NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Pursuant to Sections 91-2 and 92-41, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), the Hawaii Public Housing Authority (HPHA), Department of Human Services, hereby provides notice that it will hold a public hearing on Chapter 17-2031, Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR), entitled “Section 8 – Housing Choice Voucher and Project Based Voucher Program.”

Background: The HPHA is proposing the following amendments to Chapter 17-2031, HAR:
(A) Amend section 17-2031-25 to remove preference priority tiers and all local preference categories except for persons experiencing homelessness or who experienced homelessness within the last 12 months;
(B) Adopt section 17-2031-30.1 to allow for the admission of families with special preferences, without consideration of the waiting list status and provided there is adequate voucher assistance available. Families qualifying for special preferences include:
(1) A federal public housing family that is involuntarily displaced for reasons such as (i) public housing modernization activities; or (ii) an emergency where the conditions of a dwelling unit, building, or project pose an immediate, verifiable threat to the lives, health, or safety of the family, and there are no suitable public housing dwelling units available;
(2) A federal public housing family that is approved for a transfer as a reasonable accommodation to a dwelling unit with special accessibility features, but the HPHA does not have an appropriate dwelling unit within its inventory that meets the family’s needs, and the family has waited over one year;
(3) A federal public housing family that includes a member who is a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, reprisal, or a hate crime and who cannot be transferred safely to another public housing dwelling unit;
(4) A federal public housing family that is under-housed, and the authority does not have an appropriately sized dwelling unit available or within its inventory; and
(5) A family that was previously issued a Special Purpose Voucher and experienced a loss of income because of (i) insufficient funding; or (ii) the eligible member of the family exceeded the maximum allowable age for the applicable SPV; and
(C) Amend Section 17-2031-3 to make technical, non-substantive changes.

Public Review: The proposed amendments to Chapter 17-2031, HAR, are available for public viewing at the HPHA School Street Administrative Campus and the site management offices on weekdays between 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

HPHA Administrative and Section 8 Offices, 1002 North School Street, Honolulu
Oahu: Puuwai Momi Office, 99-132 Kohomua Street, Aiea
Oahu: Kalihi Valley Homes Office, 2250 Kalena Drive, Honolulu
Oahu: Mayor Wright Homes Office, 521 North Kukui Street, Honolulu
Oahu: Kalakaua Homes Office, 1545 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu
Oahu: Kalanihuia Office, 1220 Aala Street, Honolulu
Oahu: Hale Poai Office, 1001 North School Street, Honolulu
Oahu: Waimaha Sunflower Office: 85-186 McArthur Street, Waianae
Oahu: Koolau Village Office: 45-1027 Kamau Place, Kaneohe
Oahu: Kauhale Nani Office: 310 North Cane Street, Wahiawa
Oahu: Palolo Valley Homes Office: 2107 Ahe Street, Honolulu
Oahu: Kuhio Homes Office: 1475 Linapuni Street, Honolulu
Hawaii: Lanakila Homes Office, 600 Wailoa Street, Hilo
Hawaii: Ka Hale Kahaluu Office, 78-6725 Makolea Street, Kailua-Kona
Hawaii: Noelani II Office, 65-1191 Opelo Road, Kamuela
Kauai: Kapaa Office, 4726 Malu Road, Kapaa
Maui: Kahekili Terrace, 2015 Holowai Place, Wailuku
Molokai: Kahale Mua, Maunaloa, Molokai

Digital copies of the draft rules are also available on the HPHA’s website at:
https://hpha.hawaii.gov/rules-policies

The public hearing will take place on:

Monday, May 20, 2024, at 5:00 p.m.

Remote Meeting:
The public may participate in the public hearing electronically via Zoom using the following link: https://zoom.us/j/83624921041.
When prompted, enter the Meeting ID: 836 2492 1041, and the Password: 5CxRHi.

Alternatively, the public may participate via telephone by calling 1-719-359-4580. When prompted, callers should enter the Meeting ID: 836 2492 1041, and the Password: 966054. The HPHA requests that meeting participants show their first and last name.

Physical Meeting Location:
The public may attend the public hearing at 1002 North School Street, Building A Conference Room, Honolulu, Hawaii 96817, which will also be connected to the remote meeting via Zoom.

Written comments may be presented to the presiding officer at the public hearing, or mailed to the HPHA, Attention: PEO Public Hearing, at 1002 North School Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96817. Written comments may also be faxed to (808) 832-4679 or sent by electronic mail to hpha@hawaii.gov. Written comments not presented at the public hearing should be received by the HPHA’s Administrative Office by
4:30 p.m. on May 20, 2024.

(SA/HTH/WHT/TGI1451880 4/19/24)