Kalamaʻula Welcomes First Homesteader of 2015

Posted on Jan 23, 2015 in Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, Media Releases

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Kalamaʻula, Molokaʻi – Daniel Pelekane-Tamashiro is the newest member of Hawaiʻi’s oldest Hawaiian homestead, Kalamaʻula on Molokaʻi.

Today, 24-year-old Pelekane-Tamashiro celebrated with family and friends at the groundbreaking ceremony for his home along Paiaa Street in the Kalamaʻula Residence Lots on Molokaʻi. The three-bedroom, two-bathroom home is being built in partnership with Molokaʻi Habitat for Humanity, who hosted the event.

Hawaiian Homes Commission (HHC) Chair Jobie Masagatani and Molokaʻi Hawaiian Homes Commissioner Gene Ross-Davis joined Pelekane-Tamashiro and Molokaʻi Habitat staff and board members in breaking ground on the first homestead of 2015.

Once complete, three-bedroom home is sure to be a full house. Pelekane-Tamashiro will be moving in his mother, Patricia Tamashiro, his sister Paulette, and his brother and his brother’s two keiki.

Pelekane-Tamashiro took advantage of the Zero Percent Interest Loan program offered by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for lessees who partner with any of our Habitat for Humanity affiliates statewide, as well as the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Homeownership Option Program, which will be used to subsidize his mortgage payments.

This is the second of five homes being built in partnership with Moloka’i Habitat using federal funds under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act or NAHASDA.