HB1714 • 2026

RELATING TO HOUSING.

Housing Labor

Active

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

Sponsor: MIYAKE, AMATO, EVSLIN, ILAGAN, KAHALOA, KEOHOKAPU-LEE LOY, KILA, KUSCH, TARNAS
Last action: 2026-02-20
Official status: Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with Representative(s) Alcos, Gedeon, Shimizu voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Muraoka voting no (2) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not specify the exact amount by which salaries will increase, only that they are capped at or below certain levels.

Housing Corporation Salary and Employment Rules

This bill increases the salary cap for the executive director and deputy executive director of Hawaii's housing finance corporation, renames an existing position to Deputy Executive Director with a new salary cap, and limits employment contracts to two years without legislative approval.

What This Bill Does

Increases the maximum salary for the Executive Director of the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation (HHFDC) to match the Governor's salary.
Changes the title of the Executive Assistant at HHFDC to Deputy Executive Director, with a new salary cap set at 95% of the Executive Director's pay.
Limits employment contracts for both HHFDC and Hawaii Public Housing Authority (HPHA) employees to two years unless approved by the state legislature.

Who It Names or Affects

The Executive Director and Deputy Executive Director at HHFDC
HHFDC and HPHA employees

Terms To Know

Executive Director: The top leader of an organization who oversees its operations.
Deputy Executive Director: A high-ranking official who assists the Executive Director and may take over their duties when needed.

Limits and Unknowns

It is unclear how much more money will be spent on salaries.
The effectiveness of limiting employment contracts to two years without legislative approval remains uncertain.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HD1

Hawaii published version HD1

Plain English: This amendment increases the salary cap for key positions at the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, gives it more control over hiring decisions, and limits employment contracts to two years without legislative approval.

Gives the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation autonomy in personnel matters, including setting salaries and filling positions.
Increases the salary cap for the executive director of the corporation to match the governor's salary and creates a deputy executive director position with a higher salary than before.
Limits employment contracts for both the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation and the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to two years without legislative approval.

The amendment text does not specify how much the new salary cap will be for the deputy executive director, only that it is higher than before.
The effective date of July 1, 3000 appears incorrect and may need to be corrected in future versions.

Bill History

2026-02-20 H
Report adopted; referred to the committee(s) on FIN with Representative(s) Alcos, Gedeon, Shimizu voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Muraoka voting no (2) and Representative(s) Quinlan excused (1).
2026-02-20 H
Reported from LAB (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 645-26), recommending referral to FIN.
2026-02-19 H
The committee on LAB recommend that the measure be PASSED, UNAMENDED. The votes were as follows: 5 Ayes: Representative(s) Sayama, Lee, M., Garrett, Kapela; Ayes with reservations: Representative(s) Reyes Oda; Noes: none; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Kong.
2026-02-17 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by LAB on Thursday, 02-19-26 9:30AM in House conference room 309 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-02-10 H
Passed Second Reading as amended in HD 1 and referred to the committee(s) on LAB with Representative(s) Shimizu voting aye with reservations; Representative(s) Garcia, Gedeon, Muraoka voting no (3) and none excused (0).
2026-02-09 H
Reported from HSG (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 120-26) as amended in HD 1, recommending passage on Second Reading and referral to LAB.
2026-02-04 H
The committee on HSG recommend that the measure be PASSED, WITH AMENDMENTS. The votes were as follows: 7 Ayes: Representative(s) Evslin, Miyake, Cochran, Grandinetti, Kila, La Chica, Pierick; Ayes with reservations: none; 1 Noes: Representative(s) Muraoka; and 1 Excused: Representative(s) Kitagawa.
2026-01-30 H
Bill scheduled to be heard by HSG on Wednesday, 02-04-26 9:00AM in House conference room 430 VIA VIDEOCONFERENCE.
2026-01-26 H
Referred to HSG, LAB, FIN, referral sheet 1
2026-01-21 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2026-01-20 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO HOUSING.
HHFDC; HPHA; Executive Director Salary; Deputy Executive Director; Employment Contracts
Provides the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation with autonomy in personnel matters. Increases the salary cap for the Executive Director and Deputy Executive Director of the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation. Renames the Executive Assistant of the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation the Deputy Executive Director. Prohibits the extension of any employment contract of the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation and Hawaii Public Housing Authority beyond two years without legislative approval. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1714

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1714

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to Housing
.

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

����
SECTION 1.
�
The
legislature finds that the Hawaii housing finance and development corporation and
the Hawaii public housing authority both provide critical services to address
Hawaii's affordable housing crisis.
�
The Hawaii
housing finance and development corporation oversees the financing of
affordable housing and the Hawaii public housing authority manages the public
housing programs and housing choice vouchers.
�
Through these two entities, the supply of
affordable housing in Hawaii has grown, with billions of dollars financed and more
than six thousand public housing units currently being managed.

����
The legislature further finds that the
executive directors of the two entities face different compensation limitations,
with the executive director of the housing authority being paid no more than
the governor, and the executive director of the development corporation being
paid a lower salary of not more than the director of business, economic
development, and tourism--a difference of more than $10,000.
�
In addition, the salary of the executive
assistant of the development corporation is also capped at a percentage of the
executive director's salary.

����
The legislature believes that increasing certain
salary caps will help the State compete with the private sector for highly
skilled individuals and further increase the supply of affordable housing in
Hawaii.

����
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to
increase the salary cap for the executive director of the Hawaii housing finance
and development corporation to an amount that does not exceed the governor's
salary, while also increasing the salary cap for the executive assistant.

����
SECTION 2.
�

Section 201H-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending
subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows:

����
"(a)
�
There is established the Hawaii housing
finance and development corporation to be placed within the department of
business, economic development, and tourism for administrative purposes only[
.
]
;
provided that the corporation shall have autonomy in personnel matters,
including establishing and filling positions and setting salaries.

�
The corporation shall be a public body and a
body corporate and politic.

����
(b)
�
The
corporation shall employ, exempt from chapter 76 and section 26-35(a)(4), an
executive director and [
an executive assistant.
]
a deputy executive
director.

�
The executive director
shall be paid a salary not to exceed the salary of the [
director of
business, economic development, and tourism.
]
governor.

�
The [
executive assistant
]
deputy
executive director
shall be paid a salary not to exceed [
ninety
]
ninety-five

per cent of the executive director's salary.
�

The corporation may employ, subject to chapter 76, technical experts and
officers, agents, and employees, permanent and temporary, as required.
�
The corporation may also employ officers,
agents, and employees, prescribe their duties and qualifications, and fix their
salaries, not subject to chapter 76, when in the determination of the
corporation, the services to be performed are unique and essential to the
execution of the functions of the corporation.
�
Unless approved by the legislature by
concurrent resolution, the corporation shall not offer any employment contract
that exceeds two years.

�
The
corporation may call upon the attorney general for legal services as it may
require.
�
The corporation may delegate to
one or more of its agents or employees its powers and duties as it deems
proper."

����
SECTION
3
.
�
Section 356D-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

����
"(b)
�

The authority shall employ, exempt from chapter 76 and section
26-35(a)(4), an executive director, an executive assistant, a chief financial
management advisor, a property management branch chief, a chief planner, and a
redevelopment officer, whose salaries shall be set by the board established
under section 356D-3; provided that no salary shall exceed the governor's
salary.
�
The authority may employ,
subject to chapter 76, technical experts and officers, agents, and
employees, permanent or temporary, as required.
�

The authority may also employ officers, agents, and employees; prescribe
their duties and qualifications; and fix their salaries, not subject to chapter
76, when in the determination of the authority, the services to be performed
are unique and essential to the execution of the functions of the authority;
provided that if the authority hires an officer, agent, or employee in a
capacity not subject to chapter 76, the authority shall include in an annual
report to the legislature, to be submitted not later than twenty days prior to
the convening of each regular session, the position descriptions and reasons
for hiring the personnel in a civil service exempt capacity.
�
Unless approved by the legislature by
concurrent resolution, the authority shall not offer any employment contract
that exceeds two years.
�
The
authority may call upon the attorney general for legal services as it may
require.
�
The authority may delegate to
one or more of its agents or employees the powers and duties it deems proper."

����
SECTION 4.
�

Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory material is underscored.

����
SECTION 5.
�

This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

HHFDC; HPHA;
Executive Director Salary; Executive Assistant; Employment Contract

Description:

Increases
the salary cap of the Executive Director of Hawaii Housing Finance and
Development Corporation to an amount that does not exceed the Governor's
salary.
�
Renames the Executive Assistant
to the Deputy Executive Director and increases that position's salary cap to
95% of the Executive Director salary.
�

Prohibits HHFDC and Hawaii Public Housing Authority employment contracts
that exceed 2 years, unless approved by the Legislature.
�
Provides HHFDC with autonomy in personnel
matters.

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