Latest news with #HawaiianHomeLands
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
New leases fill Hawaii wait listers with ‘more hope'
KAPOLEI, Hawaii (KHON2) — Hundreds of Native Hawaiian families are a step closer to securing a place to call their own after the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands awarded over 700 project leases on March 22. KHON2 spoke with some of the beneficiaries about what this life-changing moment means for them. Hawaiian Home Lands: Why is it taking so long? There were many smiles in Kapolei as the DHHL waitlist for Hawaiian homes shrunk by 735 on March 22. The first two awardees called had application dates from the 1950's. 'I've watched for years, decades, really, where things just didn't happen, not because people didn't care, perhaps, but because they just somehow got stuck,' said Gov. Josh Green. 'Today that all ends.' It is bittersweet for some, like Elaine Kekahuna — her husband had been on the waitlist since 1976. 'And so we waited all this time. The sad thing is that he just passed away last year,' Kekahuna said. 'I wish that he was here. I know that he is, you know, in the spirit.'The leases awarded on March 22 connected those on the waitlist to specific locations — or projects in development. Awardees also had the chance to choose successors who the homes will be passed on to. 'They're the root of Hawaii, you know? And to get a final 'Whew,' final chance of our ground, and of our Hale. Oh, my God. You know, carry it on to the generation,' Kekahuna said. 'Plenty of different emotions, but all happy. Just finally getting my own place. And not just for me, but for me, for my kids and my grandkids,' said recipient Kealii Hanohano. 'That's major, that's more than big. That's the whole world to me.' Billions to build Hawaiian homes: 'The math is not mathing' Several vendors were on site to offer help through the process, those who were awarded leases today will need to get qualified for a mortgage loan by the time the homes are ready. DHHL officials said the first homes will be ready in about five years. 'Now more hope man, something to work more harder for,' Hanohano said. Reps. Diamond Garcia and Darius Kila were in attendance along with Councilmember Andria Tupola. Project leases of this type were last issued in the early 2000's and more are planned in the coming months. 'We're so grateful for DHHL, for all the people that have made this possible. Generations of Hawaiians will thank you for the work that you've done,' Tupola said. 'May we continue to strengthen one another. And God bless these families. Bless the land that they're going to live on. Bless us that we might be able to thrive.' The next step for the awardees is to go through a financial assessment process to see what kind of home they can receive. About 400 more leases are set to be awarded on Hawaii Island in April and almost 1,000 will be awarded on Maui in the fall. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Billions to build Hawaiian homes: ‘The math is not mathing'
HONOLULU (KHON2) — The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands said hundreds of millions of dollars are needed now — along with billions of dollars in the future — to help clear the wait list for Native Hawaiians. Lawmakers have concerns about the allocations of taxpayer funds, however. Hawaiian Home Lands: Why is it taking so long? Close to 30,000 Native Hawaiians remain on the DHHL wait list for homes, the Department estimated it will take over $6 billion to clear it. 'The DHHL has been underfunded for decades, it's over 100 years old, and it's never been fully funded and meanwhile, the Hawaiian diaspora continues to grow, cutting families from their Aina for generations,' said Ka Lahui Hawaii Political Action Committee Chair Healani Sonada Pale. $600 million was appropriated to the DHHL in 2022 and the funding was expected to get about 2,500 names off the wait list. Latest data shows just over 1,600 have been removed, but a House Standing Committee report said $600 million more dollars will be needed in the current session. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news 'And if what you're telling me is out of the first allocation of the $600 million, you were only able to award 1,600 leases, the math is not mathing,' said Sen. Samantha DeCorte. 'Please know that we haven't spent all of the 600 million yet,' said Kalani Fronda, DHHL Land Development Division acting administrator. Hawaiian Home Lands: Is there hope for the future? $129 million from the 2022 appropriation has yet to be spent and lawmakers say that needs to get done before the department asks for more money. The DHHL said hundreds of more leases on homes will be doled out in the current fiscal year, but one applicant who has been waitlisted for 40 years said taxpayers should not be footing the bill to build them. 'Just give them their land, allow them to build their own if it's such a problem with the money. All we want is our property, our land,' said Maysana Aldeguer, an applicant. 'I have eight, nine siblings and they're all on the waitlist and we are still waiting.' Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news An exact dollar amount that the DHHL is requesting from the Legislature this session has not yet been written into the bill. The proposal will be heard again in committee on March 18. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
