Article

Hawaii's Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) faces funding challenges despite a $600 million allocation in 2022 aimed at reducing its beneficiary waitlist. Director Kali Watson is exploring geothermal energy as a potential revenue source to support the state's renewable energy goals, but his funding proposals are unlikely to succeed this legislative session, jeopardizing assistance for 29,000 individuals on the waitlist. Additionally, DHHL has reached its loan limit under federal housing assistance programs, complicating further financial support.