OHA launches Ajo home‑loan intake with strong early interest; Kana‘aho Maui relief program reopens through June

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs reported progress on two housing initiatives at its March 6, 2025 board meeting: the newly launched Ajo home‑loan (AHAO/Ajo) intake and the Kana‘aho Maui relief program. Administration officials described strong early interest in Ajo and provided distribution and outreach figures for Kana‘aho.

Ajo home‑loan intake: early activity OHA Director of Economic Resilience Poni Askew told trustees that the Ajo home‑loan intake drew a large public response in its first 48 hours. The program’s web and social posts generated thousands of clicks and hundreds of views; staff recorded 57 initial inquiries in the first 48 hours and 38 completed intake forms within the first two weeks. Of those applicants, 19 were determined eligible for referral (HRP card requirement) and 10 have been referred to the participating lender (ASB) for prequalification. Intake questions included where applicants intended to live; Oahu, Hawaii Island and Maui were the top islands named.

Askew said the intake captured household composition data: if every intake in the sample were to convert to a loan and house the listed household members, the intake respondents alone would represent housing for an estimated 479 Native Hawaiians — an illustrative figure showing potential program impact, not a guaranteed outcome. Askew credited communications and field staff for outreach and said OHA will continue to promote the program to maximize the use of available funds.

Kana‘aho Maui relief program update Kea‘aho/Kana‘aho program staff reported that Kana‘aho’s round that closed Dec. 31, 2024 awarded nearly $2,675,000 to benefit 483 households (53 homeowners and 330 renters were cited in the report). Administration said a small number of applicants had outstanding forms and that staff offered additional Kokua to help complete applications. Based on trustee requests, administration announced a reopening of Kana‘aho for the remainder of the fiscal year; the portal will accept applications through June 30, 2025.

Funding and outreach Trustees were told the Kana‘aho awards come from a $5 million Maui relief allocation; OHA has distributed roughly $2.675 million of that total so far and will consider additional distribution options as intake continues. Administration plans to send a follow‑up survey to Kana‘aho awardees on March 17 to collect beneficiary feedback to guide potential use of remaining funds; staff indicated possible redirection of unspent funds toward Kupuna needs or housing-focused interventions if community responses support that approach.

Administration also discussed operational needs: staff noted that only two card‑issuance machines for beneficiary identification (HRP cards) were available (one on Oahu, one on Maui), and trustees asked administration to ensure adequate on‑island access to the HRP enrollment process.

What trustees asked and next steps Trustees asked for continuing reports and suggested partnering with Hawaiian Homes Commission and other agencies as an additional pathway for beneficiaries who do not qualify under other lending or voucher programs. Administration said it would continue outreach, report back on intake-to-application conversion rates, and present recommendations if additional funding allocation is needed.