February 17, 2006- Affordable Housing Public-Private Partnership

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The growing need for affordable housing affects all of us.  There is no one silver bullet to solve the affordable housing shortage or the growing problem of homelessness. 

This legislative session, lawmakers have been collaborative in their approach.  Together we are considering comprehensive initiatives to provide more rental assistance, maintain public housing facilities, encourage construction of more housing and increase resources to meet the needs of our homeless.

In addition, the community is stepping forward to partner with the state.

For the past two months, volunteers with the non-profit organization PSI World have donated time and resources over six weekends to refurbish seven public housing units so that families in need can have a comfortable home.  Additional work weekends are planned in the coming weeks.

I am optimistic that we as a community will make significant progress in finding solutions to the state’s affordable housing shortage and helping our homeless population.

Mahalo.  This is Governor Linda Lingle.