HB2461 Summary

• Establishes a Hawaii County Homeless Villages program within the Department of Human Services to construct 50 homes (25 in Kona, 25 in Hilo) providing Housing First model services to homeless individuals and families within two years.

• Requires each home to contain at least 300 square feet, electricity with lighting, and eight electrical outlets, with construction costs not exceeding $15,000 per home, and establishes rent and utility costs based on resident income (free for those with no income, 20% of gross income for those with income).

• Waives all state permitting and construction fees for the homeless villages program and establishes two homeless assessment centers in Hawaii County modeled after the Kakaako family assessment center.

• Appropriates $1,187,500 for fiscal year 2018-2019 for construction and $1,360,000 for operations and maintenance of the villages and assessment centers.

• Provides civil liability immunity for state employees and volunteers providing housing or services to homeless persons acting in good faith, and creates the homeless villages special fund to be funded by mortgage foreclosure filing fees.