SB898 is intended to address Hawaii’s homelessness crisis, particularly among low-income and elderly people facing rising rents and fixed incomes. It expands the state rent supplement program for kupuna aged 62 and older who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The program, administered by the Hawaii public housing authority, provides rent assistance, housing counseling, and coordinates supportive services.
The Hawaii State Senate passed SB898 on May 4, 2023 by a vote of 25 to 0. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this bill is unnecessary government intrusion into the free market. Administered by big-government, bureaucratic agencies, this government-subsidized housing program unfairly benefits a specific segment of the population, effectively choosing winners and losers. Furthermore, it marks a stride towards socialism by misusing taxpayer dollars to finance subsidized housing, which undermines market-driven solutions and fiscal responsibility.