H.B. 700 Summary

• Amends Act 234 (Session Laws of Hawaii 2016) to expand the definition of emergency shelters to serve homeless individuals previously housed who lost housing due to unforeseen circumstances, not just those displaced from public spaces.

• Redefines "emergency shelter" to provide temporary shelter for up to six months and establishes minimum facility standards including one shower, one sink, and one toilet per 25 residents.

• Changes homeless shelter stipend payment structure to allow annual adjustments based on performance measures achieved by provider agencies, with incentivized payments for meeting targeted outcomes and potential downward adjustments for failure to meet outcomes.

• Removes the Department of Human Services' authority to impose additional arbitrary requirements on shelters and instead requires coordination with shelter management to ensure residents receive needed services to obtain permanent housing.

• Appropriates funds for two permanent full-time program specialist IV positions in the Department of Human Services and for establishment, improvement, and operation of emergency and transitional shelters for fiscal years 2017-2018 and 2018-2019.