Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 13, Number 8, 1 ʻAukake 1996 — Cayetano signs bill transferring land to DHHL [ARTICLE]

Cayetano signs bill transferring land to DHHL

By Kelli \leskin Govemor Ben Cayetano has signed into law Senate Bill 2866 whieh allows approximately 90 acres of state land to be transfered from the Housing Finance and Development Corporation (HFDC) to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. The lands from Kapolei on O'ahu and Laiopua on the Big Island and would be used as payment for the $30 million the state owes DHHL for fiscal year 1998-99. The payments are part of the $600 million settlement signed into law last year to help get more Hawaiians on homestead lands. Last fiscal year's (1995-96) ammount was paid in cash; fīscal year (1996-97) will be covered by bonds.

If the value of the two areas is more than the amount owed, the transfer could be used as payment for the fiscal year 1998-99 and 1999-2000. A big help for DHHL is that the infrastructure, roads and water access, for Kapolei and Laiopua have already been implemented. The easiest part for DHHL is to build the houses. Although Cayetano has signed the bill, the transfer agreement is still not final. The Hawaiian Homes Commission (HHC) and HFDC need to meet and approve the decision. A meeting may not take plaee until August or September of this year. Currently the state and DHHL are having the areas in Laiopua and Kapolei appraised. Later the two will meet to negotiate a fair appraisal pnee.