Bill > SB1415

This bill removes existing tenant selection preferences for disabled veterans and spouses of deceased veterans in Hawaii's State Low-Income Housing Program to align state law with federal public housing requirements. Currently, veterans with a permanent disability of ten percent or more, as certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and their dependent parents were given priority in housing selection. The bill eliminates this specific preference while maintaining that the housing authority can still select tenants based on greatest need and subject to federal law. The bill notes that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program already provides rental assistance and supportive services for homeless veterans, which may have influenced the decision to remove state-level veteran housing preferences. The legislation will take effect immediately upon approval, and the only remaining tenant selection limitations are that the housing authority cannot select a tenant who owns or acquires a home within the state, and must adhere to any federal housing law restrictions.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=1415&year=2026