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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0613.001 2004-2006 ('ONSCi1~~VCl~: R. KIRR1 Tvosq W'ILI,InM Fi. SMI~I~II o+. •.?w t.~,~~n~ ci.,~ o.• , q• lkpugC~ounrv C7vrk ~,hJiy, ~r ~r~ o~•N~:P County of Kawai Of~ice o~~the County Clerk Z S gapuni .ti(revt Ndo, Hnwual J6720 Te1G~{mav (808) 96/ b'255 Fnesimi[e- /~40R) 961-X9;1 January 5, 2006 TO: Virginia Isbc,l, Council Vicc Chair FROM: Leslie Chow, Legislative Specialist Legislative Kescarch Branch THROUGH: William Smitli L. = Deputy County Clerk KF: Comments regarding: Resolution No. 234-00 "Resolution Declaring the Provision of nflurdable Workforce Housing to be a Burden and Responsibility of the Countp of Hawaii, Designating the Within-Mentioned Non-Profit Corporation as the. Key Fxitity in Assisting the County in Meeting this Burden and thereby Lessening such Burden, and Kecognizing that Without this Non-Profit Corporation the County itself would have to Undertake the Affordable Workforce Housing Acti~~ities that the Corporation Intends to Carry Ouf.° Background: In response to your reyuest, here are some comments regarding Resolution 234-06. ft is my understanding that this rc elution is needed to elTecUiate an arrangement which rcfates, among other things, to the developrocnt of an affordable housing project at Waikoloa. In the absence of detailed inhn~mation about this .u~rangcment. my comments arc based upon a reading oC ilic resolution on its Lace. l~hc rasulution doc~ not mention the pending arrangement or any housing project spccilically. Comm. No. 6~3• Ref. To: P~ese« Rif. Gate I 7l.n r.n i f'..m~, lv Li l~nn~il llnu~uh mnr !'~,n nr. ~ ~,i.i I-~,, i. ft does however, make sviceping policy statements, which among other things, assert that it is the County's role to provide affordable workforce housing in the County of Hawaii. (here is a significant and profound difference between the County bearing responsibility to provide versus promote affordable workforce housing. Some Basic Questions Raised by this Resolution: 1 _ "Now, drerefore, he it resolved, that the Council hereby declares the provision oJ'affordable workforce !rousing, including the housing for workers in the lanspitality industry in West Hawaii, to be a burden and responsibility of the Hawaii County government; ° (Paragraph 1 I ) !sit the council's intention to declcue that it is the County's responsibility to provide, rather than promote, affordable workforce housing in the entire Conn .much as it provides fire and police protection and maintains County roads? Por discussion sake, if the County assumes this responsibility, is it likewise the council's intention that the County should assume liability for failure to lulfill such respru~sibility? If not, suggest, the fhllowing amendment or similar revisions: '`Nrrw, thercibre, be it resolved, that the Council hereby declares the [ie>n] rn omotion of the development of affordable workforce housing, including [Eke] housing for workers in the hospitality industry in West Hawaii, to be a burden and responsibility of the Hawaii County government;..."' (Authority: secs. 1 I-2(2) & 11-2(4), Hawaii County Code) 2. "Be it further resolved, that the Counci[ hereby designates the Corporation as the key entity w/rose activities will assist ti:e Count)• in meeting its burden, and thereby wit/ lessen the County's burden;... " (Paragraph ] 2) !s it the council's intention to designate this "corporation" us the key entity to perform activities necessary to fulfill the County's "burden and responsibility" to provide affordable workforce housing thruuehout the County of Hawai`i`? If not, then could this paragraph he amended to more clearly establish what is intended/nccded? Fur example, `F3c it further resolved. that the Council hereby designates the Corporation ?s the key entity to assist in du ~cvel~~ment of the rzanre the cler~~nrrc~~/), whose activities will assist the County iu meeting its burden. and thereby will lessen the County's burden to fulfill its frmclion of_promoling thedevclgpmunl of affordable ~~~~rl:lorcchou,ing:_ - 3. "Be it further resolved, that the Council recogni; es that, without this Corporation, the County itsetf would have to undertake the afforda6te workforce housing activities that the Corporatiae intends to carry ouG" (Paragraph 13) Is this true? "Che affordable workforce housing activities contemplated by this resolution arc not limited to those in West Hawaii. (See paragraphs ] 1-12) At present, without this corporation, aren't other housing organizations, such as the Hawaii Island Housing llevelopment Corporation, assisting in the provision of affordable housing' 4. "Whereas, the County prefers to exercise its responsibilities through the creation of n new non-profit corporation (the "Corporation") that would sponsor and undertake affordable workforce housing development, rather than by having the Cowety itse[ffunction as a housing developer;..." (Paragraph 9) The County's role is described in the previous paragraph as, undertaking various programs and activities for the provision of low and moderate income housing. [s it the Council's intention to establish that this broad role will he delegated to this new `corporation"'? What will OHCD's role then hecome? 5. The title of this resolution restates paragraphs 1 I ~ 12. 11~these paragraphs arc amended, the title should also be amended. COUNTY OF HAWAI'°I ~ ' ~~~STATF, OF HAWAII RESOLUTION NO. 234 RESOLUTION DECLARING THB PROVISION Or AFFORDABLE WORKFORCE HOUSING TO BE A BURDEN AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII, DESIGNATING = THE WITHIN-MENTIONED NON-PROFIT CORPORATION AS THE KEY ENTITY IN ASSISTING THE COUNTY IN MEETING THIS BURDEN AND THEREBY LESSENING SUCH BURDEN, AND RECOGNIZING THAT WITHOUT THIS NON-PROFIT CORPORATION THE COUNTY ITSELF WOULD HAVE TO UNDERTAKE THE AFFORDABLE WORKFORCE HOUSING ACTIVITIES THAT THE CORPORATION INTENDS TO CARRY OUT WHEREAS, the leisure and hospitality industry is the largest source of employment irc the County of Hawaii and has the greatest potential for private sector economic growth and development there; and WHEREAS, the economy of West Hawaii in particular is primarily driven by the visitor or tourism industry; and WHEREAS, hotels iii West Hawaii are in need of workers, including cooks, maintenance workers, and experienced housekeeping and sales managers; and WHEREAS, there is a lack of affordable housing for such workers in West Hawaii, which has made it necessary for them to work two or three jobs, live in overcrowded or substandard conditions andlor commute from distanr_es of 50 miles or more; and WHEREAS, the lack cf affordable housing in West Hawaii has made it difficult to recruit workers from the eastern part of the island where unemployment is higher but housing is much more affordable; and WHEREAS, without additional affordable housing for average workers, many employers will be unable to recruit and retain critical employees to their organizations and thus will be unable to grow their businesses and organizations; and WHEREAS, Hawaii County, therefore, must take action to increase the supply of housing that is affordable to workers in the hospitality _ndustry in West Hawaii in order to facilitate the future economic development of this area and the Big Island as a whole; and WHEREAS, Hawaii state law nut-horizes the counties, as well as the Housing and Communit-~ Development Corporation. of Hawai i, to undertake various programs and activities for the provision of low and nodex?te ~_ncome housing, and WHEREAS, the County prefers to exercise its responsibilities through the creation cf a new non-profit corporation (the "Corporation") that would sponsor and undertake' affordable workforce housing development, rather than by having the County itself function as a housing developer; and WHEREAS, the Council expects the Corporation to be governed by a self-perpetuating board of directors that is independent of the County, but would include some County representatives who serve as ex- officio, non-voting members,, and the Corporation would be required to report to the County or, it's activities on an annual basis. NOW, THEREFORE, BE ST RESOLVED, that the Courrcil hereby declares the provision of affordable workforce housing, including the housing _ for workers in the hospitality industry in West Hawaii, to be a burden and responsibility of the Hawaii County government; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council hereby designates the Corporation as the key entity whose activities will assist the County in meeting its burden, and thereby will lessen the County's burden; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council recognizes that, without this Corporation, the County itself would have to undertake the affordable workforce housing activities that tyre Corporation intends to carry out. Dated at Hilo, Hawaii, this day of 200 INTRODUCED BY: COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNTY OF HAWAI I COUNTY COUNCIL ROLL CALL VOTE County of Hawaii - Hilo, Hawai~r AYES NOES ABS EX ARAKAKI I hereby certify that the foregoing RESOLUTION was by the HtGA vote indicated to the right hereof adopted by the COUNCIL of HoFFMANN the County of Hawaii on _ HoLSCHUH 1 IKEDA ATTEST: [seEL[ ~ ~ACOBSOra PtLA~o SAFAk(k Reference C-613/Waived CHA COUNTti' CLERK CIL4IRMAN & PRESIDING OFFICER RESOLLITTON N0.~34 i~~