HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	65
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

urging the department of hawaiian home lands to seek and gather input on revenue-generating initiatives for its beneficiaries.

     WHEREAS, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) was established under the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920, as amended, that was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Warren G. Harding on July 9, 1921, to provide for the rehabilitation of the native Hawaiian people through a government-sponsored homesteading program; and

     WHEREAS, the mission of DHHL is to manage the Hawaiian Home Lands trust effectively, to develop and deliver lands to native Hawaiians, and to partner with others toward developing self-sufficient and healthy communities; and

     WHEREAS, the intent of the homesteading program is to encourage the economic self-sufficiency of native Hawaiians through the provision of land for residential, agricultural, aquacultural, or pastoral use; and

     WHEREAS, to accomplish the intent of the homesteading program, DHHL issues native Hawaiians 99-year homestead leases at an annual rent of $1, with the option of extending these leases for an aggregate term not to exceed 199 years; and

     WHEREAS, in addition to the direct benefits DHHL provides to native Hawaiians, the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act also affords native Hawaiians additional benefits including financial assistance through direct loans or loan guarantees for home construction, replacement, or repair, and for the development of farms and ranches; technical assistance to farmers and ranchers; and the operation of water systems; and

     WHEREAS, thousands of native Hawaiians have waited numerous years, some even waiting decades, for a land lease from DHHL, which has been slowed by limited financial resources necessary for the development of infrastructure such as roads, water lines, and sewer lines, which are critical to the development of lots that are ready for home construction by leaseholders; and

     WHEREAS, to address the loss of its single largest source of funding in 2015, namely a $30 million annual appropriation as a result of a land settlement agreement with the State, DHHL has sought other means of financing homestead development, including obtaining the authority to float millions of dollars in revenue bonds for development and establishing partnerships with other native Hawaiian trusts; and

     WHEREAS, despite the tremendous efforts of DHHL and the marked improvement in the number of residential lots developed for homestead use over the past several years, funding constraints continue to hinder land development; and

     WHEREAS, the development of homes and communities is critical to the economic self-sufficiency of native Hawaiians, the beneficiaries of the homesteading program.  Thus, DHHL must continue its efforts in finding additional sources of revenue to accomplish its development goals; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2011, the Senate concurring, that DHHL is urged to seek and gather input on revenue generating initiatives for its beneficiaries; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chair of the Hawaiian Homes Commission.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Urges the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to seek and gather input on revenue-generating initiatives for its beneficiaries.