| 45 | | - | WHEREAS, in 1995, the State of Hawaii was ordered to pay a $600,000,000 settlement to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for the misuse of Hawaiian home lands from 1959 to 1988; and WHEREAS, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands carries out Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaole's vision of returning native Hawaiians to Hawaiian home lands; and WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii has pledged $600,000,000 to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to assist in developing affordable housing; and WHEREAS, an investment of $600,000,000 toward the implementation of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act would represent a historic infusion of resources to address the needs of thousands of beneficiaries on the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands waiting list; and WHEREAS, multiple state-funded construction projects have failed to be completed in a timely manner and have failed to stay within their initially estimated budgets; and WHEREAS, the citizens of Hawaii are skeptical of the ability of the State and various departments to efficiently and cost effectively complete construction projects; and WHEREAS, thousands of potential beneficiaries have already been on the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands waiting list for decades and should be assured the $600,000,000 will be used effectively; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2022, that a Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Housing Construction Oversight Committee is established for the purpose of overseeing and regulating the use of the $600,000,000 pledged to assist in developing affordable housing; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the oversight committee is requested to develop and enforce a deadline for the construction and development of affordable housing to ensure cost effectiveness and efficiency; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the oversight committee is requested to operate under full transparency and uphold the State's sunshine law; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the oversight committee is requested to ensure the entire $600,000,000 is spent on the development of homesteads and upholds Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaole's vision; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Speaker of the House of Representatives is requested to appoint the following as members of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Housing Construction Oversight Committee: (1) One member of the House of Representatives from the majority party; (2) One member of the House of Representatives from the minority party; (3) A Native Hawaiian individual with expertise in Native Hawaiian traditional and customary practices and housing experience; (4) A deputy attorney general who has experience working with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; and (5) An individual with real estate development, business, and financial expertise; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and Chief Executive Officer of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Report Title: Establishes a Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Construction Oversight Committee. |
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| 45 | + | WHEREAS, in 1995, the State of Hawaii was ordered to pay a $600 million settlement to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for the misuse of Hawaiian home lands from 1959 to 1988; and WHEREAS, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands carries out Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalaniana'ole's vision of returning native Hawaiians to Hawaiian home lands; and WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii has pledged $600 million to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to assist in developing affordable housing; and WHEREAS, an investment of $600 million toward the implementation of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act would be a historic infusion of resources to address the needs of thousands of beneficiaries on the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands waiting list; and WHEREAS, multiple state funded construction projects have failed to be completed in a timely manner, and have failed to stay within the initially estimated budget; and WHEREAS, the citizens of Hawaii hold skepticism on the ability of the state and other departments to efficiently and cost effectively complete construction projects; and WHEREAS, thousands of potential beneficiaries have already been on Department of Hawaiian Home Lands waiting list for decades and should be afforded efficiency in the utilization of the $600 million; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2022, that this body appoint a Housing Construction Oversight Committee for the purpose of overseeing and regulating the use of the $600 million within the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the oversight committee develop and enforce a deadline for the construction and development of affordable housing to ensure cost effectiveness and efficiency; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the oversight committee operate under full transparency and uphold sunshine laws; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the oversight committee ensures all $600 million is spent on the development of homesteads and upholds Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalaniana'ole's vision; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Department Of Hawaiian Home Lands, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. OFFERED BY: _____________________________ Report Title: Requests the creation of a Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Construction Oversight Committee. |
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