RELATING TO HOMELESSNESS.

SB2557

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2557

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to homelessness
.

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

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SECTION 1.
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The
legislature finds it is the duty of the statewide office on homelessness and
housing solutions to "develop and test innovative solutions to prevent and
end homelessness in the State".
�

Since its establishment in 2023, $112,452,080 in general funds and
$24,400,000 in general obligation bond funds have been appropriated for the
statewide office on homelessness and housing solutions.

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Despite the efforts and appropriations made
in prior legislative sessions, the 2024 Homeless Point in Time count for Oahu
noted a twelve per cent increase in the total number of people who experienced
homelessness.
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Further, according to
Honolulu Civil Beat, there were more homeless deaths on Oahu in the first
eleven months of 2025 than the annual average for the prior five years.
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These figures indicate that more oversight is
needed on the expenditure of public funds to address homelessness.

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Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to
clarify reporting requirements of the statewide office on homelessness and
housing solutions.

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SECTION
2
.
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Section 346-388, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

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"[
[
]
�
346-388[
]
]
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Duties and responsibilities.
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The office shall:

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(1)
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Identify and address gaps in the homeless
service system by:

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(A)
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Developing
a standard strategy for coordinated entry, needs assessment, and allocation of
services and housing types to create pathways to permanent assisted and
independent housing;

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(B)
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Working
with state departments and agencies to develop and maintain multi-year
strategic and tactical plans and road maps as a part of the Hawaii interagency
council on homelessness' unified ten-year statewide plan;

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(C)
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Coordinating
matters relating to homelessness and affordable housing between state and
county agencies and private entities; and

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(D)
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Developing
and testing innovative solutions to prevent and end homelessness through
collaboration with appropriate agencies;

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(2)
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Provide administrative support for the Hawaii
interagency council on homelessness in developing the council's unified
ten-year statewide plan to address homelessness in all counties of the State; [
and
]

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(3)
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Establish and maintain a statewide
homelessness and housing data clearinghouse, which may include information on
persons experiencing homelessness and available services, shelters, and housing[
.
]
;
and

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(4)
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Report annually on the number of sheltered
and unsheltered homeless individuals and the number of individuals who have
been placed in permanent housing, supportive housing, and in permanent or
independent living arrangements.
"

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SECTION
3
.
�
Section 346-388.2, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

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"
(b)
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The coordinator shall compile and consolidate
information from the
office
and submit a report to the
legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular
session, which
shall include:

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(1)
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Data on the number of beds, occupancy,
duration of stay, types of services provided, and next planned destination of
participants who left the kauhale;

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(2)
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An evaluation of the kauhale to
determine whether the objectives set have been met or exceeded; [
and
]

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(3)
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Any proposed changes that need to be
made to the performance measures used to assess the achievement of program
goals[
.
]
;

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(4)
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Information
on all contracts entered into by the office for the purposes of this part,
including contract amounts, contractor names, purpose of the contracts, any
terms or conditions of the contracts, and performance outcomes in reducing the
number of persons experiencing homelessness; and

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(5)
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Any
plans or proposals made by the office to enhance the kauhale project.
"

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SECTION
4
.
�
Section 346-389, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended to read as follows:

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"[
[
]
�
346-389[
]
]
�
Annual report.
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The coordinator shall submit an annual progress
report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of
each regular session.
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The report shall
include:

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(1)
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Performance
metrics relating to reducing the number of persons experiencing homelessness in
the State;

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(2)
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Performance
metrics relating to housing and services inventory gaps, including but not
limited to the number of persons experiencing homelessness served and placed
into permanent housing and the cost per person served; [
and
]

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(3)
�
Performance
metrics to evaluate the State's performance on homeless services, housing, care
coordination, and other needed services to end homelessness in the State[
.
]
;

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(4)
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Actions
and outcomes made by the office to coordinate with other county, state, or
federal agencies, or private or nonprofit organizations, to reduce the number
of persons experiencing homelessness in the State; and

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(5)
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Metrics
relating to homelessness pursuant to section 346-388(4).
"

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SECTION 5.
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Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.
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New statutory material is underscored.

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SECTION 6.
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This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Statewide
Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions; Homelessness; Reporting
Requirements

Description:

Requires
the Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions to make an annual
report on the number of sheltered and unsheltered homeless individuals and on
housing placement.
�
Requires the Statewide
Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions to annually report to the Legislature
on contracts and plans or proposals to enhance kauhale projects.
�
Requires the Statewide Office on Homelessness
and Housing Solutions to annually report to the Legislature on coordination
between the office and any county, state, or federal agencies, or private or
nonprofit organizations.

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