Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 33, Number 8, 1 August 2016 — Native Hawaiian housing report explores trends [ARTICLE]

Native Hawaiian housing report explores trends

By Kamakanaokealoha M. Aquino mproving the capacity of Native Hawaiians to own a home is one of the key priorities under the 2010-2018 strategic plan of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Typically, homeownership is a sign of eeonomie prosperity and security, but for Native Hawaiians, homeownership is unique as it provides the opportunity to reaffirm and perpetuate ancestral ties to one's kulaiwi (homeland). The desired result is to increase the percentage of Native Hawaiian owner-occupied housing from 56.62 percent in 2008 to 58 percent in 2018. OHA's Research Division has completed a report on Native Hawaiian homeownership in Hawai'i from 2005 to 20 14. It highlights trends in household ineome and housing costs as well as other itemized characteristics affecting Native Hawaiian homeownership. Based on the United States Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), the data and context provided pertain to the impact of the real estate market in Hawai'i both statewide and by county, as well as the Hawaiian Homesteading program. The percentage of Native Hawaiian owneroccupied housing units decreased from 56.7 percent in 2013 to 52.9 percent in 2014. There is no clear indication of what exactly caused the decrease in Native Hawaiian homeownership; however, this ean be the result of several factors. One possible factor ean be attributed to the population growth in Hawai'i. In 2014, the Native Hawaiian population was 20.8 percent of the state population, compared to 25.3 percent five years earlier. Ineome did not increase as fast as housing prices. While Native Hawaiians have lower monthly housing costs, the median household ineome of Native Hawaiians decreased by 4.3 percent in 2014, as compared with the ineome of the state population whieh increased by 2.3 percent. It is important to highlight the decrease of Native Hawaiian cost-burdened households. Cost-burdened households are those that pay 30 percent or more of their ineome on housing related expenses and may have difficulty paying for other necessities such as food, clothing, transportation and medical care. A fact sheet provides an overview of Native Hawaiian homeownership trends and differences from 2005 to 2014. It ean be found at www.oha.org/economic-self-sufficiency. ■

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