Department of Hawaiian Home Lands

DHHL LAUNCHES FIRST-EVER IN-HOUSE PERMITTING PROCESS
In-house building permits to streamline construction, delivery of homestead lots

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2024

HONOLULU – In a milestone initiative, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) Director Kali Watson signed the program’s first in-house building permit for its Yorktown transitional housing project Monday, September 30, 2024.

“Monday’s permit signing not only accelerates our ability to construct houses but significantly changes the pace at which we can get our beneficiaries off our waitlists and into homes,” Watson said. “This is an exciting time for the program, and we remain committed to finding innovative solutions to move the department forward.”

This new approach is set to streamline the building permit process and will enable the department to advance on the development of more than 20 homestead projects statewide.

“The pilot will involve the same process, and much of the same work the counties would perform when processing building permits,” said Timothy Hiu, DHHL program specialist. “By granting the department with the ability to process these permits independently, we relieve the counties of this burden, fast-tracking DHHL’s ability to expedite services to its beneficiaries.”

Located on DHHL’s landholdings in Kalaeloa, the Yorktown transitional housing project includes 18 studio units, a shared laundry room and an office space. The department aims to offer a safe and affordable housing solution for houseless individuals on DHHL’s residential waitlist. To qualify for the project, residents must be below 80-percent of the area median income as specified in the requirements of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA).

“This is a way in which we can help our beneficiaries, mainstream them, and get them into better living situations through the utilization of funds from the federal government,” Cynthia Rezentes, DHHL’s NAHASDA Government Relations Program assistant manager said.

Prior to the property’s conversion, the former quarters for visiting U.S. Navy officers remained primarily unoccupied for many years.

Renovations to the site are currently underway and are expected to be completed within the next six months. Additionally, another three months will be required for improvements to the parking lot and the installation of a photovoltaic system. Project costs stand at nearly $6.3 million.

Move-ins are projected for late-2025.

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About the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands:

The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands carries out Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole’s vision of rehabilitating native Hawaiians by returning them to the land. Established by U.S. Congress in 1921 with the passage of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, the Hawaiian homesteading program run by DHHL includes management of more than 200,000 acres of land statewide with the specific purpose of developing and delivering homesteading.

Media Contact:

Diamond Badajos

Information and Community Relations Officer

Department of Hawaiian Home Lands

Cell: 808-342-0873

[email protected]