The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) is moving forward with a significant 656-acre project in Hāna, East Maui, encompassing farms, homes, and public spaces. This initiative comes as a response to community concerns about the limited availability of Hawaiian homestead opportunities in the region, potentially easing the burden on multigenerational households. The project’s progress reflects ongoing efforts to address the housing needs of Native Hawaiians and to provide more land for residential and agricultural purposes.
The Wākiu project area, as Maui Now's detailed report explains, stems from a 16,800-acre land transfer from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources to DHHL. This transfer was a result of 1995 settlement claims intended to rectify the state's historic misuse of DHHL lands. Planning and community engagement, including workshops held in April 2024, have been essential in shaping the project to meet the specific needs of the Wākiu area.
This development is just one piece of a broader effort by DHHL to tackle the extensive waiting list for Hawaiian Home Lands. With more than 29,000 individuals on the waitlist, DHHL aims to grant over 7,500 project, residential, agricultural, and pastoral leases in the coming years, as highlighted by Kawaiola News. The department is actively pursuing strategies to expedite the process, including forming collaborative partnerships and securing support from state and county leaders. One example of this commitment can be seen on Lanai, which is expected to eliminate its Hawaiian Homes waitlist this year, as reported by Hawaii News Now.
Further illustrating DHHL’s commitment, the awarding of over 660 project leases in West Oʻahu signified a major milestone, as reported by DHHL. This new approach allows beneficiaries to secure homestead lots before development completion, providing them with the opportunity to prepare financially and meet program requirements, ensuring long-term stability for Native Hawaiian families.
For entrepreneurs, investors, and professionals in Hawaii, the Hāna project, along with other DHHL initiatives, signals opportunities in construction, land development, and related services. These projects drive local economic growth and offer pathways for Native Hawaiians to achieve homeownership and economic self-sufficiency. The scale of the projects emphasizes the government’s commitment to addressing housing shortages and fostering community development throughout the islands.
