HONOLULU (Sept 9, 2026) — The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Board of Trustees today convened an emergency meeting and authorized up to $362,800 in immediate disaster assistance for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries and communities impacted by Hurricane Lowell, with particular attention to severe and continuing impacts on Kauaʻi, Niʻihau and West Oʻahu.
The emergency action includes up to $250,000 in direct disaster aid grants to verified Native Hawaiian households, up to $75,000 to support community resource hubs, and the distribution of $37,800 in unused Times gift cards to help meet immediate needs in communities impacted by the storm.
The Board’s action also gives OHA’s Administration the flexibility to rapidly deploy assistance as damage assessments continue and additional needs emerge, while maintaining eligibility, fiscal and accountability requirements.
“Hurricane Lowell has caused tremendous damage and disruption, and many of our beneficiaries are dealing with the loss of property, interrupted utilities, damaged roads and the uncertainty that comes with a disaster of this magnitude,” said OHA Board Chair Kaialiʻi Kahele. “The Board’s action today allows OHA to move resources directly into affected communities without unnecessary delay. Our priority is to reach our beneficiaries and families experiencing the greatest need and help them begin the difficult work of recovery.”
Hurricane Lowell brought destructive winds, heavy rainfall, flooding and high surf across portions of the state, damaging homes, roads, utilities and other critical infrastructure. Kauaʻi and Niʻihau have experienced particularly serious impacts, while damage assessments and reports from affected communities on Oʻahu and elsewhere continue to come in.
Under the emergency authorization, OHA will make available:
The Board also authorized the OHA Administrator to establish streamlined application, verification, documentation, award and disbursement procedures to help get assistance to beneficiaries as quickly as possible.
Recognizing that families displaced or otherwise affected by a major disaster may have difficulty accessing ordinary documentation, the authorization provides OHA with flexibility to appropriately streamline documentation requirements while maintaining fiscal, eligibility and accountability controls.
“We have learned through our previous disaster responses that conditions can change rapidly and that assistance needs to be flexible enough to respond to what communities are actually experiencing on the ground,” said OHA Interim Chief Administrator/CEO Summer Sylva. “This authorization gives our team the ability to move quickly, while ensuring that OHA resources are directed responsibly to verified Native Hawaiian beneficiaries and organizations serving our communities. We will continue working closely with government agencies and community partners to identify where the needs are greatest.”
Priority will be given to beneficiaries and communities experiencing the most immediate and substantial impacts. OHA assistance may complement county, state, federal, insurance, charitable and other disaster assistance, while safeguards will be implemented to prevent duplicative OHA assistance for the same identified need to the extent reasonably ascertainable.
OHA staff will also work with community organizations and other response partners to determine the appropriate locations and level of support for community resource hubs. The hubs can provide critical points of contact for families seeking assistance and help connect isolated or heavily impacted communities with available resources.
Approximately 17,000 Native Hawaiians live in Kauaʻi County, representing roughly 23% of the county’s population, according to 2021 Census data and OHA staff analysis. The significant concentration of Native Hawaiians on Kauaʻi, combined with the severity of Hurricane Lowell’s impacts, was among the factors prompting the Board to convene an emergency meeting.
Damage assessments remain underway, and OHA continues to receive reports from shoreline, rural and other affected communities, including areas of West Oʻahu. Staff are also assessing impacts on Native Hawaiian businesses, farmers, homesteaders and other beneficiaries.
“This is an initial response to an evolving emergency,” Kahele said. “We know the needs will become clearer in the days ahead. OHA will continue listening to our communities, working with our partners and assessing whether additional resources are necessary. Our beneficiaries should know that we are committed to standing with them through both the immediate response and the longer recovery.”
Information on eligibility, applications, community resource hubs and the availability of Hurricane Lowell disaster assistance will be announced as implementation details are finalized. Updates will be available through OHA’s official communications channels and at www.oha.org.
