TOM BERG

COUNCILMEMBER

HONOLULU CITY COUNCIL • DISTRICT 1

Aloha OHA Chairperson Machado,     September 4, 2012   

The City and County of Honolulu and the Federal Government contributed monies to advance a new housing complex development/village center within the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands area of the Nanakuli Homestead Association.

Due to the city and federal government's involvement in this development plan, preferential placement for Native Hawaiians who meet the blood quantum requisite to be offered a residence into the housing is being thwarted. As it stands, Native Hawaiian communal lands, property, is going to be open for residency/occupancy to non-native Hawaiians and this must be addressed.

Please consider intervening in this matter to ensure that the Homestead Act is carried out and Native Hawaiians waiting for housing are accommodated first and foremost. My suggestion would be for the planners or this development to return all city and federal monies used and replace those funds from OHA’s coffers so that the intent of housing Native Hawaiians on homestead land can be carried out. As the City Councilman who represents the area, it pains me to witness the erosion or Native Hawaiian communal lands due to monetary reasons that could be mitigated. The effort to provide housing and be pro-active and utilize creative means to financially make affordable housing come to fruition is so great, that the preferential treatment for Native Hawaiians was compromised when the City and feds kicked in money.

Many had stipulated that in other domains where city or federal monies were used, preferential treatment to award homes to Native Hawaiians trumped the matter or opening up resident) to other non-native Hawaiians.  However, for some reason, this housing project specifically in Nanakuli is being used as a barometer to avert the placement of Native Hawaiians on Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Please consider getting involved and help bring compliance to the Homestead Act so that Native Hawaiian communal land is not being eroded in the name of "a lack of funding."

Sincerely,

TOM BERG Councilmember - District 1

Ewa Beach, Kapolei, Waianae Coast

CC:  Nanakuli Hawaiian Homestead Community Association President Kamaki Kanahele,

Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Chairperson Jobie Masagatani