Housing

passed both · Hawaii · House Mar 30, 2026

HB 1777: RELATING TO HOUSING.

Establishes the Tenant Protection Working Group within the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to address certain tenant protection issues in the State. Requires the Tenant Protection Working Group to report to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRequires developers to provide displaced tenants with right of first offer and replacement housing payments, directly protecting tenants from eviction during housing projects.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Housing Finance Property Development Tenant Rights

Track

passed · Hawaii · House Mar 19, 2026

HB 1738: RELATING TO LAND USE DECISION-MAKING.

Authorizes counties to amend district boundaries involving land areas of greater than fifteen but no more than twenty-five acres for purposes of residential housing, agricultural workforce housing, long-term rental housing, or workforce fee simple ownership. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill explicitly enables counties to expand residential and workforce housing development via boundary changes, directly advancing housing availability and affordability goals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Land Use Zoning

Track

in committee · Hawaii · House Dec 8, 2025

HB 482: RELATING TO ILLEGAL CAMPING.

Clarifies petty misdemeanor penalties for the offense of criminal trespass onto public parks and recreational grounds. Provides for seizure of abandoned or unattended personal property. Requires the Department of Human Services to establish a homeless outreach and case management program. Requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources to identify and restore vacated homeless encampment areas in the State and report to the Legislature. Appropriates moneys.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeClarifies trespass penalties for camping, expanding criminalization of homeless encampments. Outreach program is secondary, but primary focus strengthens enforcement over reform.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill appropriates funds for DHS homeless outreach program and requires restoration of encampment areas, directly addressing homelessness through funding and program establishment.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Homelessness

Track

passed · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 378: RELATING TO THE HAWAII HOUSING FINANCE AND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

Establishes a working group within the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to identify existing mixed-use developments in Maui County that could be acquired by the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation for use as affordable housing and commercial rental leases. Requires a report to the Legislature. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingEstablishes working group to identify mixed-use properties for affordable housing acquisition, directly expanding access to affordable units.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Housing Finance Property Development

Track

in committee · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 1628: RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS.

Requires and appropriates funds for the Department of Health to establish a homeless triage and treatment center program to serve homeless individuals and individuals at risk of homelessness with substance abuse issues or mental illness.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates funds for homeless treatment program, directly increasing state budget allocation for public health services.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill appropriates funds for Department of Health to establish mental illness/substance abuse treatment centers, directly funding healthcare services for vulnerable populations.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill explicitly funds homeless treatment centers to address homelessness, directly advancing housing stability for vulnerable populations per topic description.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Substance Abuse Homelessness

Track

passed · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 511: RELATING TO HOUSING.

Clarifies that projects seeking exemptions from planning and development laws and rules may be modified by the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation under certain conditions. Authorizes HHFDC to make recommendations to appropriate Legislative bodies. Requires HHFDC or a county to accept an application seeking certain exemptions within thirty days, and to process the application within one hundred twenty days before final approval by a county legislative body for certain housing projects. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill streamlines housing project approvals via HHFDC, requiring 120-day processing timelines for exemptions, directly advancing affordable housing development as per subjects and summary.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Housing Finance Property Development

Track

passed · Hawaii · Senate Dec 8, 2025

SB 1133: RELATING TO HOUSING.

Authorizes certain counties to establish a rental unit price ceiling ordinance that prohibits a landlord from increasing the rental price of a dwelling unit at a rate that exceeds the percentage calculated and published by the county based on changes in the applicable Consumer Price Index. Beginning 8/1/2025, requires certain counties to annually calculate and publish the maximum rate at which a landlord may increase the rental price of a dwelling unit during the immediately succeeding twelve-month period. Establishes a nonrefundable Long-Term Residential Lease Tax Credit for taxpayers who own and lease a dwelling unit located in a county that has adopted a rental unit price ceiling ordinance to a person as the person's principal residence in the State pursuant to a lease agreement of a term of one year or longer. Allows the tax credit to be carried forward for up to three taxable years. Applies to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2025. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD2)

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill establishes rental price ceilings tied to CPI, directly protecting tenants from excessive rent hikes and advancing affordable housing affordability through mandatory county-level rent control.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Property Taxes Tenant Rights

Track

passed · Hawaii · Senate Jan 21, 2026

SR 1: AMENDING RULE 16 OF THE RULES OF THE SENATE OF THE THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, REGULAR SESSION OF 2026, OF THE STATE OF HAWAII.

SR 1 amends Senate Rule 16 to reorganize the Hawaii Senate's standing committees for the 2026 legislative session. It creates three new committees: Higher Education (HRE) for university funding and private higher education (excluding the Hawaii P-20 K-12 initiative), Housing (HOU) for affordable housing and homelessness programs, and Judiciary (JDC) for courts, crime, and civil liberties. The Education committee now excludes higher education funding, retaining oversight of K-12 initiatives like the Hawaii P-20 program. This procedural change adjusts how legislative work is assigned and reviewed within the Senate.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingCreates dedicated Housing committee (HOU) focused on 'affordable housing and homelessness programs,' indicating legislative prioritization of these housing issues.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Homelessness

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passed · Hawaii · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 2068: RELATING TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

Establishes the Affordable Housing Land Inventory Task Force within the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development to conduct a study, subject to legislative appropriation, on how to maximize housing development in transit-oriented development zones or other areas on state or county lands. Requires a report to the Legislature. Establishes a position. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/2050. (SD1)

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly appropriates funds for the Affordable Housing Land Inventory Task Force study, directly allocating budget resources to advance housing policy.92% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill establishes Affordable Housing Task Force to maximize development in transit zones, appropriates funds, and mandates report - directly advancing affordable housing goals.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill focuses on transit-oriented development zones to maximize housing near transit, promoting sustainable transportation integration through TOD strategy.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Affordable Housing Housing Finance Land Use

Track

in committee · Hawaii · House Dec 8, 2025

HB 654: RELATING TO SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREA MINOR PERMITS.

Amends the definition of "special management area minor permit", in section 205A-22, HRS, to mean an action by the applicable authority authorizing: (1) Development, the valuation of which does not exceed $1,000,000, and that has no substantial adverse environmental or ecological effect, taking into account potential cumulative effects; or (2) Construction or reconstruction of single-family residential use that is less than 7,500 square feet of floor area in aggregate; is situated on a shoreline parcel or a parcel that is impacted by waves, storm surges, high tide, or shoreline erosion; and is not part of a larger development.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingFacilitates single-family home construction under 7,500 sq ft, enabling housing development without restricting permits.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Development

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