Bill > SB68

This bill establishes a new Department of Housing in Hawaii to consolidate and streamline housing-related agencies and functions. The new department will be headed by a director and will be responsible for comprehensive housing policy, planning, and development across all income levels. Specifically, the bill transfers four existing entities—the Hawaii Community Development Authority, Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, and Hawaii Public Housing Authority—into the new Department of Housing for administrative purposes. The department will have broad responsibilities including housing policy development, infrastructure planning, community building, affordable housing promotion, and collaboration with local officials and community groups. The bill ensures that transferred employees will retain their current job status, benefits, and seniority during the transition. Additionally, the legislation updates various state statutes to reflect the new department's creation, replacing references to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and the Department of Human Services with the new Department of Housing. The new department is designed to reduce bureaucratic redundancies and create a more efficient approach to addressing Hawaii's housing challenges, with the effective date set for July 1, 2050.

Budget and Finance, Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=68&year=2026