Relating To Hawaiian Home Lands.
The bill requires the DHHL to ensure compliance with existing plans designed to address the waitlist backlog and to utilize various development models and financial opportunities. This includes adopting strategies that have been successful in other contexts, such as self-help housing models and partnerships with community development financial institutions. Moreover, the bill emphasizes the need for the department to engage with native Hawaiian beneficiaries to tailor solutions that truly meet their needs.
Senate Bill 2779 addresses the critical housing needs of native Hawaiians who are on the waitlist for homestead leases, a situation exacerbated by Hawaii's ongoing homelessness crisis. As of December 2022, approximately 29,300 native Hawaiian adults were on this waitlist, with a significant number having died while waiting for assistance. The pandemic has further intensified the pressure on this population, pushing many into financial distress. The bill mandates the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) to actively work towards reducing the waitlist through various measures.
General sentiment around SB 2779 is largely supportive, as it seeks to provide tangible solutions to a pressing issue facing the native Hawaiian community. Proponents see it as a necessary step towards alleviating the long-standing challenges posed by the waitlist and ensuring that housing needs are met. However, there may be concerns regarding the implementation of the proposed measures and whether they will effectively lead to a significant decrease in the waitlist numbers.
While the bill is designed to improve the situation for native Hawaiian beneficiaries, there may still be points of contention surrounding how effectively DHHL can execute the required actions. Complications may arise from operational challenges within the department or from the various stakeholders involved in housing development. Critics of the implementation processes might argue that the urgency of the housing crisis necessitates more immediate and decisive actions beyond what the bill prescribes.