| 41 | | - | WHEREAS, the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to an unprecedented economic crisis that decimated Hawaii's economy and caused its gross domestic product to plummet; and WHEREAS, the drastic decline in economic activity disproportionately affected the State's most vulnerable populations; and WHEREAS, the forced shutdown of many sectors of the State's economy triggered mass layoffs and furloughs causing the State's seasonally adjusted unemployment to surge from 2.4 percent in March 2020 to a historical high of 22.3 percent in April 2020; and WHEREAS, record unemployment, mass layoffs and furloughs, and increased daily expenses for Hawaii residents exacerbated issues already being faced by renter households due to historically high housing cost burdens; and WHEREAS, economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the burden on renter households, as more than eleven thousand Hawaii tenants fell behind on rent payments and forty percent of rental tenants lost their jobs; and WHEREAS, while the dissemination of COVID-19 vaccines has allowed Hawaii's economy to slowly rebound from the devastating impacts of mass layoffs and economic shutdowns, data from the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization showed that the number of individuals facing homelessness will rise; and WHEREAS, the decline and cessation of COVID-19 pandemic-related aid, subsidies, and relief for Hawaii's residents, including renter households, will increase significant challenges to households struggling to attain jobs, make payments on past due rent, and return to normal life; and WHEREAS, in February 2022, inflation in the United States hit a record 7.5 percent, increasing the burden on Hawaii residents who are continuing to struggle from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic; and WHEREAS, immediate action is imperative to mitigate the affordable housing crisis that is both ongoing and exacerbated by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2022, that the Department of Land and Natural Resources, through the State Historic Preservation Division, is requested to contract its review of proposed state projects, projects on privately-owned historic property, and projects affecting historic properties to third-party consultants if the projects involve the development of affordable housing; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that after an initial evaluation, if the Department of Land and Natural Resources is not able to provide its written concurrence or non-concurrence within sixty days of the filing of the request, the Department of Land and Natural Resources is requested to contract a third-party consultant to conduct the review; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Land and Natural Resources is requested to receive pre-approval of the appropriate island burial council before contracting services with a third-party consultant; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department is requested to contract third-party consultants who meet the educational and experiences standards and qualifications for preservation professionals as determined by the State Historic Preservation Division Rules; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that third-party consultants are requested to provide a recommendation to the Department of Land and Natural Resources within thirty days of the filing of the request with the Department of Land and Natural Resources; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Land and Natural Resources is requested to submit its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2023; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources; Administrator of the State Historic Preservation Division; and Island Burial Councils of Hawaii, Kauai and Niihau, Maui and Lanai, Molokai, and Oahu. Report Title: Department of Land and Natural Resources; State Historic Preservation District; Island Burial Councils; Contract Services; Affordable Housing |
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| 41 | + | WHEREAS, the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to an unprecedented economic crisis that decimated Hawaii's economy and caused its gross domestic product to plummet; and WHEREAS, the drastic decline in economic activity disproportionately affected the State's most vulnerable populations; and WHEREAS, the forced shutdown of many sectors of the State's economy triggered mass layoffs and furloughs causing the State's seasonally adjusted unemployment to surge from 2.4 percent in March 2020 to a historical high of 22.3 percent in April 2020; and WHEREAS, record unemployment, mass layoffs and furloughs, and increased daily expenses for Hawaii residents exacerbated issues already being faced by renter households due to historically high housing cost burdens; and WHEREAS, economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the burden on renter households, as more than eleven thousand Hawaii tenants fell behind on rent payments and forty percent of rental tenants lost their jobs; and WHEREAS, while the dissemination of COVID-19 vaccines has allowed Hawaii's economy to slowly rebound from the devastating impacts of mass layoffs and economic shutdowns, data from the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization showed that the number of individuals facing homelessness will rise; and WHEREAS, the decline and cessation of COVID-19 pandemic-related aid, subsidies, and relief for Hawaii's residents, including renter households, will increase significant challenges to households struggling to attain jobs, make payments on past due rent, and return to normal life; and WHEREAS, in February 2022, inflation in the United States hit a record 7.5 percent, increasing the burden on Hawaii residents who are continuing to struggle from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic; and WHEREAS, immediate action is imperative to mitigate the affordable housing crisis that is both ongoing and exacerbated by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2022, that the Department of Land and Natural Resources, through the State Historic Preservation Division, is requested to contract its review of proposed state projects, projects on privately owned historic property, and projects affecting historic properties to third party consultants if the projects involve the development of affordable housing; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that after an initial evaluation, if the Department of Land and Natural Resources is not able to provide its written concurrence or non-concurrence within sixty days of the filing of the request, the Department of Land and Natural Resources is requested to contract a third-party consultant to conduct the review; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Land and Natural Resources is requested to receive pre-approval of the appropriate island burial council before contracting services with a third-party consultant; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department is requested to contract third-party consultants who meet the educational and experiences standards and qualifications for preservation professionals as determined by the State Historic Preservation Division Rules; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that third-party consultants are requested to provide a recommendation to the Department of Land and Natural Resources within thirty days of the filing of the request with the Department of Land and Natural Resources; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Land and Natural Resources is requested to submit its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2023; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources; Administrator of the State Historic Preservation Division; Island Burial Councils of Hawaii, Kauai and Niihau, Maui and Lanai, Molokai, and Oahu. OFFERED BY: _____________________________ Report Title: Department of Land and Natural Resources; State Historic Preservation District; Island Burial Councils; Contract Services; Affordable Housing |
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