WHEREAS, the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920 was established to return native Hawaiians to the lands from which native Hawaiians had been alienated; and

WHEREAS, the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act is implemented by the State of Hawaii through its Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; and

WHEREAS, since 1925, the Department of Hawaiian Homes Lands has created subdivisions in which awards of land were given to native Hawaiians; and

WHEREAS, the creation of these subdivisions required the development of infrastructure for utilities, including water, sewer, cable television, and electricity; and

WHEREAS, many of these subdivisions are over twenty-five years old; and

WHEREAS, the utilities infrastructure of these subdivisions has never been assessed to determine their continued capacity to meet health and safety requirements; and

WHEREAS, many of the homes in these subdivisions are in need of repair and upgrade; and

WHEREAS, these repairs and upgrades can place stress on the existing infrastructure; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2006, that the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is requested to fund and conduct an assessment of the infrastructure of all developed Hawaiian Home Lands subdivisions in order to determine maintenance, repair, and replacement needs; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this assessment be conducted in consultation and coordination with the State Council of Hawaiian Homestead Associations; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is requested to submit a report of the assessment to the Legislature twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2007; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission.

Report Title:

Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; Infrastructure Assessment