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HB1488 • 2026

RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS.

RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS.

Budget
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
OLDS, AMATO, BELATTI, KAHALOA, LEE, M., MARTEN, MURAOKA, PERRUSO, POEPOE, SOUZA, TAKAYAMA, TAM, WOODSON
Last action
2025-12-08
Official status
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on how the additional funding will be spent, nor does it explicitly state that the bill aims to support moving homeless individuals into housing.

Funding for Homelessness Programs

This bill provides additional funding to the Department of Human Services' Homeless Programs Office to address homelessness in Hawaii.

What This Bill Does

  • Appropriates $8,175,000 in addition to the base budget for the Homeless Programs Office for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Homeless individuals in Hawaii
  • Service providers working with the Homeless Programs Office

Terms To Know

Appropriation
Money given by the government to fund a specific program or service.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how the additional funding will be spent.
  • It is unclear if this funding increase alone will fully cover rising costs and service needs.

Bill History

  1. 2025-12-08 D

    Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.

  2. 2025-01-27 H

    Referred to HSH, FIN, referral sheet 4

  3. 2025-01-23 H

    Introduced and Pass First Reading.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS.
Homeless Services; Department of Human Services; Homeless Programs Office; Appropriation ($)
Appropriates funds in addition to the base budget of the Department of Human Services' Homeless Programs Office to address the need for homeless services in the State.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB1488

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1488

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to homelessness
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION
1.
�
The legislature finds that
homelessness has and continues to remain a persistent problem throughout the
State.
�
To address homelessness in the
State, the department of human services' homeless programs office contracts
with homeless service providers to provide homeless outreach, shelter, case
management, and all of the attendant services to transition homeless
individuals from the street to transitional housing and ultimately to some form
of supportive or permanent housing.

����
The
legislature further finds that except for an appropriation made in the regular
session of 2024 for a five per cent budget increase, there has been no increase
in funding for the department of human services' homeless service contracts for
over ten years, even as costs for wages, utilities, and all administrative
services of running all businesses have increased.
�
Additionally, the five per cent increase into
the base budget of the homeless programs office in 2024 was insufficient to
cover full program costs and the rising costs of living for providers.

����
As a
result, homeless service providers contracted with the homeless programs office
have attempted to fill funding shortfalls through their own fundraising efforts
but can no longer bridge the expanding gap.
�
If state funding is not increased to meet
actual service delivery costs, contracted homeless service providers will be
forced to either decline contracts or reduce essential services, despite rising
community needs.

����
The
purpose of this Act is to increase the base budget of the department of human
services' homeless programs office to address the need for homeless services
and ensure that these organizations can address the high cost of living for
their employees so that the critical work with Hawaii's homeless populations is
maintained.

����
SECTION
2.
�
There is appropriated out of the
general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $8,175,000 or so much
thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2025-2026 and the same sum or so
much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for homeless
programs in the State; provided that the appropriated amount shall be in
addition to the homeless programs office's base budget of $27,250,000 for
fiscal year 2025-2026.

����
The sums

appropriated shall be expended by the department
of human services for the purposes of this Act.

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Homeless
Services; Department of Human Services; Homeless Programs Office; Appropriation

Description:

Appropriates
funds in addition to the base budget of the
Department of Human Services'
Homeless Programs Office to address the need for homeless services in the
State.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.