HONOLULU (Nov 13, 2025) — The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Board of Trustees today approved a response to the ongoing military land-lease and funding negotiations between the state and federal governments.
The plan calls for OHA to hold community consultation sessions on its military lease negotiating positions, in order to further inform OHA’s stance on the future of these leases. The first meeting is scheduled to be held at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo on Wednesday, November 26, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
The plan also calls for OHA to be included in Governor Josh Green’s “Joint Negotiation Team,” as well as to cochair the state’s “Technical Working Group” with the Department of Land and Natural Resources. OHA’s Interim Administrator, Summer Sylva, was one of several individuals named today to the Governor’s Advisory Committee for Military Leased Lands.
“The state constitution requires that Native Hawaiians and OHA not only be considered and consulted but also compensated for any use of lands of the public lands trust,” said OHA Board of Trustees Chairperson Kaialiʻi Kahele. “Our beneficiaries are insisting that OHA be a leader with the state in talks with the military about the
future use of our lands.”
The Board also approved including in OHA’s 2026 legislative package a bill calling for a constitutional amendment on the 2026 ballot to prohibit live-fire military training on the state’s public trust lands.
OHA has launched a webpage dedicated to the history and information about military land leases in Hawai‘i. Visit www.oha.org/aloha-aina. The page includes an anonymous community survey to gather public sentiment on the military land-lease issue.
