Congress bill would provide
funds for Hawaiian housing

By Pat Omandam
Star-Bulletin

A bill that provides millions of dollars in housing assistance to native Hawaiians is moving in Congress, although some Hawaiians say it does not go far enough.

The bill, Senate S.225, amends the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act to include native Hawaiians in federal low-income housing assistance and loan guarantee programs, U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye said yesterday.

The measure, now before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, would authorize $33 million beginning in fiscal year 2001 to the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, with annual increases of up to $37 million for block grants and $8 million in loan guarantees, Inouye said.

The housing needs of Hawaiians are the worst in the nation, Inouye said. According to the department, more than 13,000 native Hawaiians are in need of housing. Officials estimated the cost to meet those needs at more than $2 billion for infrastructure and houses.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs recently proposed amendments to the measure that will be discussed this month with the departments of Justice, Interior, and Housing and Urban Development.

Inouye said there needs to be a consensus by all relevant federal agencies, OHA and DHHL to get the measure passed in this session of Congress.

Meanwhile, Ka Lahui Hawaii has proposed its own amendments to Senate S.225. The sovereignty group wants the program to assist all Hawaiians, no matter the blood quantum, as well as expand the land areas to include not only homestead land but all trust lands, said Oahu spokesman Kealii Gora.

Finally, the group wants language that recognizes DHHL as a state agency and not a native sovereign initiative or entity, Gora said.

Ka Lahui was expected to have a news conference today to urge the department to support these amendments.