DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS PREPARES TO AWARD MORE THAN 1,100 RESIDENTIAL PROJECT LEASES ON MAUI

Project Leases Previously Awarded for West Oʻahu, West Hawaiʻi

Attendees interact with project developers at recent orientation for Maui residential project leases.

News Release from DHHL, September 8, 2025

KAHULUI, MAUI — The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) conducted an orientation Saturday for beneficiaries on the Maui residential waitlist interested in the upcoming award of more than 1,100 residential project leases on the Valley Isle.

Residential project leases will be awarded to four subdivisions:

Leialiʻi 1B (DO THE MATH: $128M / 155 units = $826K per unit)

Lahaina, Maui
Future homestead lots: 155
Start of construction: 2026
Occupation begins: 2028
Project costs: $128 million
Developer: Dowling Company, Inc.

Waiehu Mauka (DO THE MATH: $95M / 343 units = $277K per unit)

Wailuku, Maui
Future homestead lots: 343
Start of construction: 2027
Occupation begins: 2030
Project costs: $95 million
Developer: Dowling Company, Inc.

Wailuku Single-Family (DO THE MATH: $45M / 204 units = $221K per unit)

Wailuku, Maui
Future homestead lots: 204
Start of construction: 2026
Occupation begins: 2029
Project costs: $45 million
Developer: Dowling Company, Inc.

Kamalani (DO THE MATH: $35M / 400 units = $88K per unit)

Kīhei, Maui
Future homestead lots: 400
Start of construction: 2026
Occupation begins: 2028
Project costs: $35.1 million
Developer: Gentry Homes

Project leases ­­— this administration’s take on undivided interest lease awards last issued in the early 2000s — provide a much-needed solution to the decades-long delay many beneficiaries have experienced while waiting for a homestead lease.

“The department is excited for the opportunity to bring more homes to the island of Maui on newly acquired lands close to infrastructure and suitable for residential development,” DHHL Director Kali Watson said. “The combination of new lands and the awarding of project leases will help our families move off the waitlist and into homes more expeditiously.”

Saturday’s orientation gave interested applicants a chance to learn more about the upcoming projects, the awards process, and next steps involved. Participants also interacted with project developers, reviewed area maps, and connected with DHHL staff to address application-related questions.

Eligible applicants consist of individuals on the Maui island-wide residential waitlist with application dates up to December 24, 2024. If you are interested in the opportunity to receive a residential project lease, please contact the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Housing Branch at dhhl.housing@hawaii.gov or by phone at 808-730-0311.

The awarding of Maui residential project leases is scheduled for November 8, 2025 and December 6, 2025.

Maui’s residential waitlist currently has more than 3,900 applicants.

To learn more about the Maui residential project leases, click here.

Project Leases: DHHL’s New Approach to Addressing Waitlist

To date, DHHL has awarded more than 1,000 project leases for the following areas:

West Oʻahu

Awarded: March 2025
Number of leases: 665
Subdivisions: Kaʻuluokahaʻi, Kaupeʻa

West Hawaiʻi

Awarded: April 2025
Number of leases: 368
Subdivisions: Laʻi ʻŌpua, Kailapa

Project leases offer significant benefits to lease holders including the ability to secure a lease prior to the completion of a homestead development. Additionally, project lease holders have the right to transfer their lease to a qualified successor with a blood quantum of at least 25% — a critical designation for those interested in preserving a homestead for generations.

Lot development within each homestead subdivision will be guided by the financial capacities of the applicants, as project lease applicants are not required to pre-qualify for financing to be eligible for a lease. This strategy creates a more accessible path to ownership for many individuals. Options to homeownership for project lease recipients include turnkey homes, owner-builder lots and rent-to-own opportunities.

“With the support of Governor Green, the legislature and our community and development partners, DHHL will continue to explore innovative housing solutions for our families to ensure no one is bypassed when it is their time to receive a homestead lot,” Watson added.

The department aims to award more than 6,000 project leases in the next two years.

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