Members of a panel on afforable housing discussed solutions last month at the Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce Conference. - Photo: Lisa Asato.

Affordable housing options discussed at Maui Hawaiian chamber conference

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs should partner with developers across the state to provide affordable housing for Native Hawaiians, OHA Trustee Boyd Mossman said last month at a Native Hawaiian business conference on Maui.

The move would mark a change for OHA, which primarily supports affordable housing issues through donations to various organizations. It would also help provide a solution for Native Hawaiians who say they have to move to the U.S. continent, because they can't afford a home and a good education for their children in Hawai'i, he said.

“We need to figure out how we can keep our Hawaiians here, and that is why OHA needs to get involved in affordable housing,” Mossman said to about 260 attendees of the Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce's inaugural Business Fest, held Nov. 13-14 at the Grand Wailea Resort.

Mossman, the past president and founder of the nearly 3 year-old business group, spoke as part of an affordable and workforce housing panel along with Micah Kane, chairman and director of the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; Tom Blackburn-Rodriguez, president of Nā Hale O Maui community land trust; and Sandy Baz, executive director of Maui Economic Opportunity Inc.

Mossman said OHA staff is working to get authorization from its Board of Trustees to pursue a blueprint for OHA's involvement in affordable housing. He also said OHA has been working with Hawaiian Home Lands “to see where we can partner up and assist each other.”

“They have the land; we have the money. So the question is how can we work it out together,” he said, adding that “every single developer we've talked to has been willing to work with us.”

Of the possible partnership between DHHL and OHA, Kane told the audience: “That's one resource that we're looking at. The second resource is the State of Hawai'i. They have an obligation to fund our program adequately.”

The invitation-only event offered exhibits, various panel discussions and speeches by Maui County Mayor Charmaine Tavares, Lt. Gov. James Aiona and developer John DeFries. The event, which was free to attendees, attracted 20-year-olds through kūpuna.

“We're reaching a wide spectrum of people,” said MNHCC board member Mercer “Chubby” Vicens, who chaired the event.

Conference organizers said they hoped the event would encourage fellowship, networking – which could lead to partnering in matters like government contracts – and help to increase membership to about 150 from 100 by year's end. The chamber accepts members who are Hawaiian or Hawaiian at heart.
Other conference highlights included:

• Kane said DHHL has had a “very active past five years,” with Maui County receiving almost 60 percent, or $70 million, of DHHLs infrastructure budget. He said several Maui projects have been completed or are underway. For example, the agency's Waiehu Kou in Wailuku expects its first families to move into the 98-unit project in mid-December. “Those are some of the things we've been working on,” he said. “And we've benefited from a tremendous relationship from the trade unions here.”

• OHA's radio show Nā 'Ōiwi 'Ōlino made its broadcast debut from Maui.

• OHA announced its new Mālama Loan for businesses and consumers a day ahead of the official announcement.

For more information on the Maui Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce, call 808-870-1177.