REP GOEAC 114 2026-04-07 2024-2026

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REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS DATE: April 7, 2026 PLACE: Council Chambers Hilo, Hawaii TIME: 9:00 a.m. Council Chair and Members Hawaii County Council Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Re: Comm. No. 792/Res. No. 497-26 Your Committee on Governmental Operations and External Affairs, to which was referred Resolution No. 497-26, reports as follows: Resolution No. 497-26, transmitted by Housing Administrator Kehaulani M. Costa, via Communication No. 792, dated March 18, 2026, authorizes the Mayor to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development ( HUD) to receive grants for activities and projects in the 2026 Annual Action Plan to be used by the Office of Housing and Community Development. This resolution allows for the receipt of $2,970,000 in federally derived funds to be used for activities and projects in the 2026 Annual Action Plan. Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD) Specialist Royce Shiroma was present in Hilo to answer questions. Mr. Shiroma began by providing background about this resolution to enter into the agreement with HUD. He explained that it is an annual plan that serves as an application to HUD for these various grants and funds. He then summarized the grant awardees and projects. Committee Chair Jenn Kagiwada asked Mr. Shiroma to give an explanation of the broad categories for these grant funds. Mr. Shiroma said that every five years their office has meetings where they ask the public what are their priorities and needs. He said that based on that input they determine the needs for the next five-year period. The current period, from 2024 until 2029 the priorities include affordable housing, public facilities improvements, infrastructure in support of housing, meeting federal mandates such as Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements, homeless prevention and services, public service to address community needs, economic development, and disaster relief. These are all applicable areas they can address with these funds. He said that they ranked all of the items listed above as high priority areas and the two non -high priority areas are non -housing infrastructure and non-residential historical preservation. Committee Member Ashley L. Kierkiewicz disclosed her involvement on the Capital Campaign Committee of the YWCA of Hawaii Island, so that the nature of that relationship is noted for the record. She explained that as a Council Member she had no influence over how these funds were awarded by OHCD. Member Kierkiewicz then inquired that if due to the uncertainty of the federal funding, would receiving any of the allocated funds be in jeopardy? Mr. Shiroma said these grant funds were initially eliminated by President Trump's budget and then Congress restored them GOEAC Report No. 114