Senate Bill 1596 allocates $15 million to the School Facilities Authority to create on-campus or nearby housing for teachers. The program would build units in either the Lahainaluna or Kūlanihākoʻi complex areas on Maui.
The House Finance Committee approved the measure Monday, putting it two steps away from heading to Gov. Josh Green's desk for consideration.
The bill is part of a larger effort to address Hawaiʻi's teacher shortage. Last year, the Legislature passed a measure addressing salary compression — helping long-time teachers move up the DOE's pay scale after years of receiving the same wages.
HB 1596 addresses another challenge many teachers face — housing.
"We have two teachers that I'm aware of who are living out of their cars," said Ashley Olson, a teacher at Lahainaluna High School. "I am one of the extraordinarily fortunate individuals who was able to purchase affordable workforce housing."
Olson told lawmakers that the apartment sale prices in her complex doubled over the last two years. Rentals also rocketed up.
"A one-bedroom unit at my affordable complex rents for $2,600 a month," she said. "An emergency hire teacher earns between $38,000 and $40,000 a year, and you're aware that we have a painful number of emergency hires. Those individuals are paying to go to school so they can achieve their Hawaiʻi state licensure."
The proposal next goes to the House floor for a full vote, before heading to a joint House and Senate conference committee to iron out differences in the measure.
