HI SR14

Requests the State Auditor to conduct an audit of the $600,000,000 appropriated to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) under Act 279 (2022) to eliminate the waitlist for native Hawaiian land and housing

Act 279 funds were intended for developing residential lots, purchasing land, building housing units, and providing financial assistance to over 28,700 waitlisted native Hawaiians

DHHL reported encumbering approximately $193.7 million in fiscal year 2023 (assisting 1,489 applicants) and $363.4 million in fiscal year 2024 (assisting only 185 applicants)

By early 2025, the entire $600 million was reportedly committed to projects targeting 7,500 homes and lots over five years, with plans to issue 2,600 leases by end of 2025

DHHL failed to submit its required Annual Activity Report by January 21, 2026, prompting this audit request to examine spending and compliance with the 2020 Beneficiaries Study preferences