S.C.R. No. 136 Summary

• Requests the Department of Health to establish a Housing Equity and Wellness Task Force to study the effects of housing insecurity on mental health and well-being, with focus on vulnerable populations including the elderly.

• Directs the Task Force to conduct research on housing insecurity's impact on mental health and well-being among vulnerable populations, particularly elderly residents facing eviction and displacement.

• Requires the Task Force to submit a report with findings and recommendations, including proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the 2025 Regular Session.

• Identifies housing insecurity as a serious risk factor in Hawaii, citing that residents spend more income on rent than any other state and over 43 percent of households are renters spending nearly half their earnings on housing.

• Directs certified copies to be transmitted to the Director of Health, Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, Hawaii Public Housing Authority, and Hawaii State Council on Mental Health.