SUBJECT:  REAL PROPERTY, Empty Homes Tax

BILL NUMBER:  SB 2216, SD-1

INTRODUCED BY:  Senate Committee on Housing

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Establishes an empty homes conveyance tax against certain residential property owners who own a vacant residential unit in the State.

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SUBJECT:  REAL PROPERTY; Infrastructure Improvement District Surcharge

BILL NUMBER:  SB 2054, SD-1

INTRODUCED BY: Senate Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:   Establishes a $7.50 per $1000 value in annual surcharge on property taxes on parcels within an infrastructure improvement district that are sold or developed after an appropriation is made to improve the infrastructure of that district. Authorizes the counties to retain a portion of the surcharge for administrative expenses.

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SUBJECT:  REAL PROPERTY; Land Development

BILL NUMBER:  SB 3104, SD-1

INTRODUCED BY: Senate Committees on Housing & Water & Land

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:   Exempts from the definition of public lands, lands set aside by the governor or leased by any state department or agency to the Hawaii housing finance and development corporation for a period not to exceed ninety-nine years, for the primary purposes of developing affordable housing. Requires the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to submit a report to the legislature that identifies all state lands that may be developed for multi-unit dwellings. Requires the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation to submit a program to the Legislature by December 31, 2020, which addresses various housing concerns, including the steps necessary to end the State’s housing shortage. Authorizes the issuance of $200,000,000 in general obligation bonds, with the proceeds used for the establishment of infrastructure to support the development of housing on lands near the University of Hawaii West Oahu campus. Authorizes the issuance of $75,000,000 in general obligation bonds, with the proceeds used for affordable housing infrastructure in counties with a resident population of 500,000 or less. Appropriates $500,000 for 3 full time equivalent (FTE) project manager positions. Authorizes a state or county department or agency to petition the appropriate county land use decision-making authority, rather than the Land Use Commission, for a change in the boundary of a district involving land areas between 15 acres and 25 acres where the majority of the square footage of the development will be for affordable housing. Authorizes the State Historic Preservation Division to delegate the responsibility of historic preservation project reviews to the impacted county. Establishes the Office of the Housing Advocate. Removes the existing statutory cap on the amount of conveyance tax revenues that are deposited into the rental housing revolving fund each fiscal year.

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SUBJECT:  REAL PROPERTY, CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, Real Property Tax Surcharge to Fund Infrastructure Improvements Near Rapid Transit Stations

BILL NUMBER:  SB 2074, SD-1

INTRODUCED BY:  Senate Committee on Judiciary

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Allows the legislature to impose a surcharge on real property tax to fund infrastructure improvements near rapid transit stations.  Limits should be written into the amendment or the voters should be apprised that they are voting only on granting power to the legislature to impose a state level real property tax surcharge, with no limitations on that power.

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SUBJECT:  REAL PROPERTY; Infrastructure Improvement District Surcharge

BILL NUMBER:  SB 2054

INTRODUCED BY: DELA CRUZ, KEITH-AGARAN, Kidani, Shimabukuro

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:   Establishes a $7.50 per $1000 value in annual surcharge on property taxes on parcels within an infrastructure improvement district that are sold or developed after an appropriation is made to improve the infrastructure of that district. Authorizes the counties to retain a portion of the surcharge for administrative expenses.

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SUBJECT:  REAL PROPERTY, Empty Homes Tax

BILL NUMBER:  SB 2216

INTRODUCED BY:  S. CHANG, FEVELLA, KANUHA, MORIWAKI, K. RHOADS, RUDERMAN, Dela Cruz

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Imposes an empty homes tax against residential property owners who own a vacant residential unit.  This measure is of questionable constitutionality because our state constitution gives the counties the exclusive right to impose real property tax.

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