HB 1298 Summary

• Establishes a Government Employee Housing Program within the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to create affordable rental housing units for government employees and the general public on state-owned land.

• Limits the program to one project on a transit-oriented development site, with priority given to newly hired permanent full-time state employees, followed by other state and county employees, and then the general public.

• Requires 60 percent of available units to serve government employees with incomes at or below 140 percent of the area median family income; employees who leave government employment may continue occupying units for up to 12 months.

• Appropriates $200,000 annually for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 for program administration, rules adoption, community engagement, and site planning.

• Appropriates $160,000 annually for the same fiscal years to establish one full-time equivalent position within the corporation; program takes effect July 1, 2025.