Welcome to the Sovereign Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations (SCHHA) Webpage!
SCHHA and its two 501c3 nonprofits, HCDC and HLI are autonomously governed, yet connected and dedicated to the thousands of enrolled Native Hawaiians and their ohana, across the pae aina of Hawaiian Home Lands. SCHHA is our self-government tribal entity dedicated to sovereignty on our tribal lands, HCDC is our tribal development nonprofit and HLI is our tribal Native CDFI nonprofit. Welcome to Hawaiian Home Lands and our community-based work!
Our History
Founded in 1987, SCHHA is the largest and oldest coalition serving Hawaiian Home Lands, the tribal lands set-aside by the U.S. Congress in 1920 for enrolled tribal members defined in the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920 (HHCA). SCHHA serves federally defined Homestead Beneficiary Associations (HBAs) located in every region of our tribal lands in the State of Hawaii that are exercising sovereignty for the well-being of our tribal communities. SCHHA is registered with the U.S. Department of Interior as an HBA under 43 CFR Part 48.6 and governed by a 5-member Council elected to 4-year terms representing each of the 5 regions of tribal lands called Mokupuni (Oahu, Kauai, Maui/Lanai, Molokai and Hawaii Island).
As a coalition of HBA self-governments, SCHHA is most comparable in Indian Country to the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) a coalition of federally recognized tribal governments and the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN), a coalition of federally recognized Tribal Governments, Tribal Corporations and Tribal Nonprofits.
Founded in 2009, SCHHA leadership incorporated the Homestead Community Development Corporation (HCDC) dedicated to affordable housing, economic development and community capacity building, on or near Hawaiian Home Lands. HCDC is governed by a board of directors of HBA tribal leaders representing each of the 5 regions of tribal lands called Mokupuni (Oahu, Kauai, Maui/Lanai, Molokai and Hawaii Island).
HCDC as a 501c3 nonprofit, develops and operates affordable housing projects, job creating community facility projects, social enterprises and delivers programs that build capacity in Hawaiian Home Land communities. HCDC is most comparable in Indian Country to Indian Housing Authorities, Tribal Businesses and Corporations that are accountable to Tribal Governments.
Founded in 2020, SCHHA leadership incorporated Hawaiian Lending & Investments (HLI) to capitalize the prosperity of enrolled members, families, residents, farmers and ranchers, and organizations on or near Hawaiian Home Lands. HLI is governed by a board of directors of SCHHA tribal leaders representing the regions of tribal lands called Mokupuni (Oahu, Kauai, Maui/Lanai, Molokai and Hawaii Island).
HLI as a 501c3 nonprofit is a Native CDFI, certified by the U.S. Treasury Department, delivering financial services, loans and grants to its target market of Native Hawaiians. HCDC is most comparable in Indian Country to Native CDFIs that are accountable to a Tribal Government or serving Tribal Trust Lands in their geographies.
