News Release
Sovereign Council of Hawaiian Homesteads Associations
Association of Hawaiians for Homestead Lands
Governor Ige has signed Legislation appropriating $600 million from the Hawaii State Legislature to the State Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) to deliver services to the Hawaiian Home Lands Waitlist, now at 28,500 families.
“With this milestone, members of the Sovereign Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations (SCHHA) will continue its work to produce a $600 million Beneficiary Strategic Plan to present to the next governor and legislature in December of this year,” said Kipukai Kualii, Sovereign Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations Policy Chair. “Our next planning session is scheduled for July 23rd on Oahu, where 50 homestead, allies and waitlist leaders will travel and gather to continue this essential work.”
Since the enactment of HB2511 by the Hawaii Legislature, the Sovereign Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations coalition and the Association of Hawaiians for Homestead Lands (AHHL), the only statewide Waitlist beneficiary association has laid out its plans, taking an inventory of priorities and solutions from thought leaders locally and nationally.
“This is a significant funding allocation to the next administration of State Department of Hawaiian Home Lands,” said Mike Kahikina, Association of Hawaiians for Homestead Lands Chairman. “As the most experienced community on our lands Act, we have seen resources come and go through the hands of the State, we have seen solutions simply not understood, over and over. Producing a beneficiary plan directly expresses how the $600 million should be spent to maximize the intent of the appropriation, with a positive impact to the overall Hawaii economy. It’s our citizen voice, it’s good old-fashioned democracy and civic engagement. We hope it is well received.”
The Sovereign Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations Policy Summit will run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 23, 2022. The agenda encompasses a policy framework around five (5) core impact components and welcomes Lieutenant Governor Josh Green to the conversation.
“Josh Green has worked with our policy leaders since taking office in the executive branch, for example in bringing forward foreclosure prevention practices on par with all other citizens,” Kualii remarked. “His interest in government working for its citizens, in what’s possible, in citizen ideas, is refreshing.”
The next convenings are scheduled for September 15 and October 8, 2022. The final draft of the Sovereign Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations $600 million Beneficiary Strategic Plan is scheduled for delivery to the State Legislature on December 10, 2022, just over a week after a new administration takes office. The Sovereign Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations plan is in addition to the legislative mandated plan required by State Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to issue to the Legislature on the same date.
If you are interested in contributing to the work of Sovereign Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations and its members on this policy project or would like to apply to attend its July policy summit, contact policy@hawaiianhomesteads.org.
