HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

4

THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2020

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

STRONGLY URGING THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO ALLOW HAWAIIAN HOMESTEADS TO BE DIRECT RECIPIENTS OF FEDERAL NATIVE HAWAIIAN HOUSING BLOCK GRANTS UNDER THE NATIVE AMERICAN HOUSING ASSISTANCE AND SELF-DETERMINATION ACT.

 

 


     WHEREAS, WHEREAS, the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA) was passed in 1996 and established a block grant program to transform the way American Indians and Alaska Natives provided affordable housing on rural Indian reservations and Alaska Native villages; and

 

     WHEREAS, the United States Congress amended NAHASDA in 2000 by adding Title VIII to provide similar funding for Native Hawaiian families whose total household income is at or below eighty percent of the established area median income levels for their respective counties, and who are eligible to reside on Hawaiian home lands; and

 

     WHEREAS, the stated objectives of the NAHASDA are to assist native communities in achieving the goals of economic self-sufficiency and self-determination, which should include recognizing the special and independent nature of each Hawaiian homestead; and

 

     WHEREAS, the federal government's financial investment into affordable housing activities in Hawaiian homestead communities through the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant has been steadily decreasing since its highest award of $12,700,000 in 2010 to only $2,000,000 in 2019, 2018, and 2017, with no federal appropriations made in 2016; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaii is experiencing a critical affordable housing shortage and more funding, not less, is needed to support infrastructure development, home construction and rehabilitation programs, direct loans, and housing subsidies for Native Hawaiian families; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is the designated recipient for the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant as administered by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development; and

 

     WHEREAS, designating individual Hawaiian homesteads in the State of Hawaii to be direct recipients of Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grants, in addition to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, could expedite the effective utilization of these funds and expand affordable housing opportunities for low-income families and individuals living on, or desiring to live on Hawaiian homesteads; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirtieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2020, that the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Congress of the United States are strongly urged to provide additional federal funds for Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grants under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Congress of the United States are strongly urged to designate individual Hawaiian homesteads as direct recipients of Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grants; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Congress of the United States are strongly urged to identify and secure other forms of direct assistance to the State of Hawaii to address affordable housing needs of the Native Hawaiian population; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, United States Secretary of the Interior, Majority Leader of the United

States Senate, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and members of Hawaii's congressional delegation.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

 

By Request

Report Title:

County of Maui Package; Native Hawaiian Housing