Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 8, Number 10, 1 ʻOkakopa 1991 — Our Readers Write [ARTICLE]

Our Readers Write

To the Editor: I read Trustee Akaka's views on "Kalapana Hawaiians" (August 1991) and felt strongly moved to correct the misstatements that were made. Trustee Akaka stated that "dirty politics were alive and well in the legislature and bill 1434 for $1.75 million for low-interest housing loans for Kalapana Hawaiians was killed and resurrectedas H.B. 865. It directed $1.75 million to be made available for all families who had resided in Kalapana." During the 1991 Legislative Session, there were two concurrent bills relating to low-interest loans for Kalapana displacees. S.B. 1435 would have provided low-interest loan funds to assist Hawaiian families with self-help home construction and other related expenses. This measure did not pass. H.B. 865 (enacted as Act 242) appropriated $1.75 million to the Housing Finance and Development Corpxjration (HFDC) for low-interest loans for all displaced Kalapana families.

Trustee Akaka stated that I "went to the attorney general to change the bill (H.B. 875) to exempt those residents who intend to build on Zone II volcano hazardous area from qualifying for home loans." This is incorrect. The Housing Finance and Development Corporation supported H.B. 865, although we asked that the bill be amended to limit assistance to displacees and make the program a one-time public relief program of last resort. These amendments were needed so as not to jeopardize the state's ability to secure federal disaster assistance in the future. H.B. 865 requires that the HFDC develop administrative rules to implement the low-interest loan program. As such, I did seek an opinion from the attorney general's office pn how to define areas of "lesser volcanic risk" since low-interest loans ean only be made in areas of "lesser volcanic risk." This action was taken after H.B. 865 was signed into law by the governor. Trustee Akaka stated that 1 tried to take the

funds intended for Hawaiians and instead direct that $1.75 million to the Kalapana Task Force whieh will be relocating on the other side of Pahoa at Keonepoko Nui. When I inserted the zoning exception, I did not realize that my task force project was also designated in Zone II so I have now moved it to Keonepoko Ike whieh isclassified Zone III. In October 1990, the Kalapana Task Force, Relocation Housing Committee recommended that HFDC pursue the acquisition and development of land at Keonepoko Nui for relocation housing. The site (whieh is located in volcanic hazard zone 3) seemed ideal because itis adjacent to Maku'u, whieh would have allowed sharing of development costs with DHHL. Unfortunately, budget constraints precluded us from pursuing development there. In the alternatives, we identified Keonepoko Iki, as well as lots in existing Puna subdivisions. Trustee Akaka stated that "because the Kalapana Task Force lost their $2 million funding from the governor's executive budget, they " moved to derail the Kalapana Hawaiians low-cost housing bill and funneled the money to the task force." The statement is incorrect. The Kalapana Task Force and the HFDC did not lose $2 million from the governor's executive budget. The HFDC received $1 million in its budget and $1 million in emergency funds from the governor's budget. So no one moved to "derail" funds for Kalapana. The Relocation Housing Committee is responsible for developing viable solutions to meet the long-term housing needs of displaced families. We want to assist all displaced families — Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians alike — and have been diligent!y working on achieving that goal for over a year. The committee is comprised of dedicated members including community representatives, DLNR, DHHL, the County OHCD and HFDC. We have received mueh support from the Task Force, Farmers Home Administration, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Hawaii Community Eeonomie Opportunity Council, and the Hawaii Island Community Development Corporation. We would certainly weleome OHA's support and believe that we ean work together in meeting the housing needs of all affected Kalapana area residents. Joseph K. Conant, Executive Director Housing Finance and Development Corporation and Chair, Kalapana Task Force, Relocation Housing Committee Editor's note: Due to the nature of the preceding letter to the editor in response to statements in a recent Trustee Viewpoint eolumn, this letter is being run in its entirety. General policy on letters to the editor, however is to limit their length to 250 words. All letters are subject to editing for clarity as well as length and Ka Wai Ola O OHA reserves the right to decline publication.