Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 28, Number 11, 1 November 2011 — New homesteader has a hand in building his own neighborhood [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

New homesteader has a hand in building his own neighborhood

By Sarah Paeheeo Owning a home is the ultimate step toward self-sufficiency, but for many, that step often feels like a giant leap. The state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands works to get prospective homeowners off on the right foot by offering affordable homestead leases to those who meet its criteria. One of its newest homesteads, La'i 'Ōpua, is a public-private partnership with construction company Armstrong Builders LLC. Built in Kealakehe on Hawai'i Island, the sustainable residential community combines modern technology with Kona's abundant natural, renewable resources, including the sun, wind and rain. But the greatest feature of La'i 'Ōpua, whieh means "peaceful cloud" in Hawaiian, is that it is a symbol of hope and good fortune homeowners feel about being a part of this new community. "We're really happy to be in this subdivision," says Don Oshita, who received the keys to his fivebedroom home in late September. Oshita, 33, isn't just a happy new homeowner. As a Project Engineer with Armstrong Builders, he also helped build many of the houses in La'i 'Ōpua, including his own. "It just so happened that I landed a job with the guys who were building (my new home)," Oshita says with a laugh. "It's just the way it played out." However, the road to homeownership was a long one for the Hilo native. Oshita first applied for a home with his mother, Diane Daniel, at the beginning of 2010. Initially, mother and son were accepted onto

the list of hopefuls; however, when Oshita's work as a drywall installer slowed, their family's finances also were affected, causing them to eventually lose their loan. "Throughout the loan process, (DHHL) periodically checks (on your finances and credit) every six months or so, and when they checked again our ineome had fallen helow (the required level) so we were disqualified," Oshita explains. That all changed in late 2010 when Oshita secured a position with Armstrong Builders. Not only did Oshita and his mother reapply for a loan with Hawaiian Home Lands, they were able to qualify for a home and are now comfortably settled into a space all their own. "It's huge for us, but even bigger, it's for my mother," Oshita says. "She's been on the list for nearly 30 years, and now we've got a home as a family where we're all together." Oshita's budding family includes his wife, Laurene, and their two young daughters Jael, 2, and Rael, 9 months, who are busy exploring their new living quarters. "There's plenty of space for all of us, as well as plenty of niee family space so we ean hang out," says Oshita of the house, whieh overlooks Honokōhau Harbor and a nature preserve. "It's a really niee fit for us, and it's just really niee to be able to pay our own mortgage and not somebody else's," he adds. "It just feels really good." DHHL Director Alapaki Nahale-a said he's pleased that La'i 'Ōpua homesteaders like Don Oshita are living in "high-quality homes that will last them for generations."

"As the Hawaiian Home Lands Trust continues to explore developing and delivering a variety of homesteading opportunities, we are committed to serving the needs of beneficiaries like the Oshita 'ohana so they are able to not only return to their ancestral lands as Prince Kūhiō envisioned but also live in vibrant communities well into the future." ■

"It's a really niee fit for us, and it's just really niee to be able to pay our own mortgage and not somebody else's. It just feels really good. " — Don Oshita, new La'i 'Opua homesteader

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Don Oshita, third from left, holding Rael, and Laurene, holding Jael, and Don's mom Diane Daniel, outside their new home. At far left is Chris Larson, Armstrong Builders LLC Superintendent. - Courtesy photo: Armstrong Builders