NAHASDA

Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA)

Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA)
The Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA) was passed in 1996 and transformed the way American Indians and Alaska Natives provided affordable housing on rural Indian reservations and Alaska Native villages. The Act opened the door for increased partnerships with financial institutions and set-up a block grant program that gave American Indians and Alaska Natives the ability to determine how best to spend federal funds to address affordable housing issues.

In 2000, Congress amended NAHASDA by adding Title VIII, which provides similar funding for native Hawaiian families whose total household income is at or below 80 percent of the established area median income levels for their respective counties, and who are eligible to reside on Hawaiian Home Lands. The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) is the designated recipient for the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant (NHHBG) as administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Native American Programs (ONAP). This Congressional amendment is the first time in the history of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920, as amended, that the federal government has provided any significant level of financial investment into the Hawaiian Home Lands program for affordable housing activities.

Each year, DHHL submits a Native Hawaiian Housing Plan (NHHP) to HUD for review and approval. As of June 30, 2013, DHHL received $110,244,479 million in funding for 11 NHHPs, and an additional $10.2 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds. (*13HBGHI0001 received in September 2013.)

NHHBG funds benefited numerous families through infrastructure development, subsidies (down payment assistance and matched savings programs), direct loans, self-help home construction programs, and home rehabilitation.

The following section is a summary of the 2013 program accomplishments under the NHHBG Program:

Construction Related Activities

Seven self-help homes in Kumuhau in Waimānalo were identified with six home loans closing, five of which are currently under construction with Honolulu Habitat for Humanity. Ten units in Kaka‘ina, also in Waimānalo, have been reserved for NHHBG-eligible families with completion being scheduled for 2014.

In East Kapolei II, 198 homes of a 1,000 home community have been reserved for NHHBG-eligible families. Infrastructure development is expected to begin in early 2014 with an estimated $10 million in NHHBG funds.

The Department also issued a bid for infrastructure development of La‘i ‘Ōpua Village 5, with 117 lots set aside for a rent-with-option-to-purchase program. Approximately $9 million is being earmarked for this project with an anticipated shovel-ready date of January 2014. Also on Hawai‘i Island, Lālāmilo has experienced challenges for two of its NHHBG homes with issues regarding septic tank permitting.

Awards to Subrecipients

In February 2013, the Commission approved awards to 12 subrecipients for NHHBG monies totaling $2,736,640. Various activities include self-help home repair, energy retrofits, home ownership counseling, and individual development accounts.

Direct Loan Program

This past fiscal year, loans totaling $721,985.20 were given out to assist 22 families in home ownership or home repair in Pi‘ilani Mai Ke Kai, La‘i ‘Ōpua Village 5, Kānehili, Kumuhau, and Waiohuli.

Individual Development Accounts (IDA) and Down Payment Assistance (DPA) Programs

Both programs were established to assist families in obtaining down-payments on their home loans. Applicant lessees in the IDA program established a regular savings program whereby for every dollar saved, NHHBG funds would be used to match based on an established ration. Under the DPA program, $1,069,551 was provided to 19 families in Waiohuli and Kānehili Phase 7. Under the IDA program, 10 families received assistance totaling $64,000 in West Hawai‘i.

Home Rehabilitation Subsidy Program

Many low-income homeowners need to make repairs to their property but are unable to afford the repairs themselves. The objective of the home rehabilitation program is to provide these families with deferred payment loans to rehabilitate their homes in order to provide decent, safe, and sanitary living conditions with priority given to the elderly and disabled from the oldest homestead communities. These monies can be used for repairs to roofs and floors caused by termites or wood rot; repairing or replacing faulty electrical wiring; and assistance with plumbing repairs. Working with county officials this year, the Department consolidated its statewide home repair program with the expansion of the NAHASDA staff. Besides drafting a policy and procedure manual for the Home Assistance Program, 11 families from O‘ahu and Hawai‘i Island were provided zero-interest, deferred payment loans this year totaling $602,109.

NAHASDA Reauthorization

NAHASDA is scheduled for reauthorization in 2014. While the political landscape remains unstable due to the polarizing ideologies that compete for attention, the Department continues to work with its congressional delegation at the federal level to ensure timely response for comment on the program. As of this writing, the federal shutdown has not negatively impacted the Department’s ability to access NHHBG monies that have already been previously awarded.

NAHASDA Grants Expending Report

NHHBG and ARRA funds received and expended, as well as funds not fully expended, as of September 30, 2017:

 

17HBGHI0001

$2,000,000No expenditures/encumbrances

 NAHASDA Pages

 

 

DHHL
Program
Year
NHHHP
Federal Award #
Amount
Awarded
Status
PY 1
2002
02NHGHI0001
$9,600,000 Expended and closed 6/30/06
PY 2
2003
03NHGHI001
$9,537,600 Expended and closed 3/31/08
PY 3
2004
04NH4HI0001
$9,443,950 Expended and closed 8/31/08
PY 4
2005
05NH4HI0001
$8,432,000 Expended and closed 4/30/09
PY 5
2006
06HBGHI0001
$8,377,770 Expended and closed 5/31/10
PY 6
2007
07HBGHI0002
$8,377,770 Expended and closed 9/30/11
PY 7
2008
08HBGHI0002
$8,700,000 Expended and closed 1/31/2014
PY 8
2009
09HBGHI0001
$9,700,789 Expended and closed 4/30/2015
PY 9
2010
10HBGHI0001
$12,700,000 Expended and closed 9/30/2015
PY 10
2011
11HBGHI0001
$12,674,600 Expended and closed 10/31/16
PY 11
2012
12HBGHI0001
$12,700,000 Expended and closed 3/31/18
PY 12
2013
13HBGHI0001
$12,035,714 Expended and closed 6/30/18
PY 13
2014
14HBGHI0001
$9,700,000 $7,736,927.94(80%) expended; 100% encumbered
PY 14
2015
15HBGHI0001
$8,700,000 $59,575.66 (0.007%) expended; 58% encumbered
PY 15 2016
 
0 No federal appropriations
PY16

2017

17HBGHI0001
$2,000,000 No expenditures/encumbrances
PY17 2018
18HBGHI0001
$2,000,000  No expenditures/encumbrances
PY18 2019
19HBGHI0001
$2,000,000  No expenditures/encumbrances
   
 
Total NHHBG Funds
$144,680,193