Anahola, Hawaii — the Rural Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) has awarded $26k to the Homestead Community Development Corporation (HCDC), a statewide non-profit serving native Hawaiian trust land communities.

Funding will be invested in HCDC programming that promotes an art district on Kauai, and another program that assists native Hawaiian families to upgrade residential septic systems.

“We appreciate the consistent partnership with Rural LISC over the last few years,” said Iwalani McBrayer, HCDC board chairman.  “This national organization has helped HCDC to build our internal capacity, and with this year’s award, is helping to leverage HCDC’s own funding to support the art community and homeowners on homesteads.”

Rural LISC is a national intermediary that invests in and builds the capacity of over 89 rural community development nonprofit partnerships. Investments include training, lending and tax credit capital as well as equity grants. Rural LISC’s investment in rural America have totaled $1.25 million and produced over 35,000 affordable homes and apartments and created over 12,000 jobs. Rural LISC is committed to making rural communities good places to live, work, do business and raise children.  

“The Anahola Marketplace on Kauai, where HCDC is creating an art district is an important effort to diversify the economy in a rural Hawaiian home land community,” said Robin Puanani Danner, HCDC CEO.  “Our best hopes are to replicate the open air marketplace here on Kauai, in other homesteads around the state.” 

A portion of the LISC funding award is also dedicated to an HCDC program that helps native Hawaiian families upgrade older septic systems, especially important on neighbor islands where access to waste water facilities are limited.

HCDC, founded in 2009, is dedicated to affordable housing and job creation on or near Hawaiian home lands.  It is the nonprofit affiliate of the Sovereign Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations (SCHHA), founded in 1987 to advance the rights of native Hawaiians s to access their lands under the congressionally enacted Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920.

For more information, contact info@hawaiianhomesteads.org.