In-house building permits to streamline construction, delivery of homestead lots

Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Director Kali Watson signs first-of-its-kind building permit.

HONOLULU - In a milestone initiative, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) Director Kali Watson signed the program’s first in-house building permit for its Yorktown transitional housing project Monday, September 30, 2024.

“Monday’s permit signing not only accelerates our ability to construct houses but significantly changes the pace at which we can get our beneficiaries off our waitlists and into homes,” Watson said. “This is an exciting time for the program, and we remain committed to finding innovative solutions to move the department forward.”

This new approach is set to streamline the building permit process and will enable the department to advance on the development of more than 20 homestead projects statewide.

“The pilot will involve the same process, and much of the same work the counties would perform when processing building permits,” said Timothy Hiu, DHHL program specialist. “By granting the department with the ability to process these permits independently, we relieve the counties of this burden, fast-tracking DHHL’s ability to expedite services to its beneficiaries.”

Located on DHHL’s landholdings in Kalaeloa, the Yorktown transitional housing project includes 18 studio units, a shared laundry room and an office space. The department aims to offer a safe and affordable housing solution for houseless individuals on DHHL’s residential waitlist. To qualify for the project, residents must be below 80-percent of the area median income as specified in the requirements of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA).

“This is a way in which we can help our beneficiaries, mainstream them, and get them into better living situations through the utilization of funds from the federal government,” Cynthia Rezentes, DHHL’s NAHASDA Government Relations Program assistant manager said. 

Prior to the property’s conversion, the former quarters for visiting U.S. Navy officers remained primarily unoccupied for many years. 

Renovations to the site are currently underway and are expected to be completed within the next six months. Additionally, another three months will be required for improvements to the parking lot and the installation of a photovoltaic system. Project costs stand at nearly $6.3 million.

Move-ins are projected for late-2025.

Click here to download visuals, soundbites.

B-roll (1:21)

Soundbites:

Kali Watson, director, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands

(32 seconds)

“We?re rehabing some assets that we?ve gotten in Kalaeloa to service our beneficiaries, we’re also as the first time doing an in-house permit, in order to process the renovation of the work which is something different and new for the department in order to expedite our developments and get units, housing, to our beneficiaries more quickly we?re starting to do a lot of things besides rehabing existing facilities but moreso expediting the renovation process.”

(20 seconds)

“This is one means by allowing people to not only be housed in a safe situation for them, but more importantly, at the same time, receive the services, the counseling or the help they need in order to prepare themselves for home ownership.”

Cynthia Rezentes, NAHASDA Government Relations Program assistant manager, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands

(37 seconds)

“In looking at the Point In Time count, that the homeless providers put together, was that we have waitlisters that are homeless, either on the beaches or on the streets, and it appeared as if this might be an opportunity to utlize that particular building, use NAHASDA funds, renovate the building, and be able to turn it in to a facility where we could assist waitlisters who probably will never get a mortgage, or never get an opportunity to get a mortgage even if offered a lease.” 

Timothy Hiu, program specialist, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands

(27 seconds)

“The permits that were signed today were the beginning of a potential future for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, what we intend and want to do is streamline the construction and delivery of products and services to the beneficiaries so these building permits were a pilot that we attempted today and are in the process of construction.”