Homeownership

Kapolei, Hawaii – The Sovereign Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations (SCHHA) leaders are working on legislation for the 2020 Legislative Session to improve getting native Hawaiian onto their lands, as defined by the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920 (HHCA).  

“Our SCHHA leaders across the pae aina are calling on one another to advance solutions during the 2020 legislative session,” said Robin Puanani Danner, SCHHA Chairman from Kauai.  “2020 is a significant milestone year, it marks 100 years since the enactment of the HHCA in 1920 – we simply must engage to make things work for the people, as Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole intended a century ago.”

The SCHHA is holding its annual Homestead Summit at the Pagoda Hotel on August 24 & 25, 2019 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm each day.  Leaders will focus on a legislative initiative called The Hawaiian Lands in Hawaiian Hands Act of 2020, to advance technical amendments and reforms to the HHCA to provide the state agency, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) with clarity to move native Hawaiians onto their lands, for homes, for farms, for ranches, and for mercantile businesses.

“There are so many knowledgeable leaders on the land and on the waitlist in our SCHHA membership,” said Kammy Purdy, SCHHA Vice Chairman from Molokai.  “Our annual summit next month will be solutions oriented, with a focus on The Hawaiian Lands in Hawaiian Hands Act of 2020.  We must help the thousands on the waitlist, and definitely, we must get our people the lands they were promised 100 years ago, including lands to build strong businesses to prosper.”

Attendees to the Summit will work on several sections of the HHCA for technical amendments under the draft legislation, including how the Governor appoints the DHHL Director, clarifying language on the criteria to be met before DHHL is allowed to issue any lands in the trust to the general public, and establishes required foreclosure prevention mitigations that are common for all other residents in the State to help families stay in their homes.  SCHHA has also identified sections of the HHCA to provide stronger guidance on the issuance of lands to those on the waitlist, as well as requiring a specific process for native Hawaiians to access mercantile lands for their businesses as defined under the 100-year old law.

“It’s clear, that over the decades, without specific federal regulations in place to guide the State DHHL, the purposes and intent of our HHCA land trust has gotten lost and even warped to serve the political agenda of people in power for a term or two whether in the Governor’s office, at DHHL, or even at the Attorney General’s office,” Danner remarked.  “At the 100-year mark, we know it is time for us as native Hawaiians, to rise together, and give elected and appointed leaders very direct and specific solutions to make the HHCA work for its owners, the beneficiaries of the HHCA.  That’s our goal, to do the work, and to work with our legislative branch of government, our State Senators and Representatives, on technical amendments and reforms that ensures the executive branch and DHHL can do a better job, and frankly, that honors what Prince Kuhio had in mind.”

The SCHHA mission is to ensure the implementation of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920, end the waitlist for lands, and advance the well-being of HHCA beneficiaries and their families. For more information, contact info@hawaiianhomesteads.org or contact 808-652-0140.  To attend the SCHHA Summit register and RSVP to Rolina Faagai at rolina@hawaiianhomesteads.org.