HI SR170

Request that the State Auditor conduct an audit of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands regarding the $600,000,000 appropriated under Act 279, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, as amended by Act 125, Session Laws of Hawaii 2024.

Act 279 authorized the department to develop residential lots and housing units, purchase land, provide financial assistance to waitlisted applicants, and deliver other necessary services to eliminate the Hawaiian Home Lands waitlist.

As of 2022, the Department's waitlist included over 28,700 native Hawaiian beneficiaries, with minimal reduction despite the appropriation intended to serve beneficiary preferences identified in the 2020 Beneficiaries Study Applicant Report.

As of January 17, 2024, the Department had expended approximately $193.7 million and assisted 1,489 applicants, though by early 2025 the full $600,000,000 appropriation was reportedly attached to projects targeting over 7,500 homes and lots over five years.

Require transmission of certified copies of this resolution to the Auditor and the Chairperson of the Hawaiian Homes Commission.