Housing Department: Ohana Assistance Program documents revised, grant re‑encumbrance pending corporation counsel review

The Maui County Department of Housing told the Budget, Finance and Economic Development Committee that the Ohana assistance program has been delayed by contract type and contractor changes and that the department intends to make the program reimbursable for eligible homeowners.

The most important point: Director Richard Mitchell said the county will allow qualified property owners who proceeded with construction during program delays to pursue reimbursement once the department finalizes grant documents and receives corporation counsel edits.

Why it matters: The Ohana assistance program provides a pathway for homeowners to build accessory or on‑site units; eligible homeowners have been awaiting reimbursement and clarity about timing while the department converts an earlier professional services agreement to a grant format.

What happened Mitchell explained that when the program moved to the newly formed department, staff found the existing contract with Lokahi Pacific (transcript reads “Lokahi Pacific/La Calle Pacific” in places) was structured as a professional services agreement instead of a grant agreement. The department said all program funds were incumbent under that professional services contract, requiring a process of disencumbering and then reencumbering funds under a grant agreement.

“Subsequently it concluded that Lokahi Pacific was no longer interested in participating in the program,” Mitchell said. He told the committee he reviewed documents, revised them and submitted them to corporation counsel. He said he took personal oversight of the project because the staff manager planned to retire.

Timing and next steps Mitchell said corporation counsel has the revised grant documents and the department expects to move quickly once legal edits are returned, but he could not provide a firm payment date. “I can only say I’d like to hope we can do this quickly now that the documents have been cleaned up and returned to corporation counsel,” he said.

Committee members asked that department staff provide copies of relevant correspondence and supporting documents to members. Chair Yukilei Suniwa asked staff to distribute letters and housing plan documents to committee members so they can review them.

Clarifying detail: department staff told the committee the grant documents were transmitted to corporation counsel after revisions and that the previous agreement’s executive director planned to retire, prompting the department to take over administration of the project.

Ending: Committee members pressed for a firm timeline; department leaders said they would follow up once corporation counsel returns edits and the grant agreement is ready to execute.