DHHL seeks additional development funds as part of 2025 legislative package

Legislation moving through the Hawai‘i Legislature during its 2025 session would provide much-needed additional funding for nearly 30 development projects planned by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands that would be available for Native Hawaiians stuck on the waitlist for land.

The department urges the public to support House Bill 606, introduced by the Native Hawaiian Affairs Caucus, which would appropriate the additional funds, which also would extend the Act 279 Special Fund more than 3 years, until June 2028.

Act 279, also known as the “Waitlist Reduction Act,” appropriated $600 million in general funds to implement a comprehensive strategy to reduce the waiting list of Native Hawaiians seeking land from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

“With more than 29,000 of our people on the waiting list, there is a clear need for additional funding,” said Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Director Kali Watson. “The department is actively developing 28 housing projects; additional funding and an extension of the Act 279 Special Fund is essential for the ongoing success of our program.”

A dozen other bills were introduced by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands as part of its 2025 legislative package, 11 of which continued as of last week to move through the Hawai‘i Legislature.

The measures include:

House Bill 1239: Relating to independent legal counsel

• This proposal would allow the Hawaiian Homes Commission to retain independent legal counsel as needed when conflict between the program versus state concerns arise. It would also authorizes the Hawaiian Homes Commission to use the services of the attorney general as needed and provide that funds owed to independent legal counsel be paid by the state.

Senate Bill 205 and House Bill 919: Relating to the Commission on Water Resource Management

• This proposal would add the chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission or a designee to the Commission on Water Resource Management to ensure Department of Hawaiian Home Lands needs and concerns are addressed. They also would increase the number of commission members from seven to eight, with only five of eight required to have substantial experience in water resource management.

Senate Bill 1405 and House Bill 1086: Relating to Housing

• This proposal would exempt any development of homestead lots or housing for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands from general excise and use taxes.

Senate Bill 1406 and House Bill 1087: Relating to historic preservation reviews

• This proposal would allow the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to assume historic preservation review of the effect of any proposed project for lands under its jurisdiction except for projects affecting properties listed or nominated for inclusion in the Hawaiʻi register of historic places or the national register of historic places. This will assist in expediting the development process address the reduction of waitlisters.

Senate Bill 1407 and House Bill 1088: Relating to school impact fees

• This proposal would exempt housing developed by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands from school impact fees.

Senate Bill 759 and House Bill 921: Relating to the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corporation

• This proposal would add the chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission or a designee to the board of directors of the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corporation.

Senate Bill 1112 and House Bill 920: Relating to the Hawaiʻi Community Development Authority

• This proposal would add the chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission or a designee to the Hawaiʻi Community Development Authority.

Senate Bill 1408 and House Bill 1809: Relating to the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act

• This proposal would confirm that Act 130 takes effect on either the date of the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s notification letter to the Congressional Committee Chairpersons that this act meets none of the criteria in title 43 Code of Federal Regulations section 48.20, or on the date that U.S. Congress approval becomes law.

Senate Bill 151 and House Bill 1089: Relating to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands

• This proposal would appropriate funds to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for the investigation, exploration and identification of geothermal resources on Hawaiian Home Lands.

Senate Bill 1410 and House Bill 1091: Relating to sewer transmission lines

• This proposal would require all county sewer transmission lines on Hawaiian Home Lands in compliance or brought into compliance by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, are licensed or dedicated to the respective county within 60 days after the receipt by the appropriate county agency of a completed application for maintenance request.

Senate Bill 152 and House Bill 1408: Relating to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands

• This proposal would allow the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to use the dwelling unit revolving fund as collateral when acting as an eligible borrower for a loan guaranteed under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992, as amended, and appropriate funds for this purpose.

Click here to learn more about the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands 2025 legislative proposals.