Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 33, Number 2, 1 February 2016 — Homelessness, housing top legislative agenda [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Homelessness, housing top legislative agenda

By Garett Kamemoto Hawai'i state lawmakers are pledging to take action to address homelessness and affordable housing. The 2016 session of the Legislature opened Jan. 20 with mueh less fanfare than in previous years as leaders have decided to pull back on celebrations in the second year of every two-year legislative cycle. Lawmakers kept the opening session relatively brief, with little entertainment and a commitment to get down to business right away. Along with the homeless crisis, lawmakers pledged to work toaether without the animus

that has plagued politics elsewhere. Here are some highlights of the opening day speeches: ON AFFORDABLE H0USING AND HOMELESSNESS: "Homelessness seems as entrenched as any issue we've faced in recent times. However, the City and State have been working with many agencies and nonprofit organizations to shape a multipronged approach to assisting these individuals. We need to support those efforts — not timidly but emphatically with sufficient funds to meet those needs. And the same should go for the creation of more affordable homes and rentals." - Rep. Joseph Souki, Speaker. "We will commit to allocating specific financial resources intended

to increase the supply of housing for certain homeless individuals and families within the next 12 months. We will explore options to support nonprofit providers

and state and county initiatives to quickly rehouse homeless individuals and families, while minimizing the dislocation of homeless individuals, families, and communities." - Senate Majority Priorities ON W0RKING T0GETHER: "People don't need lofty and dogmatic statements that have no basis in substantive policy. As an elected official, even I am tired of

hearing poliīicians focus on flashy topics and grandiose declarations instead of actionable commitments. Politics, at its heart, is simply the art of organizing our shared

lives together. . . . In that spirit, Mr. Speaker, I ammaking a commitment to you, and to the rest of this body, that for this session, as the Minority Leader, I will not criticize any measure on this floor without also articulating an alternative solution to the problem the introducer is trying to address." - Rep. Beth Fukumoto Chang, House Minority Leader. "The function of the democracy is

I to embrace dissent and minority opinion to ensure that someone who has a differing opinion is not afraid to eome forward and | express those points of view. B ut at the end of the day, the primary function of the democracy is that the majority of us carry the day and move forward. So let us hope as we move forward in the 2016 Session we will be able to achieve those goals." - Sen. Ronald Kouehi, President. ON AGGOUNTABILITY: "The Legislature must be ■ more accountable for unfulfilled promises, wasted tax ' money, poorly written contracts and unenforceable leaislation.

The Legislature is accountable for failing to penalize poor performance by government and/or excusing individual bad or corrupt behavior. We are honored to represent the people of Hawai'i and to earn their trust and respect, but we must do a better job of oversight. Especially fiscal oversight. Billions of taxpayer dollars have been wasted on our watch because we haven't held government agencies accountable for delays, waste and mismanagement." - Sen. Sam Slom, Minority Leader. Meanwhile, Sen. Gil Kahele was in the hospital and did not attend opening day ceremonies. Kouehi told his colleagues, "Sen. Kahele would like to say 'Mahalo nui loa' for the support, thoughts and prayers and he looks forward to returning to his Senate duties." ■

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LEGISLATIVE SESSI0N

Speaker Joe Souki addresses the House of Representatives on opening day. - Photo: Courtesy