Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 2, Number 12, 1 December 1985 — Miloliʻi Phase II lncludes 62 Leases [ARTICLE]

Miloliʻi Phase II lncludes 62 Leases

The State is preparing to award an additional 62 residential leases in Milolii to refugee families of the 1926 lava flow at Ho'opuloa. The eruption left residents of the small fishing village in South Kona homeless and destitute. Some of the victims moved in with friends and relatives. Others built make-shift houses on government land at Milolii. They raised their families there, but were never able to secure either title to the land or long term leases. As a result, they were not eligible for permits or loans to build or improve their homes. In 1982, working with the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and other agencies, Pa'a Pono Milolii was able to convince the state legislature to grant long term leases to the refugees and their 'ohana. The first 12 leases (Phase I of the project) were awarded last July 12 during ceremonies at Milolii attended by OHA Trustees, Governor Ariyoshi and other state and county officials. Now the State Department of Land and Natural Resources is accepting applications for "Phase II". The leases will be distributed among eligible applicants by lottery. In order to be eligible, applicants must be "Persons who were displaced by, or are descendants of the refugees of the 1926 Ho'opuloa lava flow and who actually resided and continued to reside in the area set aside by Executive Order 473 at some point prior to December 31, 1949", or meet other criteria. They also must build a house on the property within two years and live in that house as their principal residence. Applications, whieh must be submitted by 4:30 p.m., Jan. 31, 1986, and further information may be obtained from the district offices of the DLNR Land Management Division in Honolulu, Wailuku, or Hilo.