Following is a summary of legislation impacting the Hawaii Community Development Authority (HCDA) that was passed by the 2007 State Legislature.

KEWALO KEIKI FISHING CONSERVANCY

HB 718 requires HCDA to set aside the former GRG fish auction site in the Kaka‘ako Waterfront area for use by the Kewalo Keiki Fishing Conservancy.  The bill appropriates $30,000 for any necessary environmental remediation.

LIFE SCIENCES RESEARCH COMPLEX

HCDA’s sister agency, the High Technology Development Corporation, received an appropriation and authorization of $150,000 in the coming fiscal year and $250,000 in the next fiscal year to enter into a 10-year lease for 66,000 square feet in a privately developed life sciences research complex in Kaka‘ako .  The proposed location for the complex is the Honolulu Ford site on Ala Moana Boulevard in the Kaka‘ako Makai area.

STATE BUDGET

With regard to the State budget:

• The $5.53 million in reimbursable general obligation bonds the Governor was seeking for the plans, design, construction and equipment for Kewalo Basin, including piers that are currently condemned, was removed from HCDA’s budget and made part of DOT’s budget using its special Harbor fund.   

• The $1.8 million requested in general obligation bonds for improvements of the open drainage canal at the Ewa end of the Waterfront Park was reduced to $500,000. 

• The requested $1.1 million of general obligation bond fund to HCDA for Kalaeloa safety improvements was reduced to $250,000. 

• All HCDA staff positions were funded and the operating ceiling was increased for the Kalaeloa revolving fund administrative expenses. 

OHA HEADQUARTERS/CULTURAL CENTER

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) had sought general obligation bonds to assist in the design and construction of its headquarters and cultural center on the CFS3 warehouse site in the Kaka‘ako Waterfront.  OHA received no state support and instead received authorization to expend $56 million from its Trust funds.

Measures that failed this session include:

• An Administration proposal, HB 1283 to preserve affordable housing by allowing HCDA to sell a fee simple interest in reserved housing units in Kaka‘ako did not clear its Conference Committee.  The House and Senate were unable to agree on the differences, caused by a new Part 2 inserted by the Senate that addressed improvement districts, defined a small business district and mandated payments to the Dept. of Education.

• HB 1516, not an HCDA proposal, was intended to appropriate an undetermined amount of money to assist Honolulu Marine to relocate from the waterfront parcel on the Ewa side of Kewalo Basin to Keehi Lagoon. 

HCDA MEMBERS CONFIRMED

All five of the Governor’s nominees to the Authority were confirmed unanimously for terms starting July 1, 2007, and expiring on June 30, 2011.  The new members include: Stanton Enomoto as the Hawaiian Cultural Specialist for Kalaeloa, Christopher Kobayashi, and Dexter Okada.  The Authority members reappointed to second terms are Grady Chun and Paul Kimura.