Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 25, Number 9, 1 September 2008 — OHA Trustees tour DHHL's Kapolei-ʻEwa projects [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA Trustees tour DHHL's Kapolei-ʻEwa

projects

By Crystal Kua Directur uf Cummunicatiūns After 20 years of renting, Hawaiian homesteader Tatiana Montez takes pride in owning her home in Kapolei - so mueh so that people compliment its model-home look. "They said 'Oh, my God, your house should go into the Parade of Homes,' " the 45-year-old tax preparer said with a hearty laugh. On Iuly 30, Montez stood in front of her pride-and-joy Kaupe'a home and waved to a bus carrying Office of Hawaiian Affairs Tmstees and staff who spent the day touring Department of Hawaiian Home Lands housing subdivisions and construction projects in the Kapolei-'Ewa region. The site visit eame on the heels of an announcement in lune that OHA will be providing the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands with up to $3 million a year for up to 30 years to cover debt service on $40 million in revenue bonds. The bonds will be used for statewide construction projects with $5 million eannarked forplanning, design and feasibility studies for conununity driven projects in 18 regions throughout Hawai'i. Hawaiian Homes Commission Chairman Mieah Kāne said that the visit by the OHA Trustees was an example of following up words with action in solidifying a renewed relationship between the two trusts. "It showed a true commitment

to understand what we do, what we're doing, how it's affecting people's lives and seeing it in a real way," Kāne said. Trustees Haunani Apoliona, WalterHeen, RobertLindsey, Colette Machado, Boyd Mossman and Oswald Stender and OHA staff start-

ed the day at the department's new headquarters, Hale Kalaniana'ole, hstening to a presentation by Kāne and members of his staff on the different constmction projects in the Kapolei and 'Ewa region. After the piesentation, they boarded a bus and toured the Hawaiian homes subdivisions in Kapolei - Malu'ōhai and Kaupe'a, where Montez lives. Montez said the allianee between OHA and DHHL has been a long time coming. "I think that' s excellent. Any help that DHHL ean get to help more Hawaiians to get their homes is a great, great thing," she said. Kapolei High School principal A1 Nagasako agrees that having OHA and DHHL eome together will not only benefit homesteaders but their families too - including students at his school. "It's an opportunity for these

kids to get first class opportunities at education," said Nagasako, whose school includes a growing number of Native Hawaiian students. "(Kāne's) offer of help and going in to talk with (OHA Administrator) Clyde Nāmu'o and some of the Trustees, they really begin to understand that ... the partnership really works when you look at it three ways, because it's

all for the same constituents." Nagasako said the new working relationship between the two agencies blends nicely with what his school is doing with projects such as the Mālama Learning Center. "It seems like synchronicity, it's like new age - hey, maybe there's something going on there," he said with a ehuekle. Kāne said that conununity members like Nagasako or Malu'ōhai Residents Association president Shirley Swinney also wants to see this new partnership thrive. "They want to see us work closely together, and that's the glue that keeps us together," Kāne said. "I would say I think leadership of the Trustees now is the strongest that it's ever been and I think as a result of that leadership that we ean have the faith and will-

ingness to really reach out of our comfort zone to work together." The tour also went by and through several constmction projects in the region including work on the NorthSouth Road, the University of Hawai'i at West O'ahu campus and future housing and commercial developments being planned by DHHL. As a symbol of their visit, Kāne presented the Trustees with an

'ō'ō, or a digging stick. "The 'ō'ō is the most symbolic ho'okupu that we ean give somebody because it symbolizes another Hawaiian getting on the land and that's what the relationship means to us - the better we ean work together, the more Hawaiians we ean get on the land," Kāne said. "The 'ō'ō is symbolic for breaking ground for new opportunities." At the end of the visit, Kāne said, he could envision how more doors will open for Native Hawaiians. "I thought it was a good feeling that day. It felt like (the Trustees) were supposed to be there," Kāne said. "It opened the door to better relationships to produce more for our beneficiaries. We serve the same people, and the better we ean stretch our limited resources . . . the better we ean serve our people." □

It showed a true commitment to understand what we do, what we're doing, how it's affecting people's lives and seeing it in a real way. — Mieah Kāne, state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands director

NŪHOU - NEWS

OHA Trustees and staff tour the Kaupe'a home of Guy Kapeliela. - Photos: Blaine Fergerstrom

Sfafe Deparfmenf of Hawaiian Home Lands Direcfor Mieah Kōne, af leff, presenfed OHA Trustees with an 'ō'ō, or ū digging stick, symbolizing the new partnership befween them. "The better we ean work together, the more Hawaiians we ean get on the land," he said. Pictured from left are: OHA Trustees Robert Lindsey, Boyd Mossman, Oswald Stender, Chairperson Haunani Apoliona, OHA Administrator Clyde Nōmu'o, OHA Trustee Walter Heen, DHHL deputy director Kaulana Park, OHA Trustee Colette Machado, Hawaiian Homes Commissioner Donald Chang and DHHL executive assistant Robert HūII.

Mieah Kōne