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DHHL presents East Kapolei residential lease awards; commissioners praise staff, final vote not recorded
Summary
Department of Hawaiian Home Lands staff presented a package of residential project lease awards for East Kapolei (Kauloka‘i Subdivision Phase 2, increments D–F). Commissioners thanked staff for processing long-pending applications and noted beneficiaries faced long waits; the meeting transcript does not record the final vote on the item.
The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) presented a slate of residential project lease awards for East Kapolei during its April 21 meeting, asking the commission to approve leases for increments D, E and F of the Kauloka‘i Subdivision Phase 2 project in Kapolei on Oʻahu. Commissioners moved and seconded the item; the transcript supplied for this meeting does not record the final vote.
Kalani Franda, acting administrator for the Land Development Division, said staff had submitted a list of project leases for the commission’s approval and called the presentation “what an exciting time.” Franda opened the floor to questions after summarizing the requested approvals.
Commissioners and staff framed the item as part of a broader push to clear longstanding backlogs. Juan Garcia, Homestead Services Division administrator, introduced related consent items earlier in the meeting and noted continuing work by the Applications Branch. An unnamed commissioner told staff that beneficiaries had waited a long time for undivided-interest leases and thanked staff for “the hard work that it took, to get through that grind and to to send these people away happy.” The same commissioner said staff had “run out of leases” during a previous roll call and that some applicants listed later in the process had no chance that day.
DHHL staff described the packet as approvals of residential project leases for East Kapolei and provided a list of the specific project leases included in the request. The transcript identifies the item as agenda E-1, “approval of lease awards, Kaupea subdivision phase 2, the residential project lease for Kapolei Oahu, Kauloka‘i Subdivision increment D, E and F,” with staff asking for the commission’s approval and then opening the floor for discussion.
The record supplied does not include the formal roll-call vote on E-1 or a detailed timeline for issuance of individual leases. Commissioners’ remarks stressed that older applications remain under review by the Applications Branch and thanked staff for moving long-pending certifications and leases forward.
The commission’s discussion connected this item to broader backlog-reduction work: commissioners cited historical applications dating back decades and said clearing older entries makes beneficiaries eligible to be placed on lists for home leases. DHHL staff did not specify in the supplied transcript the number of leases in the packet by household, nor the projected schedule for issuing remaining leases.
Following discussion, the meeting proceeded to other agenda items. The transcript shows appreciation from commissioners for staff efforts but does not show further details about implementation steps, funding sources or a final vote on the E-1 lease approvals.
