OHA still looking at
federal native housing bill

By Pat Omandam
Star-Bulletin

The head of the Hawaiian Homes Commission is urging the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to back a proposal in the U.S. Senate that provides at least $150 million in affordable housing assistance to native Hawaiians, especially those on homestead land.

OHA officials, however, say several questions must be answered before the board can endorse it.

Discussions will continue next month.

Commission Chairman Kali Watson told OHA's Legislative and Government Affairs Committee yesterday that there's a tremendous opportunity this year to get the federal government to provide native Hawaiians with housing funds of $30 million to $60 million a year for the next five years.

"I think this is an opportunity that we shouldn't pass up...," Kali said. "All the help we can get, it's needed."

The bill would amend the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996, giving American Indian tribes a stand-alone federal housing program that provides $600 million in block grants and allowing loan guarantees to American Indians so they can build housing.

The measure passed the Senate Indian Affairs Committee on July 15, but has not been heard in the House.

Watson said the bill can help the 16,000 to 17,000 people on the Hawaiian Home Lands waiting list, as well as the hundreds of others who have homesteads but can't afford private mortgages to build homes.

A 1995 federal housing report found native Hawaiians experience the highest percentage of housing problems in the nation at 49 percent, compared to American Indians and Alaska natives at 44 percent.

Hawaii's congressional delegation has tried since 1994 to get Congress to pass a Hawaiian housing assistance measure. Among the obstacles were concerns by American Indians that Hawaiian programs would take away funds earmarked for them.

Last February, however, Watson met with Indian leaders, and obtained resolutions of support from the National American Indian Housing Council and the National Congress of American Indians.

OHA's backing of the measure would help show Congress Hawaiians agree with the plan.

If approved, the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands would administer the block grant funding.

The loan guarantees allow native Hawaiian families, DHHL, OHA and private groups to secure loans to build, buy or restore housing on the homelands.

But one issue bothering OHA is the requirement that only those of 50 percent or more native blood can qualify for loans. Housing officer Stephen Morse said OHA's mandate is to help all Hawaiians, not just a segment of the population.

As it stands, the bill keeps Hawaiians politically divided, he said.

"I don't know if taking half a loaf is better than what it does to our Hawaiian people," Morse said.

Trustee Rowena Akana questioned why the 50 percent threshold is continually used as the baseline for federal programs helping Hawaiians, when blood quantum doesn't apply to American Indians. "Where does this perception come from?"

Committee Chairman Herbert Campos asked the panel to delay a vote on the measure until it can review changes to it from the July 15 Senate meeting.

Hawaiian activist Richard Kinney testified he doesn't believe the bill reconciles the 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy.

The committee will meets again on Aug. 6.