HILO, HAWAI'I - The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) awarded 68 agricultural lots on Hawai?i Island Saturday, November 23, 2024, marking the largest agricultural lot offering by the department since the late-1980s.

“These lots are more than pieces of land, they’re opportunities for our beneficiaries to reconnect with the ‘?ina as Prince Jonah K?hi? Kalaniana?ole intended,” said DHHL Director Kali Watson. “These projects serve as solutions to ending the DHHL waitlist and highlights the department’s efforts to create diverse homesteading options for those awaiting lease awards.”

Located in Hilo, the Honom? and Maku?u homestead lots range in size from one to five acres. In Honom?, 16 one-acre subsistence agricultural lots were offered. In Maku?u, 20 five-acre agricultural lots and 32 two-acre subsistence agricultural lots were offered.

“This momentous occasion marks an exciting milestone for DHHL beneficiaries, providing not only the opportunity to build homes but also to cultivate a future grounded in food sovereignty and self-sustainability,” Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke said in a statement.

Nearly 200 beneficiaries and their ‘ohana celebrated the occasion at Keaukaha Elementary School. Senator Kurt Fevella (District 20 – ‘Ewa Beach, Ocean Pointe, ‘Ewa by Gentry, Iroquois Point, portion of ‘Ewa Villages) and Representative Darius Kila (District 44 – Honokai Hale, N?n?kuli, M?‘ili) shared their enthusiasm.

“I am blessed, this is what I’m going to fight for,” Senator Fevella said. “Words cannot explain or express what I feel today for our people; this is your land, and this is what you deserve.”

“We are looking for solutions to keep people in Hawai?i and we have it in the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. That is the way to keep people in Hawai’i, and not just people, Native Hawaiians,” said Representative Kila.

Subsistence-ag lots are less than three acres in size and near existing infrastructure. This homestead model allows beneficiaries to live and grow food on their lots for home consumption or small-scale economic agricultural activity.

Beneficiaries who opt to grow produce and other crops commercially must create a farm plan, like a business plan, as part of their lease, and lessees must cultivate at least two-thirds of the land.

With both lot types, beneficiaries have the option of constructing a single-family home or supplemental dwelling unit.

An additional 40 subsistence agricultural lots are slated for development in Honom? within the next two years. More than 1,600 lots are planned for various homesteads across Hawai?i Island including La?i ??pua, Kaumana, Honoka?a, P?lamanui and Pana?ewa.

Click here to download visuals, soundbites.

B-ROLL (6:25) 

SOUNDBITES 

Kali Watson, director, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands 

(:44 seconds)

“Well I think this particular project is a real reflection of our diversity and the options we’re creating for the homesteaders, these subsistence and farm lots, we’re doing 68 today, and it’s exciting because it provides an opportunity to not only have a place to grow your food as well as raise livestock but also build a house, which is an option, so that’s real exciting there’s no prequalification requirements it’s just a choice, and it’s been a long time, as mentioned its been over 35 years since we did this the last time and so we plan to do more of these.” 

Gabriel Kealoha, DHHL beneficiary 

(:42 seconds)

“This is very important because as somebody who was a beneficiary from my parents as well, both my parents passed away and I’m a beneficiary on my mom’s one, so this is very important for me to give to my baby because both my parents, my grandparents and now I get this awarded land for my baby to have this opportunity in the future, and it’s very exciting, I did not expect it.”