Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 27, Number 12, 1 Kekemapa 2010 — With OHA's help, DHHL continues to award Kūlia i ka Nuʻu Grants to homesteads [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

With OHA's help, DHHL continues to award Kūlia i ka Nuʻu Grants to homesteads

By Zach Villanueva

It has been more than a year sinee the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) and the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) entered into a historic hnaneial partnership to put more Hawaiians into homes. In this financial partnership - the largest

of its kind between OHA and DHHL - OHA will fund $90 million over 30 years ($3 million a year) toward the development of homes and other various homestead projects across the state in an effort to help improve the quality of life for all of Hawai'i. The partnership also states that $5 million of

the $90 million would be set aside for Kūlia i ka Nu'u, an eeonomie development grant program that will fund $250,000 per region toward helping Hawaiian homesteads heeome self-sufficient. The funds will be used to plan the development of an income-generating property for the benefit of the homestead. DHHL has already approved two grants, and in October, the Waimānalo Hawaiian Homes Association (WHHA) heeame the third and most recent recipient. According to WHHA President Paul Richards, the funding will be used to build a Community Technology, Education and Employment Center. It is a plaee where the Hawaiian community will be able to sharpen their minds through educational training, in an effort to create more job opportunities in the future. The center will also house a print shop, similar to Kinko's, whieh will help sustain the homestead through the funds it generates. Being built are three buildings and an outdoor amphitheater, where the Waimānalo community ean showcase their creativity on stage. Previously, DHHL approved Kūlia i ka Nu'u Grants for Kapolei Community Development Corp. (KCDC) and La'i 'Ōpua Community for use in their communities. Because of this partnership, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is moving forward to achieving its main goal, whieh is the empowerment of Hawaiians to strengthen all of Hawai'i. ■

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ln 0ctober, Waimōnalo Hawaiian Homes Association became the third recipient of the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands Kūlia i ka Nu'u Grant, whieh is made possible through a funding partnership with the 0ffice of Hawaiian Affairs. Pictured from left are: DHHL DirecTor Kaulana Park, 0HA Chairperson Haunani Apoliona, Waimānalo Hawaiian ■ Homes Association President Paul Richards, and 0HA CE0 Clyde Nāmu'o. - Photo: Lloyd I Yonenaka