Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 39, Number 8, 1 August 2022 — $600 Million for New Homesteads and Housing [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

$600 Million for New Homesteads and Housing

J 'O KA NUHOU 'AINA HO'OPULAPULA V ^ HOMESTEAD NEWS "

By Cedric Duarte On July 11, a measure to allocate a historic onetime infusion of funding to address the housing needs of Native Hawaiian beneficiaries of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act was signed into law by Gov. David Ige. Following its unanimous passage by both Senate and House legislative chambers, HB25ll, now known as Act 279, provides $600 million to DHHL to develop thousands of new homestead lots throughout the state. The funding will also allow DHHL to leverage its federal funding and trust assets to expand housing services to beneficiaries, including the possibility of down-payment assistance, rental subsidies, and expanded hnaneial literacy education. Hawaiian Homes Commission Chair William J. Ailā Jr. described the signing at Washington Plaee as "the most consequential allocation of funding for the implementation of the Hawaiian Homes Commis-

sion Act in its 100-year history. "Sufficient funding to develop the raw landholdings of the Hawaiian Home Lands Trust has been elusive for decades," said Chair Ailā. "Today's signing marks a turning of the page from this dark past to a brighter future for Native Hawaiians." In May, the Hawaiian Homes Commission authorized a Permitted Interaction Group Committee to work with DHHL staff to create a strategic plan for consideration by the full Hawaiian Homes Commission. DHHL and the commission's Permitted Interaction Group are developing a strategic plan due to the Hawai'i State Legislature by Dec. 10, 2022. DHHL will send homestead lot offers and opportunities for housing services through the U.S. Postal Service. Applicants on the DHHL Waiting List who have not received mail from DHHL in the last four years should contact the Department immediately to update their contact information. ■ Cedric R. Duarte is the lnformation & Community Relations Officer for the Department ofHawaiian Home Lands. He has worked in eommunications and marketing since 1999 and is a longtime event organizer. A product ofKamehameha Schools and the University ofHawai'i at Mānoa, he resides in 'Aiea with his wife and two daughters.

Pictured at the historic signing with Gov. Ige (seated, center) are (l-r): Oriana Leao, DHHL; Carmen "Hulu" Lindsey, OHA B0T Chair; Tyler lokepa Gomes, Deputy to the Chair, DHHL; Zachary Helm, HHC Moloka'i Commissioner; William J. Aila, Jr, HHC Chair; Rodney Lau, DHHL; Lehua Kinilau-Cano, DHHL; Juan Garcia, DHHL; Cedric Duarte, DHHL. - Phoio: Office of Gomnor David lge