Hawaii Administrative Rules › Title 17 - DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES › Hawaii Public Housing Authority › Chapter HPHA-RS - SPECIAL RENT SUPPLEMENT PROGRAM EMERGENCY RULES › Subchapter 1 - GENERAL PROVISIONS › Section HPHA-RS-1.0 - Findings

Current through June, 2024
The authority finds that:
(a) The Governor of the State of Hawaii has
				  determined and proclaimed that the homeless situation in the State of Hawaii is
				  an emergency contemplated by section
				  127A-14,
				  Hawaii Revised Statutes ("HRS"), and that this homeless emergency continues, as
				  evidenced by his Proclamation dated October 16, 2015, and Supplementary
				  Proclamations dated October 26, 2015, December 24, 2015, February 19, 2016, and
				  April 22, 2016 ("Emergency Proclamations");
(b) Section
				  127A-2, HRS, defines
				  "emergency" as "any occurrence, or imminent threat thereof, which results or
				  may likely result in substantial injury or harm to the population or
				  substantial damage to or loss of property";
(c) There is an imminent peril to the public
				  health, safety, or morals, or to natural resources as the Governor has declared
				  a homeless emergency in the State of Hawaii through his Emergency
				  Proclamations;
(d) By Proclamation
				  dated October 16, 2015, the Governor directed all state agencies and officers
				  to cooperate with and extend their services, materials, and facilities as may
				  be required to assist in all efforts to address the objectives of his
				  proclamation in addressing the homeless situation;
(e) By Supplementary Proclamation dated
				  October 26, 2015, the Governor expanded the purpose of his original
				  Proclamation to include all efforts necessary to respond to the current
				  homeless emergency and that state agencies endeavor to include a coordinated
				  response among participating state, county, and private agencies that includes
				  assisting with providing services, training, and opportunities to the homeless
				  population and employing relocation efforts;
(f) The authority agrees with Governor's
				  determination in his Proclamation dated October 16, 2015, that "the lack of
				  secure, safe, and sanitary shelter, and adequate health and social services,
				  for this large number of people without homes is endangering the health,
				  safety, and welfare of the people, including families and children, and poses a
				  threat to the environment, and demands emergency action to prevent or mitigate
				  suffering, injury, loss, or damage";
(g) The authority finds that homelessness
				  presents an immediate threat to the health and safety of unsheltered
				  individuals and families, including an impact on social determinants of health,
				  increased exposure to the elements, communicable diseases, and unsanitary
				  conditions;
(h) There is an ongoing
				  need for long-term housing and permanent housing to serve homeless individuals
				  and families as evidenced by the Second Supplementary Proclamation dated
				  December 24, 2015, and Third Supplementary Proclamation dated February 19,
				  2016;
(i) There is a disparity
				  between income and housing which is a barrier to permanent housing, and rental
				  subsidy programs can address this barrier for individuals and families who are
				  currently experiencing homelessness.
(j) Homeless emergency shelters and homeless
				  transitional shelters provide only temporary shelter for those who are homeless
				  and do not constitute permanent housing;
(k) Individuals and families residing in
				  homeless emergency shelters or homeless transitional shelters need to relocate
				  and have access to permanent housing;
(l) These emergency rules assist eligible
				  homeless individuals and families residing in and receiving services from
				  emergency or transitional shelters by providing them a special rental subsidy
				  to help them transition into and secure permanent housing;
(m) The rental subsidy programs have been
				  implemented in Hawaii for over two decades;
(n) Rental subsidy programs make better use
				  of existing inventory, ameliorate the need for government agencies to construct
				  and maintain new buildings, and provide economic benefit for those with
				  available units;
(o) These
				  emergency rules assist shelter providers with placing their clients into
				  permanent housing and provide six months of continuous follow up case
				  management;
(p) The special rent
				  supplement program administered by these emergency rules encourages unsheltered
				  individuals and families experiencing homelessness to enter into emergency or
				  transitional shelters so they become eligible for the permanent housing
				  assistance and case management available thru this special program;
(q) These rules support shelter facilities
				  that assist homeless individuals and families seeking help thereby creating a
				  strong continuum of care;
(r) These
				  emergency rules are necessary to provide emergency relief and implement the
				  Governor's emergency homeless initiatives set forth in the Emergency
				  Proclamations; and
(s) Based on the
				  above, there is an imminent peril to the public health, safety or morals, or to
				  natural resources caused by the homeless situation requiring immediate adoption
				  of these emergency rules upon less than thirty days' notice of
				  hearing.
(t) These findings are
				  based on the authority Board of Director's personal knowledge and professional
				  experiences.