Statewide Homelessness and Housing

HRS div. 1, tit. 20, ch. 346, pt. XVIII

in effect

HRS §346-381 Hawaii interagency council on homelessness; establishment

346-381. Hawaii interagency council on homelessness; establishment (a) There is established the Hawaii interagency council on homelessness, which shall be an advisory body exempt from section 26-34. The Hawaii interagency council on homelessness shall be established within the department of human services for administrative purposes. (b) The Hawaii interagency council on homelessness shall: (1) Serve as the statewide homelessness planning and policy development entity with broad representation from state and county government and the community; (2) Formulate, and advise the governor on the implementation of, a unified ten-year statewide plan to address homelessness in all Hawaii counties; (3) Facilitate the acquisition of funding and resources for state and county homeless programs; (4) Recommend policy, regulatory, and statutory changes, and identify resource strategies for the successful execution of the ten-year plan; (5) Assemble accurate fiscal and demographic information to support policy development and track outcomes; (6) Consider collaborative homelessness initiatives of other states that have demonstrated positive measurable outcomes as possible models for state and local programs; (7) Promote systems integration of social, health, training, and housing services to reduce duplication among homeless assistance programs; (8) Advise on the development and implementation of a public education program on homelessness in Hawaii and disseminate information including data and best practices; and (9) Report annually to the governor, the legislature, and the mayor of each county on the progress of its activities, including formulation and progress of the ten-year plan no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session. (c) The ten-year statewide plan developed by the Hawaii interagency council on homelessness shall: (1) Assist individuals who are homeless or facing homelessness; (2) Prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable individuals and families; (3) Encourage and promote partnerships between public and private entities to identify, renovate, and secure dignified transitional and permanent housing options; (4) Promote development and utilization of support services, including job training, mental health, and substance abuse treatment, that will enhance the transition out of homelessness; (5) Increase access to public areas for all members of the community; (6) Support efforts to obtain accurate statistics on homeless persons; and (7) Activate, coordinate, and maintain responsive action among the public, business, and faith-based communities to become part of the homelessness solution strategy. [L 2012, c 105, pt of §2]

HRS §346-381.5 Coordinator on homelessness.

346-381.5. Coordinator on homelessness. The governor shall appoint the coordinator on homelessness for the proper administration and enforcement of this chapter without regard to chapter 76. L 2019, c 81, §2; am L 2025, c 309, §9

HRS §346-382 Membership

346-382. Membership (a) The Hawaii interagency council on homelessness shall be composed of the following members or the member's designee: (1) Coordinator on homelessness, who shall serve as chair; (2) Director of human services; (3) Administrator of the homeless programs office of the department of human services; (4) Director of health; (5) Director of labor and industrial relations; (6) Director of law enforcement; (7) Director of business, economic development, and tourism; (8) Chairperson of the Hawaiian homes commission; (9) Adjutant general; (10) Chairperson of the board of trustees of the office of Hawaiian affairs; (11) Attorney general; (12) Superintendent of education; (13) Two members of the house of representatives to be designated by the speaker of the house of representatives, of whom one member shall be designated by the speaker of the house of representatives to serve as an alternate member on the Hawaii interagency council on homelessness to serve in the other member's absence; (14) Two members of the senate to be designated by the president of the senate, of whom one member shall be designated by the president of the senate to serve as an alternate member on the Hawaii interagency council on homelessness to serve in the other member's absence; (15) A representative of the Hawaii public housing authority; (16) The mayor of each county; (17) A representative of the continuum of care programs in each county, to be designated by the respective mayors; (18) A representative of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs who shall be requested to serve by the governor; (19) A representative from the Office of Community Planning and Development, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, who shall be requested to serve by the governor; (20) A representative of a faith-based organization with interfaith relationships, to be designated by the governor; and (21) A representative of the business community, to be designated by the governor. (b) The nongovernmental members of the Hawaii interagency council on homelessness shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses, including travel expenses, necessary for the performance of their duties. (c) Except as provided in subsection (a)(13) and (a)(14), if a member of the Hawaii interagency council on homelessness is unable to attend a meeting, that member may appoint a designee to attend and to act on the member's behalf during the meeting. (d) Chapter 84 shall not apply to the members of the Hawaii interagency council on homelessness. [L 2012, c 105, pt of §2; am L 2013, c 76, §1; am L 2022, c 278, §17; am L 2025, c 309, §10]

HRS §346-383 Meetings; quorum

346-383. Meetings; quorum (a) The Hawaii interagency council on homelessness shall meet quarterly, or more frequently as it deems necessary. (b) A majority of the members of the Hawaii interagency council on homelessness shall constitute a quorum to do business and to validate any decision or act of the council. [L 2012, c 105, pt of §2]

HRS §346-385 Definitions

346-385. Definitions As used in this subpart, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "Coordinator" means the coordinator on homelessness as provided in section 346-381.5. "Director" means the director of human services. "Kauhale" means: (1) A program to address the basic needs of individuals experiencing houselessness; and (2) Affordable housing spaces that are communal living spaces with individual household units and charge monthly rents no more than thirty per cent of the area median income level. "Office" means the statewide office on homelessness and housing solutions. "Ohana zone" means a place: (1) That has a program to address basic needs of individuals experiencing homelessness; and (2) Where wrap-around services, social and health care services, transportation, and other services may be offered with the goals of alleviating poverty and transitioning individuals experiencing homelessness into affordable housing. [L 2022, c 252, pt of §2; am L 2025, c 309, §§2, 6, 11]

HRS §346-386 Statewide office on homelessness and housing solutions; establishment

346-386. Statewide office on homelessness and housing solutions; establishment There is established within the department of human services, for administrative purposes only, the statewide office on homelessness and housing solutions that shall: (1) Work with state, county, and community agencies to develop solutions to prevent and end homelessness in the State through transitional and permanent housing and supportive or assisted services, or both; and (2) Develop and test innovative solutions to prevent and end homelessness in the State. [L 2022, c 252, pt of §2]

HRS §346-387 Administration

346-387. Administration (a) The office shall be headed by the coordinator on homelessness, appointed pursuant to section 346-381.5, for the proper administration and enforcement of this subpart. (b) The coordinator shall report directly to the director and appoint staff as may be necessary. (c) The employees of the office shall be appointed without regard to chapter 76. [L 2022, c 252, pt of §2; am L 2025, c 309, §12]

HRS §346-389 Annual report

346-389. Annual report The coordinator shall submit an annual progress report to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of each regular session. The report shall include: (1) Performance metrics relating to reducing the number of persons experiencing homelessness in the State; (2) 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 (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. [L 2022, c 252, pt of §2]

Source: Hawaii State Legislature (capitol.hawaii.gov), via Internet Archive capturesURL: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol07_Ch0346-0398/HRS0346/HRS_0346-.htmFetched: 11/10/2026