the judiciary for the benefit of persons experiencing homelessness.

Requires the Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions to establish a permanent Return-to-Home program to return homeless individuals in the State to families and relatives in their home states. Requires the Office to report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds.

Establishes what constitutes transit-oriented development and incentivizes development in county-designated transit-oriented development areas or zones. Prioritizes the allocation of a minimum percentage of the Rental Housing Revolving Fund for certain mixed-income rental housing projects or units. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)