Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 14, Number 1, 1 January 1997 — — Division Highlights Hoʻomau: OHA's progress in 1996 [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

— Division Highlights Hoʻomau: OHA's progress in 1996

Linda Colburn OHA administrator The Office of Hawaiian Affairs conducted a series of budget-related meetings in communities across the state in November.

1 The purpose was to share information about programs and initiatives undertaken by OHA in the last 18 months as part of the 1995-97 fiscal hiennium budget. Highlights are recapped here, for the benefit of those unable to participate directly in these discussions: OHA's Housing Division handled more than 100 calls eaCh month seeking help with rental assistance, affordable housing leads, clarification of mortgage-related questions, ■ and landlord tenant disputes. More than 150 participants attended selfhelp housing prequalification workshops. Seventeen families are being assisted with applications for self-help housing projects. , Planning efforts have begun for a 65 -

rental-unit housing project for kūpuna in Waimānalo. OHA's Education Division provided tutorial funds to 1,035 students in 21 programs utilizing $172,606 in 1995-96 and an additional 990 students in 20 i schools for $1 77,964 in 1996-97. ' A two-year $272,000 contract with

Nā Pua No'eau's gifted and talented program facilitated the expansion of its Hilo-based program to three island sites that serve more than 500 students and families. j OHA's Education Foundation

awarded $300,000 in post-high school scholarships in 1995 along with an additional $300,000 in scholarships offered through matching funds with Kamehameha Schools. The Foundation anticipates issuing $500,000 in schoIarships in 199697. OFIA's Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Fund approved 41 new small business loans totaling $1,623,810 in 1995-96. EIeven new loans valued at $309,800 have been approved since July. OHA's Eeonomie Development staff coordinated Ka Mana O Ka Ho'okumu, a marketing conference for OHA loan recipients and Community-Based Eeonomie Development (CBED) organizations. More than 100 businesses participated. Our Eeonomie Development Division received a $630,123 three-year grant from the Administration for Native Americans for Ho'oulu Mea Kanu, the Native Plant Project. These funds will be used to develop a marketing outlet for native plants grown by a network of Hawaiian growers across the state. OHA's CBED program provided grants to Hawai'i Taro Growers Hui, Hina-Malailena, Hui Mālama O Mo'omomi, 'Ano 'Ano Aloha, and the Office of Community Services in the amount of $131,500 to foster community-based eeonomie development initiatives OHA's Land and Natural Resources (LNR) Division in conjunction with Hui Mālama has facilitated the return of more than 1,000 Hawaiian artifacts from mainland museums and curational institutions in eomplianee with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).

LNR staff continue work with the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation through a Land Title Project to provide legal services to defend Hawaiians whose property rights have been threatened by quiet title or adverse possession claims. This project has represented more than 6,000 individuals and currently handles ān annual average case load of 500 clients. OHA's Government Affairs Division (GAO) staff reviewed 7,369 bills, 1,285 Concurrent Resolutions and 1,174 Resolutions during the 1995-97 Fiscal Biennium. 3,652 were routed to OHA officers for review and comment. Almost 500 testimonies were finalized. Twenty- four of the 138 bills OHA supported were passed. Forty-three of the 48 bills OHA opposed were defeated, an 89.6% success rate. GAO staff have also provided extensive support to the Living Hawaiian Culture and Learning Center at Kealakehe. This initiative could break ground sometime in 1997. OHA's Culture Office convened planning meetings and one-day conferences on issues related to cultural stewardship whieh involved more than 330 people. Culture staff also coordinated a series of lectures featuring hula masters whn shared rnsivhls ahnnl-

the importance of maintaining hula traditions. More than 200 people participated. The Planning and Research (PLR) Office is responSible for managing OHA's Grants, Subsidies, Purchase of Service

and Donations (GSPD) Program. During fiscal 95-96 - 96-97, this team processed 26 Boardapproved grants amounting to approximately $724,500. Diirintr t-hi<; <mmp r>prind PI.R

staff mailed out 49,569 Operation Ohana application forms, and received 7,005 completed applieations. 3,692 Operation Ohana ID cards have been issued. OHA's small, but growing Health and Human Services (HHS) Division provided project management and oversight to two major contracts; the Wai'anae Diet Program ($160,000) whieh served 2,976 and Alu Like's Multi-Service System Project ($1,192,000) whieh assisted over 1,200 beneficiaries during the 1995-97 hiennium. The HHS

Division also works with the Legal Aid Society of Hawai'i whieh will utilize $100,000 in OHA Board appropriated funds to assist 510 Hawaiians adversely affected by reductions in the state's General Assistance budget in their applications for Social Security Supplemental ineome.

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