Read this article in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi
Na Kainoa MacDonald a me Leiana Gonsalves
Act 279’s $600 million is the state’s largest commitment to addressing the Hawaiian Homes waitlist. The funds are intended to place Native Hawaiian beneficiaries on the land through timely, affordable homesteading. Yet, implementation has strayed from that purpose, leaving thousands still waiting for awards.
Beneficiaries have seen Act 279 funds shifted from shovel-ready housing to raw land acquisitions, delaying development and increasing construction costs. On Maui, the Department of Hawaiian Home Land’s (DHHL) budget discrepancies for Waiehu Mauka create stress and uncertainty for development projects. Statewide, beneficiaries receive paper awards without adequate funding or clear timelines.
A review of DHHL budget documents shows significant discrepancies between reported spending and encumbered funds, highlighting the need for transparency and proper accounting. Beneficiaries deserve a system that delivers real homes, not paper promises.
The Hawaiian Homes Commission Act (HHCA) calls for it in HHCA §§208, 212, 213. In §207, it calls for trust resources to be prudently administered for beneficiaries. In §§207, 209, it calls for programs supporting homesteading – like down payment assistance (10% set aside of $60 million). And in §207, it calls for all decision-making to reflect beneficiary consultation and priorities.
Without knowing what funds were legally committed to projects, infrastructure funding remains uncertain, delaying cost-effective development and limiting access to affordable housing. It is essential that the legislature, DHHL, and the public can see that trust resources are being properly managed.
Act 279 must deliver awards of actual lots and homes. No more paper awards that merely move beneficiaries off one waitlist only to be put on another. Delaying awards delays generations of their birthright. The time is now to ensure a system that finally works for the 29,000 waitlist beneficiaries and fulfills the promise of the HCCA and Act 279. Eō Ea!
