Bill > SB1592

This bill addresses Hawaii's housing crisis by appropriating $2,500,000 for each of two fiscal years (2025-2026 and 2026-2027) to the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to support HUD-certified housing counseling agencies. The funding aims to help asset limited, income constrained, employed (ALICE) households and other low-income residents by expanding outreach to underserved communities and providing critical services such as financial education workshops, homebuyer and renter education, personalized counseling, and eviction and foreclosure intervention. The bill recognizes that 40.5% of Hawaii households are cost-burdened, spending over 30% of their income on housing, and approximately 48% of households fall into the ALICE category or below. The legislation requires the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to submit a comprehensive report to the Legislature by November 1, 2027, detailing the number of clients served, types of counseling services provided, client outcomes, and potential legislative recommendations. The goal is to empower residents with knowledge and resources to achieve housing stability, prevent homelessness, and help families transition from public assistance to self-sustainability.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=1592&year=2026