§4233 Lease Requirements and Tenant Selection

Summary

Except where Hawaii law says otherwise, housing paid for with these grants must use leases that are fair and reasonable. The housing director, owner, or manager must keep the property up to the required codes and standards. They must give written notice before ending a lease using the time required by state or local law. Before any eviction hearing or trial, residents must be told they can look at any documents or rules tied to the eviction. A lease can only be ended during its term for serious or repeated rule breaches, breaking the law, or other good cause. Tenancy can also end for conduct that threatens others’ health, safety, or peaceful enjoyment nearby, or for criminal activity (including drug crimes) on or off the property. To receive grant money, the director must write tenant and homebuyer selection rules. The rules must aim to serve low-income families, be tied to eligibility and the applicant’s ability to meet lease duties, select from a written waiting list under the goals of a housing plan approved under section 4223, and promptly tell any rejected applicant in writing why they were turned down.