Assistance from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is available to Native Hawaiian beneficiaries and communities impacted by Hurricane Lowell on Kauaʻi, Niʻihau and West Oʻahu.
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees authorized $362,800 in immediate disaster aid on Wednesday and is focusing on areas experiencing severe and continuing impacts.
The Board’s action also gives Office of Hawaiian Affair’s Administration the flexibility to rapidly deploy assistance as damage assessments continue and additional needs emerge, while maintaining eligibility, fiscal and accountability requirements.
“Hurricane Lowell has caused tremendous damage and disruption, and many of our beneficiaries are dealing with the loss of property, interrupted utilities, damaged roads and the uncertainty that comes with a disaster of this magnitude,” said Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board Chair Kai Kahele.
“The Board’s action today allows Office of Hawaiian Affairs to move resources directly into affected communities without unnecessary delay. Our priority is to reach our beneficiaries and families experiencing the greatest need and help them begin the difficult work of recovery.”
Hurricane Lowell brought destructive winds, heavy rainfall, flooding and high surf across portions of the state, damaging homes, roads, utilities and other critical infrastructure. Kauaʻi and Niʻihau have experienced particularly serious impacts.
Under the emergency authorization, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs will make available:
- Up to $250,000 in direct disaster aid grants to verified Native Hawaiian households
- Up to $75,000 for community resource hubs across Kauaʻi, Niʻihau and West Oʻahu, based on verified damage and impact assessments, with awards of up to $10,000 per hub
- $37,800 in Times gift cards, consisting of 108 remaining cards, valued at $350 each, to help meet immediate needs in verified Native Hawaiian individuals and households impacted by the storm.
The Board also established a streamlined application, verification, documentation, award and disbursement procedures to help get assistance to beneficiaries as quickly as possible, which provides Office of Hawaiian Affairs the flexibility to streamline documentation requirements while maintaining fiscal, eligibility and accountability controls.
“We have learned through our previous disaster responses that conditions can change rapidly and that assistance needs to be flexible enough to respond to what communities are actually experiencing on the ground,” said Office of Hawaiian Affairs Interim Chief Administrator and CEO Summer Sylva. “This authorization gives our team the ability to move quickly, while ensuring that Office of Hawaiian Affairs resources are directed responsibly to verified Native Hawaiian beneficiaries and organizations serving our communities.
Office of Hawaiian Affairs staff will also work with community organizations and other response partners to determine the appropriate locations and level of support for community resource hubs. The hubs can provide critical points of contact for families seeking assistance and help connect isolated or heavily impacted communities with available resources.
Approximately 17,000 Native Hawaiians live in Kauaʻi County, representing roughly 23% of the county’s population, according to 2021 Census data and OHA staff analysis. The significant concentration of Native Hawaiians on Kauaʻi, combined with the severity of Hurricane Lowell’s impacts, was among the factors prompting the Board to convene an emergency meeting.
Damage assessments remain underway, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs continues to receive reports from shoreline, rural and other affected communities, including areas of West Oʻahu. Staff are also assessing impacts on Native Hawaiian businesses, farmers, homesteaders and other beneficiaries.
“We know the needs will become clearer in the days ahead. The Office of Hawaiian Affairs will continue listening to our communities, working with our partners and assessing whether additional resources are necessary,” Kahele said. “Our beneficiaries should know that we are committed to standing with them through both the immediate response and the longer recovery.”
Information on eligibility, applications, community resource hubs and the availability of Hurricane Lowell disaster assistance will be announced as implementation details are finalized. Updates will be available through the Office of Hawaiian Affairs website.
