As we pass the anniversary of what’s likely been one of the most challenging years in the history of our State of Hawaiʻi, I’m so proud of and grateful to our leaders, staffers and members of our Sovereign Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations (SCHHA) – including all our Homestead Beneficiary Associations (HBAs) from West Kauaʻi to Hilo, where our Keaukaha Hawaiian Homestead Association is celebrating its 100th anniversary in December.
Following the devastating wildfires of August 2023, our collective Hawaiian homestead communities’ hearts were broken, and we continue to extend our ALOHA to everyone affected. We purposely took our time to be thoughtful about how we could support those affected, especially homestead beneficiaries and Native Hawaiian families.
In October 2023, we held our Homesteader Relief Roundtable in Kahului, Maui, to hear from folks on the ground. We also brought resource providers to share directly with those looking to provide support.
Since then, thanks to the tremendous efforts of our homesteader volunteers, the leadership of our SCHHA Board (Maile Luʻuwai, Iwalani MacBrayer, Kainoa MacDonald, Sybil Lopez & myself); as well as the dedicated work of our SCHHA staffers (Kara Chow, Rolina Faʻagai & Jordyn Danner) and the technical assistance of our SCHHA consultants (Robin Danner & Lilia Kapuniai) we have been:
- Organizing volunteers on site working tirelessly at hubs across Maui put together by other organizations for food, water and other goods distributions, organizing Toys for Tots for kids at Christmas, and connecting those in need with various disaster relief resource agencies.
- Putting together specialized programs like our Replacement Vehicle Program of grants and loans to help those who lost transportation to get back on the road. And, purchasing and deploying mobile distribution trailers on Maui, for use by homestead associations, churches, to have the flexibility to take resources to their communities.
- Purchasing up to $5.5M in residential properties in Wailuku, Kīhei and Lahaina to house Lahaina families who lost homes. All of the homes we purchased will be converted within three years to “permanently affordable rentals” for Maui residents earning 80% AMI through our Permanently Affordable Rental Unit Strategy (PARUS). PARUS is our approach to acquiring existing residential properties on a regular basis for dedication to permanent affordability. This acquisition occurs by leveraging capital from banks and other lenders, the government and philanthropic funders.
Mahalo Nui Loa to our Hawaiian Homesteaders!
